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check the compressor, and she busied herself cleaning up after Owen. He must have had company while she was gone. At least some of the dishes made it into the sink. When she turned around, she saw him standing in the kitchen doorway. She scraped the plates off and ran soapy water in the sink.
    “Where have you been?” he asked sullenly, scratching again.
    “At a friend’s funeral.”
    “Who’s that guy?”
    “He is an AC repairman.”
    “No, I mean who is he to you ? I can tell he’s a fuckin’ AC repairman.”
    He threw his beer bottle in the trash can, where it struck something else and shattered. She cringed. He was working on another drunk.
    “He’s my friend. He offered to come over and check it out,” she replied, hoping he would accept her answer and walk away. For once, not start in on her, not while Adam was here. Please , not while Adam was there.
    “Maybe what he’s really doing is checking you out. He must be blind or something.” He belched.
    “What?”
    “Maybe he needs glasses. Or maybe he prefers fat asses like yours. It takes all kinds, I guess,” he muttered with a shrug.

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    “Whatever, Owen. Go watch your game and let me get done in here.”
    She would not give in and start crying. In his current state, that was like blood in the water to a shark.
    “Whatever?” he slurred. “That’s probably what he was thinking when he saw your fat ass. I’m going to Dave’s. I don’t want to be around for whatever method of payment the two of you have worked out. Of course, he may demand cash payment on the spot after fucking your fat ass or maybe even demand a refund from you . That cunt will probably disappoint him , too. There’s a paper bag on the refrigerator if he needs it, fuckin’ slut.” He grabbed his keys from the table and allowed the screen door to slam shut on his way out.
    Grace had frozen as the evil filth flowed from his drunken lips. Each horrible word flowed over her like acid. She was such a chickenshit. That was her opportunity, and she'd passed it up. Maybe not the best opportunity because Owen was not a drunk she wanted to piss off.
    In the next second, what she’d thought was the worst moment of her life became so, so, so much worse .
    She heard a tool clank against the air conditioner compressor, right outside the open kitchen window. She listened to the crashing thud of her heart. She broke out into a cold sweat, and each rasping breath made her throat hurt. Adam had probably heard every despicable word Owen uttered, the names he’d called her, and the innuendo he had dropped. Her day was now complete.
    When she started seeing black spots in front of her eyes, she realized she was holding her breath and turned to make her way to a kitchen chair. She sat forward, placing her elbows on her knees, her forehead in the palms of her hands. The black spots went away, but the mortification stayed.
    He startled her when she felt his large hand sweep across her back. She jumped, but kept her eyes closed, not wanting to look into his. He pulled up a chair and sat down and gently rubbed her back.
    “You heard?”
    “Yeah.”
    “How much?”
    “Every ignorant word. Why do you put up with someone who treats you like that, baby?”

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    “I plan to throw him out. I just don’t want to do it when he’s drunk.
    He’s mean when he’s drunk, as you can see. I didn’t want an ugly scene while you were here.”
    “You were trying to avoid a scene because of me, baby? I wish I’d known you want to break up with him. I would have personally kicked his stupid drunken ass for you and then helped you throw his shit out with him.
    Is that the house cleaning you told us earlier that you needed to do?”
    She nodded as he continued, “Grace, all you have to do is call us when you’re ready to clean house. All three of us will come whether he’s drunk or sober, and your house cleaning will be done .”
    “Thank you, Adam. I’m really sorry that he was here, and I’m very