Page:The Blacker the Berry - Thurman - 1929.djvu/160

 “Oh, I'm all right, only tired.”

“Did you work hard?”

“I always work hard.”

“I I  just thought I'd call.”

“Glad you did, call me again some time. Good-bye”—said too quickly. No chance to say “When will I see you again?”

She went home, got into the bed and cried herself to sleep.

Arline returned two days ahead of schedule. Things settled back into routine. The brown stripling had taken Emma Lou out twice, but upon her refusal to submit herself to him, had gone away in a huff, and had not returned. She surmised that it was the first time he had made such a request of any one. He did it so ineptly. Work. Home. Walks. Theaters downtown during the afternoon, and thoughts of Alva. Finally, she just had to call him again. He came to the ’phone:

“Hello. Who? Emma Lou? Where have you been? I’ve been wondering where you were?”

She was shy, afraid she might be too bold. But Alva had had his usual three glasses of before-dinner gin. He helped her out.

“When can I see you, Sugar?”

Sugar! He had called her “sugar.” She told him