第29部分(第4/7 頁)

e　had　nothing　to　hide。　〃I　realized　that　you　were　right。　The　holidays

are　closing　in。　I'm　hoping　to　take　home　a　little　extra　strength。　They'll

be　tough。〃

His　voice　iss　him　a　lot？〃

〃Yes。　It　isn't　as　bad　as　it　was。　I　can　accept　that　he's　gone　now。　I'm

used　to　waking　up　without　him。　The　people　around　me　are　having　more

trouble。　They're　sometimes　so　solicitous　it'd　make　you　sick。

Thanksgiving's　apt　to　be　one　long　let's…cheer…up…Anne　ordeal。〃

Mitch　blew　out　a　breath。　〃Oh；　boy。　I　know　what　you　mean　there。〃

〃How　so？〃　she　asked；　not　letting　it　go　this　time。　〃Are　you　married？〃

Lips　pursed；　he　studied　his　hands。　〃No。〃

〃Have　you　ever　been　married？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Are　you　divorced？〃

〃No。〃

〃Separated？〃

〃No。〃

There　was　only　one　other　possibility。　It　made　sense　on　many　different

levels。

〃My　wife　died；〃　he　said；　looking　at　her　now。

Anne　saw　the　pain　in　his　eyes。　〃I'm　sorry。　You　must　have　loved　her　very

much。〃

&（l　did。〃

〃How　did　she　die？〃

His　jaw　clenched；　and　anger　joined　the　pain。　She　was　wondering　if　the

anger　was　directed　at　her；　when　he　grew　mellow　again。　〃I'd　rather　not　go

into　it。　That'd　be　getting　more　personal　than　we　planned。〃

〃But　it　helps　to　talk　sometimes。　Doesn't　it？　I　mean；　if　you're　angry…〃

〃Who's　angry？〃

〃I　thought　I　saw…〃

〃What　about　your　anger？　I've　heard　it；　you　know。　Do　you　talk　about　it？〃

He　pushed　his　chair　back　but　didn't　rise。　Both　hands　clutched　the　edge

of　the　table。　〃You　don't　know　what　I'm　feeling。　You　don't　know　anything

about　me；　about　my　work；　my　responsibilities。　How　can　you　be　so

sanctimonious？〃

She　recoiled。　〃Sanctimoni