Ann Beattie - Love Always

Suddenly Nicole seemed shorter and thinner than Lucy remembered her. She was just a little girl, lying on a sofa. Lucy turned and stared at Noonan.

“Hi,” Noonan said, holding up his hand.

“Hi,” Nicole said.

Nicole struggled to one elbow. “We were just taking pictures,” Nicole said. “You believe me, don’t you?”

“Why were you taking pictures?” Lucy said.

“I made him do it. Oh, it’s not his fault. This girl in California was jerking him around, and I thought he should send her some funny pictures. We just got in the back of Peter’s car—”

“God, no ,” Noonan said. “Peter’s car?”

Nicole turned toward him. “I was taking silly pictures of Edward on the rug,” she said.

“Do you know the person the car is registered to?” the policeman said.

“What were you doing with Peter’s car?” Noonan said.

“I must tell you that the person who owns this car may be in a lot of trouble,” the policeman said.

“We borrowed it for the afternoon. We just wanted to take the pictures,” Nicole said. “The cops are crazy. They almost killed us. They pulled in behind us at about a hundred miles an hour, and we weren’t doing anything. We weren’t doing anything but taking pictures — to send to his girlfriend. This is crazy,” Nicole said, starting to cry.

The policeman was staring at Noonan. Noonan said, “I know the person who owns the car. Yes.”

“And did the person realize what the car was being used for?” the policeman said.

“What happened?” Noonan said to Nicole.

“I was only taking pictures. I told you. Why are they making such a big deal out of this? They were going to be funny pictures for his uptight girlfriend. Nobody could see us. He was on the floor of the car.”

“Mrs. Spenser,” the policeman said. “May I speak to you in the other room?”

Lucy left Nicole crying on Noonan’s shoulder.

“Mrs. Spenser,” the policeman said, preceding her into the corridor, “we found a naked man in the back seat of a car with a minor. There are charges that pertain to this situation. When the film is developed, if we find any pictures of your niece … For your own peace of mind, I am sure that you want to ascertain whether or not there was foul play. We have confiscated the camera and film. Tomorrow, when the lab opens, the film will be developed. If there are pictures of your niece nude, I am afraid that the charge is going to be much more serious. Mrs. Spenser: perhaps you already see why we request a medical examination of your niece.”

“Don’t you believe her?” Lucy said.

“Mrs. Spenser, I don’t believe anything anybody tells me,” the policeman said. “Mr. Bartlett is in the lockup, and he tells me he should be released.”

“Keep him there,” she said.

When Lucy went back into the room, Nicole was calmer. Noonan was sitting with his arm around her shoulder.

“Nicole,” Lucy said. “At any point, did you have your clothes off?”

“Why would I?” Nicole asked shrilly. “They were pictures for his girlfriend.”

Lucy looked at the policeman. He looked back, as if he pitied her. Lucy wondered if she was crazy.

“You do realize that you were in a car in the woods with a naked man?” Lucy said.

“It was just Edward.”

The policeman showed his surprise. He looked at Lucy.

“Let me talk to her privately,” Lucy said.

The policeman looked doubtful. Then he left without saying anything. Noonan looked at Lucy and she nodded. He followed the policeman out of the room.

“Don’t tell them who I am,” Nicole said. “They don’t have any idea who I am.”

“Do you see the trouble you’ve caused?” Lucy said, so frustrated that she was close to tears.

“And don’t tell Piggy. I’m not just saying that to protect myself. If Piggy finds out, your life is going to be miserable. I’m telling you. He’s crazy about stuff like this.”

“What ‘stuff like this’?” Lucy said. “This is pretty bad, Nicole.”

“I swear to you,” Nicole said, “it was just a joke. They want to charge him with all sorts of things that are ridiculous. How can it be indecent exposure when we were in a car? Nobody was around.”

“Apparently the police were.”

“They almost killed us. They came tearing into the woods and almost hit the car. They were driving crazy. Lucy: you’ve got to believe me.”

“Whose idea was it to take the pictures?” Lucy said.

“It was mine. I swear it was mine.”

“Terrific,” Lucy said. “Think about it. Don’t you think that’s rather odd, that you’d have that idea?”

“I never said I was normal. You’ve got to talk to the cops. You’ll see tomorrow. There’s nothing of me on the roll. I told that guy over and over. Nothing happened.”

“Enough happened to ruin my night,” Lucy said.

“Lucy, please say something to that cop. Get me out of here. Come on.”

Lucy was getting angry now. “You’re fourteen,” she said. “Fourteen-year-olds don’t get in the back seat of a car with a naked man.”

“It was for a joke . It was Edward .”

“You’re fourteen years old,” Lucy said.

“Come on, Lucy,” Nicole said. “That’s not fair. You know nobody ever thinks about that.”

NICOLE was upstairs, and Lucy was having trouble talking her into getting out of her nightgown and joining them. The day before, Nicole had called Lucy an uptight asshole. She thought that Lucy should talk to the police and force them to drop charges against Edward. He had been freed on bail, after the results of Nicole’s examination at the hospital, and was back in California. Nicole was embarrassed to be a certified virgin. She had taken the television up to her room and watched it for three days. On Friday the man writing the novelization of Passionate Intensity was supposed to come to the house, but if Nicole was still sulking, Lucy would have to think of some excuse to cancel it, and Piggy be damned.

Actually, Lucy sympathized with Nicole, but she didn’t want to let on. Of course she didn’t sympathize with Edward, or with Nicole’s preference for rape over being made to feel an embarrassed child, but what Nicole had said about being fourteen had cut to the quick: they didn’t think of her as a child. She was one of them, and it seemed everyone had forgotten that she had less sophistication, less resources, and sensitive feelings. Nicole had such a good act going that she had convinced all the adults. Or perhaps, like Piggy Proctor, they didn’t care that that was the case; they just wanted to keep the performance going so they could clap, whatever happened.

There was wild applause on Hollywood Squares . Bess Myerson had just said something funny. The camera switched to Tony Randall. Nicole didn’t even look up when Lucy came into the room.

“We’re going to take St. Francis to the waterfall,” Lucy said. “Come on. We want you to go with us.”

“I don’t want to,” Nicole said.

“You can’t spend the summer in your room,” Lucy said. “You love the waterfall.”

“I don’t want to drive all the way to Bristol,” Nicole said. “You and Hildon get along fine without me. Go without me.”

“I know you’re mad, but I don’t deserve this,” Lucy said. “I didn’t instigate anything with the police; I’ m not pressing any charges. I just don’t give a damn what they do, or what happens to him. He should have known better, even more than you should have. It’s over now. Come on, Nicole. Let’s make up and go out and have some fun.”