For a week now for an afternoon the one coming up. By twelve o'clock the house to herself to come over and plan. Part of could hardly believe. Another part told a promise to the Virgin. A month earlier and in another two months. Twenty-one years. He had always been a strong man. Like he was angry all the time. Now he hit. He was like a pitcher full of black water and anytime anything threw him even a little off balance, the black water spilled out.

He hit. His own he slapped like.