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“Don’t it bother you none fixing up Elgin with customers?”
“A girl looks out for herself.”
“You let yourself get knocked up on purpose.”
“I don’t want a child. I never liked children,” she said.
“Why in the hell weren’t you careful?”
“The courthouse closes at five o’clock. We’ll apply for the license this afternoon and three days from now we’ll be married. Isn’t that nice?”
“I got to think it over.”
“I’ll meet you in the lobby at one.”
“I can’t do it today. Elgin is coming by with a delivery.”
“There’s some in the drawer. Get it and take it with you.”
“I got to pay Elgin anyway.”
“He’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Look, we can put it off a while. It don’t hurt to wait.”
“Stop being an ass.”
“We wouldn’t be no good married together.”
“I’m not getting caught with your brat and no husband.”
Two hours later he was downstairs in the lobby waiting for her. He had coffee in the café and went outside to the cigar stand for a shoeshine. The stand was under the brick colonnade of the hotel. A large oak tree grew through an opening in the sidewalk. The day was not hot yet, and there was a slight breeze that carried the watermelon smell of summer from the country and the odor of old brick. J.P. gave the porter a half dollar and went inside to the bar for a drink. He left word at the desk for April.
He sat on one of the tall bar stools and drank a draught beer. April came in and sat next to him. She wore a dark blue skirt and a white blouse and black high heels.
“You want a beer?” he said.
“No. Let’s go to the courthouse.”
“Bring me another draught,” he said to the bartender.
“We have to go,” she said.
“I feel like drinking some beer.”
“You can drink later.”
The bartender drew the beer from the tap and put the filled mug on the bar. J.P. paid him and drank half of it without putting the mug down. He wiped the foam off the corners of his mouth.
“You ought to have a drink,” he said.
“I don’t feel like it.”
“Are you still shaky from last night?”
“Finish your beer and let’s go,” she said.
“I ain’t in no hurry.”
