Her hand was clammy. They stood, mute. Her head moved to rest on his shoulder. This was childish. She was odd. Still, his head dipped against hers. He...had a hard-on he prayed didn’t show.It was the librarian, appearing at the end of their aisle, who separated them with a cough.“The library is closing now,” she said.Later, back in his own front room, Tom poured glasses of wine for him and his wife. She looked at him over her spectacles.“Tom,” she said, waiting for him to look at her. “I hope. " He finished his drink, set the glass in front of the bartendress, and nodded to indicate he wished another."Which is what?" the bartendress asked, this time minus the cynical edge.Ed thought a moment. What indeed? "The American dream," he said. "No, the Greendale dream. The beautiful house, the job of power and prestige, the wife you're proud to have on your arm, who's proud to drop your name in society. So very proud. All that ... is mine." You're a lucky man," the bartendress said. (Deke. Inside the building, Aunt Anna was still being fucked hard and now her voice sounded, hoarse and involuntary. I placed my eye back to the crack and watched as my mind whirled with a confusion of emotions. I thought of Uncle Paul, back at the party, his sad serious face, flushed with wine and happiness, watching his daughter and her husband. Did he know his wife was unfaithful? Did he not wonder where she’d been for the last twenty minutes? The man in the boat house didn’t waste any time. He. "So what's up today?" Mimi asked. The kids were sitting at the table, breakfast on their plates. Leah was still in bed; Geoff was in the shower. Katie and Melinda were manning the griddle, whipping up stacks of hotcakes, bacon and eggs. I filled cups with juice and milk, making sure each of the six children was eating."You tell me," I replied. "You're the ones who wanted to stay a couple of extra days." We could go to the park, Daddy," Bryan said, his mouth stuffed with pancakes."Yes, we.