“You awake?” he says.
“Who wants to know?”
“I’m thinking of buying a ukelele.”
“God’s green earth.”
“To take to the party Saturday. Something to do with my hands. And liven things up.”
“Go to sleep.”
“You stirred. You made that noise you make.”
“I would’ve gone back to sleep.”
“The long sigh. Your mother did that. When we slept in the next room at their house, I heard her.
“I might get up and take an aspirin.”
“Ukelele. Four strings. My dog has fleas.”
“To liven things up.”
“Yup.”
“Manhattans liven things up. Are there aspirin in the bathroom?”
“Bring a surprise, Rachel and Ron said.”
“To drink. To eat. Chips and salsa. Gewurztraminer.”
“Tonight, in all the English-speaking world, you’re probably the only person who says Gewurztraminer in bed.”
“Two’ll do. My goddam head. Honestly, I just want to sleep.”
“I’m thinking of songs I could play on the ukelele. Ob-la-di, ob-la-da. It’s just three chords.”
“Not that.”
“Life goes on, bra. Did you know he says bra in that song? When he heard that, Josh thought it was so funny. He’d go Brahhhhh.”
“Don’t touch me just now. I can’t.”
“‘La la how the life goes on.’”
“Are you going sing stupid songs all night at the party? Pretend everything’s all right? Act like he’s not gone? Still?
“I know.”
“I just can’t.”
“A couple old favorites, Molly.”
“It was so much easier when you drank.”
“La la how the life goes on.”
“No. Please, stop.”
