» Mr. Shulman asked her in a haughty, hoarse voice.
«No, I think.» she said.
«You're nervous,» Tom said, drawing out the vowels.
The man chuckled and nodded politely, folding his dry hands together again, flashing several seals at once, his eyes burning in hers.
«And in the end, what's the catch?» Lily asked, unbuttoning the top button of her shirt, which was beginning to choke her. Shulman raised his eyebrows:
«What kind of catch are you looking for? I'm being honest with you. Make a decision, I have other things to do besides you.»
Thomas thought about the bar and his problems with the illegal business, which were drowning him in shit. And he slowly unravelled it, humanly tired of everything.
Perhaps this «deal» was more necessary to him, because he wanted easy communication and warmth. For someone to wait and listen to him, meet him in the evening and hug him in bed. He was alone. Too lonely.
«I like you because you're a loner. » The girl broke the silence, throwing Shulman as if from a black horse, and immediately began to play not by the rules.
«Me? A loner? Friends, colleagues, students. I'm not a loner, Yung. »
Thomas had no friends or colleagues who were anything more than a tick on his list of sources of profit. And the students were more afraid of him than they adored him. – Well, what of it? His patience was wearing thin. The Jew pressed Lily gently.
«I agree, but in time I would like to establish some rules. » Lily said.
Thomas didn't like it, but he didn't show it.
«Well. Then it's a deal?»
Lily stood up and took his open hand.
«On deal.»
Thomas did not rush the girl with the essay after a tense moment for her, deciding in the future to demand a debt for this indulgence. He was surprised at her acceptance. Either she was just a fool, or she was a cunning fool who wanted to deceive him.
«To deceive a Jew is to remain deceived by yourself,» he thought, as he slung her bag over his shoulder, while she was beaming with happiness at having received the assessment for nothing, in fact-in advance.
There's a Commission scheduled for next Friday, and if you don't close your debts on time, you'll be kicked out of the class five minutes before graduation. Do you understand?»
The girl made a tired sound:
«All right, but math and Latin… Miss Evans is like that… I mean, she just hates me. »
Tom smiled, taking the subtle hint.
«I can help you with Latin, but you'll have to make up for lost time in math. » Lily smiled at him.
Tom ate a dog on a smart ass like her and ate a bitch, which is what she's doing now in this fucking circus.
«A fucking generation willing to do anything for profit. Isn't that what I am? Who the hell do I look like?» Shulman thought to himself, carrying her bag on his shoulder like a boy, and she walked ahead of him, swaying her hips, which were just right: wide and beautiful.
«It should produce children only to Supplement the valiant and great Jewish race,» flashed through his mind.
«Is this your bus?» Tom pointed toward the bus stop.
«Ah, yes! I have to go!» Lily perked up as she took back her bag, which he carried three blocks like a camel or horseback. «Goodbye.»
The brown eyes on the other side looked directly into his, searching for answers or questions. The next moment, she started toward the vehicle, but Thomas grabbed her around the waist, his fingers brushing the soft fabric of her sundress.
«And the kiss? » her eyes widened and almost popped out of their sockets. Thomas sidestepped her insolence with his own. Her face was flushed in the may sun, and her lithe body moved slightly away from him.
«We have to do this. »
Lily sighed indignantly, looking at the bus, which seemed to be in no hurry and was waiting for a goodbye kiss just like Shulman. Thomas's inner voice was hoarse with anticipation.
«You sealed our agreement with a handshake, » he reminded her.
She swallowed nervously, took a step toward his shaggy face, and put her right hand on his shoulder, as if that would help. Tom was never patient, and he disliked waiting, leaning forward, carefully sealing their «deal» with his plump lips on the same ones, only very soft and pink, feeling the sweet taste and burning heat running through his body. She just squeezed her eyes shut, but there was no gun at her temple to make her tense.
«Now, good-bye. » he said, pulling away from my beloved lips, still holding her just above her waist. «When will you be home?»
Lily was completely bewildered, confused, and blushed even more as she struggled for words: «Well… I… In about two hours, not before. » Thomas took note of this.
«Then I'll call you at six sharp, may I?»
Part V
End of may
Thomas did not think that chasing a young girl would be so interesting and fun! Oh, it is permanent and the children's desire to see, talk to and be around! This made Thomas laugh. He and Lily young had some kind of teenage relationship. Going to the theatre and watching movies made him feel young and wild. Such nonsense he suffered only before the war very young and beaten, subsequently spoiling more than one girl. All this nonsense kept him from thinking about work. Little by little, Lily began pulling his strings, getting loans and admissions, and practicing all day at the local hospital while Thomas handled her Affairs. Here and there he gave her marks, some not deserved, but justified. After that, he would meet her in the evening, give her his hand, and lead her to the car like a little girl, kissing her only on the cheek.
«You're an obstetrician, and I can't help but ask if you washed your hands?»
Then they dined together, and Thomas, losing his appetite, listened to terrible stories about childbirth, blood, and other abominations. Lily laughed happily at the look of disgust on his face and pushed the dessert toward her.
«You look like a crocodile! She laughed, pointing to his hair, which was tousled and standing on end from her horror stories.
Tom asked himself, his co-workers, and friends, who probably thought that he had just completely and irrevocably screwed up or fallen in love.
«The Jewish half of London who sits in front of you and asks if they can go pee or fuck their wife with cancer like a real Rabbi,» it was on the tip of his tongue as he watched her amused and slightly embarrassed smile, « fortunately, I can afford to go to the toilet at any time. And if I'm going to put you in the back seat, I'm going to get real permission from a real Rabbi, honey. So stop laughing at me!» he thought, still admiring the girl. In General, Thomas was one of those people who feared blood and tried to avoid its unnecessary shedding. Blood is dirt, and everything must be clean. Therefore, her stories made the hair stand on end not only on the head, but also on the whole body.
Everything in this case
