There was no lump in his throat this time. But I need to tell you something besides that, and then ask something of you.”
“What?”
“What is it that you already know, Carol? XXX “I love you,” he said. He remembered bits and pieces of some of those calls for years:
“Charlie, I promise you’ll get over me. They were just memories, and old ones at that. We can’t have the school funnyman crying.”
Charlie smiled, his eyes wet, and finally croaked, “I’ll be okay.” The vice-principal nodded and went out. He should have known better. They looked at each other. “You’re supposed to love ME, not THAT,” she’d say. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he held her close. “It’s all right, Carol,” he said. His wife was self-centered and uncaring of his feelings, and she had a cruel, withholding streak: when she discovered something that he liked in the bedroom, she’d never
