about Wes,
how he had refused to quit smoking and had succumbed to lung cancer.
Her daughter and granddaughter were back living at home, recovering
from a divorce. Adam was working on a timber plantation. Joe told her
about Kate, Max, and his two marriages. No regrets, they agreed. How
could you regret a life which produced your children? Joe told her
about his writing and how he would face running out of money when it
happened. He didn't need much--as long as he could keep writing. He
could drive a cab again or work in a bookstore. And besides, he
brightened, remembering his steel company, he was four thousand dollars
ahead in the market.

Daisy's hair was light brown and streaked with gray. Her eyes were
grayish blue. She smiled often. They drank and then ate sandwiches,
occasionally pausing in their conversation to watch the Pacific grow
dark. When they were done, Joe walked with her up the steps and into
the lobby. "I love the Moana," he said. "Once, when Ingrid and Max and
I were on vacation, Maxie disappeared in there." He pointed to the
men's room. When I went in to check on him, he was on the floor,
pushing his toy rifle ahead of him, crawling out from under the last
door in the line. He had locked them all from the inside." Joe laughed,
stalling.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"Told him, 'retreat is the most difficult maneuver--let's get out of
here."'

"I don't think I'm ready for sex," Daisy said quietly.

"It's overrated," Joe said. And then, "It's not as if we haven't been
there." Disappointment hovered. "How about a back rub?"

She read his eyes for a moment and said, "That would be nice."

"Oh, good." They entered the elevator relieved to be still together. He
took off his shoes in her room and lay down on the bed. Daisy slid next
to him and turned on her side. He rubbed her shoulders and upper back
for a long time, but she did not relax. He reached over and turned out
the light. She said nothing. He continued and then, without thinking,
he put his teeth on the muscle above one of her shoulder blades and
shook her slightly. She winced and he bit harder. She cried out and
spun around, drawing him tightly to her.

"Hold me," she said. "Hold me." He put his arms around her as she began
to shake and sob. She beat softly on his back with her fists, and he
held her more tightly. Gradually, her shaking eased and she breathed
more evenly. Without speaking, they undressed and lay side by side. She
had