I'm in Courtney's bed. Luis is in Atlanta. Courtney shivers,presses against me, relaxes. I roll oʃ her onto my back, landingon something hard and covered with fur. I reach under myself toɹnd a stuʃed black cat with blue jewels for eyes that I think Ispotted at F.A.O. Schwarz when I was doing some early Christmasshopping. I'm at a loss as to what to say, so I stammer, "Tiʃanylamps ... are making a comeback." I can barely see her face in thedarkness but hear the sigh, painful and low, the sound of aprescription bottle snapping open, her body shifting in the bed. Idrop the cat on the ɻoor, get up, take a shower. On The PattyWinters Show this morning the topic was Beautiful TeenageLesbians, which I found so erotic I had to stay home, miss ameeting, jerk oʃ twice. Aimless, I spent an inordinate amount ofthe day at Sotheby's, bored and confused. Last night, dinner withJeanette at Deck Chairs, she seemed tired and ordered little. Wesplit a pizza that cost ninety dollars. After toweling my hair dry Iput on a Ralph Lauren robe and walk back into the bedroom,start to dress. Courtney is smoking a cigarette, watching LateNight with David Letterman, the sound turned down low."Will you call me before Thanksgiving?" she asks."Maybe." I button up the front of my shirt, wondering why Ieven came here in the ɹrst place."What are you doing?" she asks, speaking slowly.My response is predictably cool. "Dinner at the River Café.Afterwards Au Bar, maybe.""That's nice," she murmurs."You and ... Luis?" I ask."We were supposed to have dinner at Tad and Maura's," shesighs. "But I don't think we're going to anymore.""Why not?" I slip on my vest, black cashmere from Polo,thinking: I am really interested."Oh you know how Luis is about the Japanese," she starts, hereyes already glazed over.When she fails to continue I ask, annoyed, "You're makingsense. Go on.""Luis refused to play Trivial Pursuit at Tad and Maura's lastSunday because they have an Akita." She takes a drag oʃ hercigarette."So, like ..." I pause. "What happened?""We played at my place.""I never knew you smoked," I say.She smiles sadly but in a dumb way. "You never noticed.""Okay, I admit I'm embarrassed, but just a little." I move overto the Marlian mirror that hangs above a Sottsass teakwood deskto make sure the knot in my Armani paisley tie isn't crooked."Listen, Patrick," she says, with eʃort. "Can we talk?""You look marvelous." I sigh, turning my head, oʃering anairkiss. "There's nothing to say. You're going to marry Luis. Nextweek, no less.""Isn't that special?" she asks sarcastically, but not in afrustrated way."Read my lips," I say, turning back to the mirror. "You lookmarvelous.""Patrick?""Yes, Courtney?""If I don't see you before Thanksgiving ..." She stops, confused."Have a nice one?"I look at her for a moment before replying, tonelessly, "Youtoo."She picks up the stuʃed black cat, strokes its head. I step outthe door into the hallway, heading down it toward the kitchen."Patrick?" she calls softly from her bedroom.I stop but don't turn around. "Yes?""Nothing."
