But the webs weren’t really too complicated. Things, whether we want to believe it or not, have a way of working themselves out.
And so they did.
Bill’s wife, his newlywed, took several trips up to Cleveland during the month of June. They had decided, somewhat reluctantly on her part but not because of Bill’s influence, to move up to around where her parents lived. Bill was okay with this because he was not enamored of the idea of going back to New York. And he still had a couple of months left on his probation even though that was pretty much in the past. Thanks to Bailey, who was really interested in getting with Lucy, the gorgeous hostess over on the West side, and who was also into the numbers game that Robert collected for (which is what Robert had been busted for and what led to his meeting Bill), the police had been leaving Bill alone, no longer followed him at all and pretty much maintained a hands-off policy about him.
Bea was ever herself, but she was more distant from Bill since they’d had that fight even though she had her moments when, feeling frisky, she might try to initiate something. Bill quickly reminded her that he was married now and maybe when he got around to her age things would be different. For right now, though, he was staying faithful.
He and Mary had finished up as a couple. They loved each other, and it was not only clear to them but it was also clear to everyone else who watched them in their interplay. Nevertheless, Mary now had a simple stay-to-herself policy, and Bill did not make any advances toward her because he was afraid she might accept them and he would go with her. Sometimes, fear’s a good thing.
Lily and Brooklyn never scored on their bet. They had made that bet on who would be the first to get with Bill, but Arlene, ever a loyal friend, had tipped Bill off about it. Forewarned, he was able to play it as it went, accept their flirting, even cop a few feels, but nothing more. Brooklyn had kissed him once, a long tongue kiss, and he couldn’t say that it tasted bad. In fact, it reminded him of a girl from when he was about fifteen who had a really sweet tongue. In another time and another place he would have continued kissing, not only there but everywhere, all over her, everywhere.
Lily came in one day not wearing any panties. That was her final attempt at getting him to go with her. In retrospect, Bill thought, it was a valiant attempt, and again, in another time and another place it would’ve gotten her everywhere. But, alas, the dorky, chubby, crewcut-sporting, black-plastic glasses wearing kid who was clumsy and awkward and spatially retarded, existed no more. Oh, he was still spatially retarded for sure, even if he didn’t know it yet. At this point in time before he would be diagnosed, he just thought himself extremely clumsy and very lacking in eye-hand coordination.
That gawky, dorky kid had grown into a young man who was skinny and extremely adept at the job he did. So, to others, if he thought about it, he was perceived as somewhat cool and he was surely in a power position.
That day that Lily wore no panties, he was sitting out on his milk cases, like he usually did. Lily came out and stood by him, actually opposite him, and put one foot up on Bea’s lettuce cases. Bill could see just about all the way up there. Bill got the distinct impression that Lily wanted him to see all the way up there. Bill had no problem looking up there, and as he sat smoking a cigarette, he thought about the pleasures that he might find up there if he were so inclined.
