he Esquire stories in the world。〃
〃I'll be home early。〃
But he hadn't been home until four in the morning； stumbling and mumbling his
way up the stairs； waking Danny up when he came in。 He had tried to soothe the
baby and dropped him on the floor。 Wendy had rushed out； thinking of what her
mother would think if she saw the bruise before she thought of anything else —
God help her； God help them both — and then picked Danny up； sat in the rocking
chair with him； soothed him。 She had been thinking of her mother for most of the
five hours Jack had been gone； her mother's prophecy that Jack would never e
to anything。 Big ideas； her mother had said。 Sure。 The welfare lines are full of
educated fools with big ideas。 Did the Esquire story make her mother wrong or
right？ Winnifred； you're not holding that baby right。 Give him to me。 And was
she not holding her husband right？ Why else would he take his joy out of the
house？ A helpless kind of terror had risen up in her and it never occurred to
her that he had gone out for reasons that had nothing to do with her。
〃Congratulations；〃 she said； rocking Danny — he was almost asleep again。 〃Maybe
you gave him a concussion。〃
〃It's just a bruise。〃 He sounded sulky； wanting to be repentant： a little boy。
For an instant she hated him。
〃Maybe；〃 she said tightly。 〃Maybe not。〃 She heard so much of her mother
talking to her departed father in her own voice that she was sickened and
afraid。
〃Like mother like daughter；〃 Jack muttered。
〃Go to bed！〃 she cried； her fear ing out sounding like anger。 〃Go to bed；
you're drunk！〃
〃Don't tell me what to do。〃
〃Jack 。。。 please