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hadn’t
interrupted for any commercials. Hating himself for doing so, he
left the volume at a level too high for conversation as they
continued toward Crown. Bill didn’t seem to mind.
     
    Every so often they would come upon a
homemade sign at the end of a driveway: Repent! The end is
near! Jimmy wondered about that. For sale signs hung in front
of many of the other homes they passed; most had been repossessed
and sat empty and lifeless. Others, with long driveways had cars
and trucks parked at the ends, blocking the entrances as
effectively as iron gates. From time to time, they’d pass armed
farmers looking over their herds. The highway was nearly deserted.
Occasionally, they’d be passed by loaded vehicles going well over
the speed limit.
     
    The attempted truck-jacking fresh in his
memory; Jimmy drove straight into the trailer park which was nearly
empty, even for this time of day. Passing the vacant trailers at
the posted fifteen miles per hour, he noticed that those who
remained were packing their cars and heading somewhere. Where, he
could only guess. He turned down Tom Petty’s voice on the stereo as
he took the turn down his street.
     
    Paula’s Mustang wasn’t there.
     
    Tina’s Grand Am was sitting in Bill’s
driveway.
     
    Bill’s head snapped back. He leaned forward
and blinked hard, as if he were dreaming. “What the hell?” he
asked. “What’s she doing here?”
     
    Jimmy shook his head, wondering the same
thing. He pulled the Mack to the curb and set the brakes and cut
the engine. For a long moment, he and Bill sat there in silence.
“Where is she?” Jimmy asked. He had thought Paula would be home by
now and a terrible worry washed over him.
     
    “She’ll be home any minute,” said Bill,
looking at the floor. Not daring to look Jimmy in the eye.
     
    “Right,” answered Jimmy.
     
    “Sure,” said Bill. “So, what do you suppose
Tina wants? Do you think she wants to get back together? I’ll bet
Larry kicked her out as soon as he found out how bad things are. I
can’t blame him. You know, I knew she’d be back. I really did. She
had her little fling, but the chips are down and she needs to be
with someone who really loves her. You know what I mean? As much as
I hate everything that’s happened, I can forgive her. She’s back
now and that’s all that matters.”
     
    Jimmy nodded, knowing that Bill had no idea
that what he’d just said had cut him so deeply. He agreed with one
thing, except the chips weren’t just down—they were off the table.
He thought that if Paula really loved him, she’d be here waiting
for him.
     
    “I’m gonna head inside, man,” Bill said.
“Stop over before you head out, okay?” he asked, unable to contain
the smile from his round face.
     
    “Will do,” answered Jimmy, feeling as if he
were about to be sick.
     
    “I’m going to lay down some ground rules,”
Bill said, opening his door and stepping to the curb. “She’s gotta
clean up her act and remember who’s boss. That’s me, damn it.
That’s me.”
     
    Jimmy nodded, watching Bill as he closed the
door and practically strutted up to his trailer. He hoped
everything would turn out. Both he and Paula had liked Tina and
their daughter, Cindy. Jimmy got out of the Mack, locked the doors
and walked slowly up to his own empty home. He knew he should be
rushing, but the wind had left his sails. He inserted his key,
hoping somehow that Paula was inside.
     
    He opened the door and realized immediately
that she wasn’t there. Paula’s purse was off the hook in the
kitchen and her checkbook was missing from the table. Jimmy
frowned. He knew he had a lot to do and that he had to put her out
of his mind while he took care of the business at hand. He lit up a
smoke and walked straight into the spare bedroom. The room was a
mess of mismatched knick-knacks and pieces of unwanted furniture
that he’d been reluctant to part with. He sidestepped the clutter,
opened the closet door and began