that was still too much to spend on a ride that didn't even last an hour, but I'm glad we went. It was scary, but it was beautiful."
"Like the auras," Ralph said.
"Yes, like..." Her voice wavered. Ralph looked over and saw tears trickling down her plump cheeks. like the auras."
"Don't cry, Lois."
She found a Kleenex in her purse and wiped her eyes. "I can't help it, That Japanese word on the card means kamikaze, doesn't it, Ralph? Divine Wind." She paused, lips trembling. "Suicide pilot."
Ralph nodded. He was gripping the wheel very tightly. "Yes," he said. "That's what it means. Suicide pilot."
Route 33-known as Newport Avenue in town-passed within four blocks of Harris Avenue, but Ralph had absolutely no intention of breaking their long fast over on the west side. The reason was as simple as it was compelling: he and Lois couldn't afford to be seen by any of their old friends, not looking fifteen or twenty years younger than they had on Monday.
Had any of those old friends reported them missing to the police yet?
Ralph knew it was possible, but felt he could reasonably hope that so far they had escaped much notice and concern, at least from his circle; Faye and the rest of the folks who hung out in the picnic area near the Extension would be in too much of a dither over the passing of not just one Old Crock colleague but a pair of them to spend much time wondering about where Ralph Roberts had gotten his skinny old ass off to.
Both Bill and jimmy could have been waked, funeralled, and buried by now, he thought. we've got time for breakfast, Ralph, find a place as quick as you can-I'm so hungry I could eat a horse with the hide still on!"
They were almost a mile west of the hospital now-far enough away to allow Ralph to feel reasonably safe-and he saw the Derry Diner up ahead. As he signalled and turned into the parking lot, he realized he hadn't been here since Carol had gotten sick... a year at least, maybe more.
"Here we are," he told Lois. "And we're not just going to eat, we're going to eat all we can. We may not get another chance today."
She grinned like a schoolkid. "You've just put your finger on one of my great talents, Ralph." She wriggled a little on the seat.
"Also, I have to spend a penny."
Ralph nodded. No food since Tuesday, and no bathroom stops, either. Lois could spend her penny; he intended to pop into the men's room and let go of a couple of dollars.
"Come on," he said, turning off the motor and silencing that troublesome clacking under the hood. "First the bathroom, then the foodquake."
On the way to the door she told him (speaking in a voice Ralph found just a trifle too casual) that she didn't think either Mina or Simone would have reported her missing, at least not yet. When Ralph turned his head to ask her why, he was amazed and amused to see she was blushing rosy-red.
"They both know I've had a crush on you for years."
"Are you kidding?"
"Of course not," she said, sounding a bit put out. "Carolyn knew too. Some women would have minded, but she understood how harmless it was. How harmless I was. She was such a dear, Ralph."
"Yes. She was."
"Anyway, they'll probably assume that we've... you know "Gone off on a little French leave?"
Lois laughed. "Something like that."
"Would you like to go off on a little French leave, Lois?"
She stood on tiptoe and nibbled briefly at his earlobe. "If we get out of this alive, you just ask me."
He kissed the corner of her mouth before pushing open the door.
"You can count on it, lady."
They made for the bathrooms, and when Ralph rejoined her, Lois looked both thoughtful and a little shaken. "I can't believe it's me," she said in a low voice. "I mean, I must have spent at least two minutes staring at myself in the mirror, and I still can't believe it, The crow's-feet around my eyes are all gone, and Ralph... my hair.
... "Those dark Spanish eyes of hers looked up at him, filled with brilliance and wonder. "And you." My God, I doubt if you looked this good when you were forty."
"I didn't, but you should have seen me when I was thirty. I was an a imal." She giggled. "Come on, fool, let's sit down and murder some calories.