Эд Макбейн - Mothers and Daughters

“Thank you.”

“That’s who makes the pattern,” David said. “Girls. Women.”

“I guess so.”

“Who else gives birth to babies, huh? That’s what does it, right? Putting people on earth, right? So that’s where it starts.”

“Right,” Matthew said.

“So why should it also finish it?”

“I don’t think I follow you.”

“Why do they kill us?”

“I’m not sure they do.”

“No? Oh, no?” David’s voice lowered menacingly. “Then who killed him, huh? Who was it killed him, huh? If it wasn’t her, who was it, then? Would you mind telling me?”

“I don’t know,” Matthew said.

“Have another drink.”

“No, I think I’ll—”

“Bartender, bring my friend here another whatever-the-hell-it-is.”

“Bourbon?” the bartender said. “One bourbon, right.”

“Okay,” Matthew answered, and he shrugged.

“And another brandy on the rocks,” David said. “You know who killed him?”

“Who?”

“She did. You know where she went?”

“Where?”

“Bidili. In the Bahamas.”

“Bimini, you mean.”

“I said Bidili, diddle I?” David said, and burst out laughing. “That’s a joke. I set you up for that one. Where’s my drink?” He looked at the bar and said, “Oh, there you are, you little bastard.” He picked up the glass. “Left me dead, went off to Bimini. Now that’s an example. I was born with her.”

“Who?”

“Gillian. Born. Absolutely. No question about it. And then what? She killed me. That’s the cycle, buddy. You’re born, and you die.”

“That’s for sure,” Matthew said.

“Cheers. Did I say cheers already?”

“No.”

“Well, cheers.” Both men drank from their fresh drinks. “Now that’s what’s funny about it, Matthew. It’s funny that the same thing that gives life could also kill. I think that’s pretty funny.”

“I don’t think it’s funny at all,” Matthew said.

“No?” David looked surprised. “Well, I think it’s pretty mystifying.”

Matthew drained his glass and said, “Women are only women, David. There’s nothing mystifying about that.”

“I think having a baby is very mystifying. Can you have a baby?”

“No.”

“Neither can I.” David shrugged. “That’s the goddamn mystery of the century, ain’t it? I think it’s pretty spooky, to tell the truth.”

“Well, yes, but—”

“Now, look, I’m going to tell you something. There’s life and death right there, buddy. In one person. It’s like she eats her young, I’m telling you. Life and death.”

“You sound as if you don’t like women,” Matthew said.

“I love women.”

“Then why are you saying they’re murderers?”

“Who’s saying that? I’m saying that’s life, brother, life . Look, have another drink, will you?”

“All right,” Matthew said. He signaled the bartender and pointed to his empty glass.

“Give and take, Jekyll and Hyde, that’s life,” David said. “A man is one thing. Period. But a woman is a lot of things, and that’s why she’s so mystifying.”

“A woman is a woman,” Matthew said emphatically. “That’s one thing. A woman. And it ain’t... it isn’t mystifying at all. A woman. Period.”

“Right. But she’s a lot of things.”

“No.”

“Yes. Look, she’s a daughter, right?”

“Well, she’s got to be a daughter,” Matthew said. “She can’t be a son.”

“That’s right. That’s right , Matthew! And then when she grows up, what does she do?”

“What does she do?”

“She turns around and becomes a mother.”

“Well, that’s only natural.”

“Sure, but it says what I’m trying to say.”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say, David.”

“I’m trying to say there’s the whole secret of life.”

“Listen, I don’t see the secret,” Matthew said.

“Are you a father?”

“Sure, I am.”

“Were you a son?”

“Sure, I was.”

“Okay.”

David nodded and fell silent, as if he had proved his point. He picked up his glass and sipped at it. The silence lengthened.

“Okay what?” Matthew said.

“That’s life,” David said. “Life is a pattern.”

“Life is a fountain,” Matthew said, and he burst out laughing.

“Come on, be serious,” David said. “You think God is a man?”

“Absolutely,” Matthew said.

“Sure, He would have to be,” David said, and nodded solemnly.

“But love is a woman,” Matthew said, equally as solemn. “And life is love. They’re the love givers, don’t you ever forget that, David. It’s the women who give the love. It’s the women who invented it.”

“ One woman,” David said.

“Eve.”

“No. Gillian.”

“More than one woman,” Matthew said. “ All women.”

“Look, if you took all the women in the world—”

“Listen,” Matthew said, laughing, “if you laid all the Radcliffe girls end to end, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Come on, be serious,” David said.

“I’m serious. All women,” Matthew said. “What does a man need, David, can you tell me that?” He did not wait for David’s answer. “Love,” he said. “He needs a mother, and a wife, and a daughter. For love. Because they give love. They’re the love bringers.”

“Mothers,” David said, and he pulled a sour face.

“Listen, you need a mother.”

“Only until you grow up,” David said.

“And that’s the secret,” Matthew said.

“What’s the secret?”

“Love.”

“The secret is that women are a secret, that’s the secret.”

“The secret is love,” Matthew insisted.

“Listen, would you like to pick up some girls?” David asked.

“Can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I’m an honorable man.”

“So?”

“Married.”

“So?”

“Couldn’t do that to Amanda.”

“Matthew,” David said sincerely, clapping him on the shoulder, “Matthew, drop your scruples.”

“Nope. Can’t do it.”

“Matthew, go home then.”

“Got to take you back.”

“I’m going to pick up a lady.”

“Your mother’s worried.”

“Tell her to go to... go on, Matthew, go home and tell her not to worry. Tell her I can take care of myself and her silly automobile, go ahead, Matthew.”

“Nope.”

“Aw, come on, Matthew, be a good guy.”

“You want to crash into a pole, huh?”

“Nossir.”

“Okay. Come on. I’ll follow you home in my car and see that nothing happens to you.”

“That’s awfully decent of you, Matthew,” David said.

“Don’t mention it.”

“You’re an awfully decent guy, Matthew.”

They paid the bartender and staggered away from the bar. Outside, David said, “What’s the sense, anyway? Picking up a girl. What’s the sense? You know how many girls I’ve picked up in the last few years?”

“How many?”

“A million.”

“That’s a lot of girls,” Matthew said.

“That sure is a lot of girls, Matthew. And you know something, Matthew? If you put all those girls together, you get one woman, just one single woman.”

“That’s a very shrewd observation, David.”

“Thank you. Will you follow me, or shall I follow you?”

“We’ll follow each other,” Matthew said, and he giggled.

“No, no,” David said. “After you.” He executed a low bow.

“No, no,” Matthew said.

“I’ll choose you,” David said. “What do you take? Odds or evens?”