chives and — 〃
Danny's giggle； fading； then cut off by the firm click of the bathroom door。
He was private about his bathroom functions； while both she and Jack were pretty
much catch…as…catch…can。 Another sign — and they were multiplying all the time —
that there was another human being in the place； not just a carbon copy of one
of them or a bination of both。 It made her a little sad。 Someday her child
would be a stranger to her； and she would be strange to him 。。。 but not as
strange as her own mother had bee to her。 Please don't let it be that way；
God。 Let him grow up and still love his mother。
Jack's typewriter began its irregular bursts again。
Still sitting in the chair beside Danny's reading table； she let her eyes
wander around her son's room。 The glider's wing had been neatly mended。 His desk
was piled high with picture books； coloring books； old Spiderman ic books
with the covers half torn off； Crayolas； and an untidy pile of Lincoln Logs。 The
VW model was neatly placed above these lesser things； its shrink…wrap still
undisturbed。 He and his father would be putting it together tomorrow night or
the night after if Danny went on at this rate； and never mind the end of the
week。 His pictures of Pooh and Eyore and Christopher Robin were tacked neatly to
the wall； soon enough to be replaced with pin…ups and photographs of dope…
smoking rock singers； she supposed。 Innocence to experience。 Human nature； baby。
Grab it and growl。 Still it made her sad。 Next year he would be in school and
she would lose at least half of him； maybe more； to his friends。 She and Jack
had tried to have another one for a while when things had seemed to be going
well at Stovington； but she was on the pill again now。 Things were too
uncertain。 God knew where they would be in nine months。
Her eyes fell on the wasps' nest。
It held the ultimate high place in Danny's room； resting on a large plastic
plate on the table by his bed。 She didn't like it； even if it was empty。 She
wondered vaguely if it might have germs； thought to ask Jack； then decided he
would laugh at her。 But she would ask the doctor tomorrow； if she could catch
him with Jack out of the room。 She didn't like the idea of that thing；
constructed from the chewings and saliva of so many alien creatures； lying
within a foot of her sleeping son's head。
The water in the bathroom was still running； and she got up and went into the
big bedroom to make sure everything was okay。 Jack didn't look up； he was lost
in the world he was making； staring at the typewriter； a filter cigarette
clamped in his teeth。
She knocked lightly on the closed bathroom room。 〃You okay； doc？ You awake？〃
No answer。
〃Danny？〃
No answer。 She tried the door。 It was locked。
〃Danny？〃 She was worried now。 The lack of any sound beneath the steadily
running water made her uneasy。 〃Danny？ Open the door； honey。〃
No answer。
〃Danny！〃
〃Jesus Christ； Wendy； I can't think if you're going to pound on the door all
night。〃
〃Danny's locked himself in the bathroom and he doesn't answer me！〃
Jack came around the desk； looking put out。 He knocked on the door once； hard。
〃Open up； Danny。 No games。〃
No answer。
Jack knocked harder。 〃Stop fooling； doc。 Bedtime's bedtime。 Spanking if you
don't open up。〃
He's losing his temper； she thought； and was more afraid。 He had not touched
Danny in anger since that evening two years ago； but at this moment he sounded
angry enough to do it。
〃Danny； honey — 〃 she began。
No answer。 Only running water。
〃Danny； if you make me break this lock I can guarantee you you'll spend the
night sleeping on your belly；〃 Jack warned。
Nothing。
〃Break it；〃 she said； and suddenly it was hard to talk。 〃Quick。〃
He raised one foot and brought it down hard against the door to the right of
the knob。 The lock was a poor thing； it gave immediately and the door shuddered
open； banging the tiled bathroom wall and rebounding halfway。
〃Danny！〃 she screamed。
The water was running full force in the basin。 Beside it； a tube of Crest with
the cap off。 Danny was sitting on the rim of the bathtub across the room； his
toothbrush clasped limply in his left hand； a thin foam of toothpaste around his
mouth。 He was staring； trancelike； into the mirror on the front of the medicine
cabinet above the washbasin。 The expression on his face was one of drugged
horror； and her first thought was that he was having some sort of epileptic
seizure； that he might have swallowed his tongue。
〃Danny！〃
Danny didn't answer。 Guttural sounds came from his throat。
Then she was pushed aside so hard that she crashed into the towel rack； and
Jack was kneeling in front of the boy。
〃Danny；〃 he said。 〃Danny； Danny！〃 He snapped his fingers in front of Danny's
blank eyes。
〃Ah…sure；〃 Danny said。 〃Tournament play。 Stroke。 Nurrrrr 。。。〃
〃Danny — 〃
〃Roque！〃 Danny said； his voice suddenly deep； almost manlike。 〃Roque。 Stroke。
The roque mallet 。。。 has two sides。 Gaaaaaa — 〃
〃Oh Jack my God what's wrong with him？〃
Jack grabbed the boy's elbows and shook him hard。 Danny's head rolled limply
backward and then snapped forward like a balloon on a stick。
〃Roque。 Stroke。 Redrum。〃
Jack shook him again； and Danny's eyes suddenly cleared。 His toothbrush fell
out of his hand and onto the tiled floor with a small click。
〃What？〃 he asked； looking around。 He saw his father kneeling before him； Wendy
standing by the wall。 〃What？〃 Danny asked again； with rising alarm。 〃W…W…Wuh…
What's wr…r…r — 〃
〃Don't stutter！〃 Jack suddenly screamed into his face。 Danny cried out in
shock； his body going tense； trying to draw away from his father； and then he
collapsed into tears。 Stricken； Jack pulled him close。 〃Oh； honey； I'm sorry。
I'm sorry； doc。 Please。 Don't cry。 I'm sorry。 Everything's okay。〃
The water ran ceaselessly in the basin； and Wendy felt that she had suddenly
stepped into some grinding nightmare where time ran backward； backward to the
time when her drunken husband had broken her son's arm and had then mewled over
him in almost the exact same words。
（Oh honey。 I'm sorry。 I'm sorry； doc。 Please。 So sorry。）
She ran to them both； pried Danny out of Jack's arms somehow （she saw the look
of angry reproach on his face but filed it away for later consideration）； and
lifted him up。 She walked him back into the small bedroom； Danny's arms clasped
around her neck； Jack trailing them。
She sat down on Danny's bed and rocked him back and forth； soothing him with
nonsensical words repeated over and over。 She looked up at Jack and there was
only worry in his eyes now。 He raised questioning eyebrows at her。 She shook her
head faintly。
〃Danny；〃 she said。 〃Danny； Danny； Danny。 'S okay； doc。 'S fine。〃
At last Danny was quiet； only faintly trembling in her arms。 Yet it was Jack
he spoke to first； Jack who was now sitting beside them on the bed； and she felt
the old faint pang
（It's him first and it's always been him first）
of jealousy。 Jack had shouted at him； she had forted hi