Bill didn’t think of himself as a crazy white boy. He didn’t think of himself as crazy at all. Most of the things that were happening to him now and most of the things that he was doing did not seem unusual, crazy, or even unlike the things that other people in the kitchens did. He was, as it seemed to him, one of several cooks (and a meat cutter) doing exactly as they did.
Because his fiancé was not going to be there, Bill did not drive home. He asked Lorraine if he could crash on her sofa. She was happy to allow him to do so. She reminded him that her children were home and that they had to act accordingly. Bill, having thoroughly enjoyed himself with Marie in a way he’d never done before, was quite okay with that idea and happy to be able to simply get a shower and go to sleep. Lorraine’s girls were now somewhat used to seeing Bill crashing there sometimes, and since they’d never seen their mother and Bill together they thought nothing more of it than what their mother had told them, which was he had a long drive and had to be back again early in the morning so it was easier for him to say over out there.
He called his fiancé first thing in the morning and told her he’d spent the night at Lorraine’s, that he was heading off to work about nine o’clock. This would get him in early so that he could change the grease, set up the prime ribs that needed to be cooked and straighten up around the dish-washing area where a lot of dishes had remained unwashed from the night before. This would not have been tolerated on a regular day when they were opening for lunch and dinner. But because it was a Sunday, because they thought it was going to be somewhat slow, certainly compared to the last few days, Tommy had allowed it to happen.
As it worked out, Lorraine’s daughters went off to church before Bill had left for work. This left Lorraine and Bill alone together in the apartment. Lorraine seized the opportunity immediately. She jumped Bill’s bones the moment her daughters’ friend’s mother picked them up and drove off. They kissed, they petted, they played, then she invited him into her bed. Their activities finished with a shower together after which Bill dressed and got himself ready to head into work. Lorraine gave him a clean pair of skivvies, one of the few remaining in the pack her husband had left there when they’d separated.
Tommy was already in when Bill got to work. He had opened the back but kept the screen door locked so that Bill had to bang on the door and wait for him to come along to let him in.
“Mr. Bowman is going to be thrilled with the numbers from last night. He’s gonna be thrilled with the run we’ve had in both stores since Thursday.”
“He should be.”
“Well, he will be. But he won’t be pleased with all the bourbon missing from downstairs.”
“Call it a work expense.”
“You and Henry Lee can’t keep doing that. I’m gonna cover it this time. It’s easier for me than having to fight with Drenovis.”
“I have some choice words for him.”
“You need to watch yourself. Being good at your job will only carry you so far. Being tight with Robert will carry you even further. But everyone has limits.”
“Yeah, him too. And he better not overstep his.”
Tommy shook his head almost in disbelief maybe. “You’re incorrigible aren’t you?”
“I’m learning the trade,” said Bill.
