They ate in silence. Once Lillian asked him if he wanted more bread. He did and when she arose to cut it he asked for more lettuce, too.
Afterwards he went to the couch again and Lillian washed and dried the dishes.
The summer night came down over Inwood. The children summoned each other with strange calls somewhere between a yodel and a wail. A feeling of loneliness came over Lillian. All up and down the street there were groups of people talking and laughing. She wondered if Anna and Louise were somewhere together tonight. Perhaps Theresa was with them. They would all have bright-colored slippers and organdie dresses and would be laughing about something. They wouldn't even mention her name. Nobody ever again would mention her name. Her mother might once in a while; that is, if she was still alive.
A young woman paused in the street below Lillian's window. She had a trim figure, small, slim feet. She called, "Say, John Gilbert's up at the Dyckman tonight. Want to come?"
She was addressing the girl at the window above Lillian's. Besides, Lillian had known by her voice that it wasn't Theresa.
Hubert coughed. Lillian went to get the Vaporub. She had forgotten it till now.
"Say, Lil, don't put that on. I got to go out tomorrow and it might make matters worse if you smear me up. You know it opens the pores and all."
"What are you going out for?"
"I've got to get a job, Lil. Anything. You know,
