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At the Corner of Love and Heartache

Page 35

by Curtiss Ann Matlock


  Tate dropped his pen on his desk and ripped the yellow pages from the legal tablet in order to take them up to Marilee. He preferred her to read his editorials now, instead of Charlotte. Marilee was kinder in her criticism, and she seemed to appreciate his wit so much more than Charlotte.

  Charlotte had pointed out that Tate did not want a critic. He wanted agreement. He conceded that this was probably true.

  He shut out the light in his office, made sure the ones in the big city room were on that should be on, then stepped out the front door, locking it securely, before heading the couple of yards to the door at the edge of the building—their private entrance to the second floor of the Voice, where they were fashioning a temporary apartment.

  Just reaching the door was Ricky Dale, lugging a small plastic animal crate, and beside him was a rather tiny girl.

  “Well, good evenin’, Ricky Dale.”

  “Good evenin’, Editor.” The boy set the crate down. “This here’s Melody. We come to see Willie Lee. Melody’s puppy is deaf. Her daddy won’t let her keep him if he’s deaf.”

  “Ah…well, come on up.” He reached to take the crate, but Ricky Dale said he could carry it. Tate noticed the puppy wasn’t all that big.

  “It’s an Australian shepherd. Sometimes if they’re bred too close, they can turn out deaf,” Ricky Dale said in a manner indicating he knew about such things. “Dr. Parker told me, when I was over there. I got a part-time job with him now.”

  “That’s good. You’re gonna go places.”

  “Yep.”

  When they entered the upstairs apartment, Ricky Dale went directly off to Willie Lee’s room, already knowing the way.

  Tate went into the partitioned kitchen, where Marilee was preparing supper.

  “We got another one…a deaf puppy.”

  “Oh, well, maybe Willie Lee can help it.”

  “Hmm. I wrote my editorial.”

  He laid it on the table, then took Marilee into his arms and kissed her.

  “Do it again,” she said, when he lifted his lips.

  He kissed her again, and kept kissing her even when a puppy raced into the room and around them barking, with children chasing after it. He’d learned not to let children interrupt his kissing his wife.

  ISBN: 978-1-4603-6197-9

  AT THE CORNER OF LOVE AND HEARTACHE

  Copyright © 2002 by Curtiss Ann Matlock.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, MIRA Books, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  MIRA and the Star Colophon are trademarks used under license and registered in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.

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