Chapter 7: Mr. Teasdale's Husband

On Tuesday a black car parked across from the church and did not leave.

I saw it from the practice room window at 3:50, while the first families came up the walk.

I saw it at 4:30, when I ran sectionals for the violas.

At 5:15 it was still there, with the engine off and a man's shape behind the glass.

"Don't look," Thad said, coming up behind me. "He's been sitting there since lunch."

"Since lunch?" I said.

"My husband walked past twice with the garbage," Thad said. "He says the man has a very expensive watch and a very bad haircut."

"Max gets his hair cut every second Tuesday."

"Then he's missed a Tuesday."

Thad put a foil-covered pan into my hands.

"I'm going to take him this," Thad said.

"Thad, no."

"It's a casserole," he said. "It's Christian charity."

He crossed the street in his bow tie with the pan held high.

I watched through the glass as the car window slid down, and Max stared at the pan.

Thad talked.

Max talked back, stiffly.

Thad laughed, and said something that made Max look toward the church, and then at Thad.

Two minutes later the car door opened, and my husband got out and followed Thad up the walk.

They came into the hall together.

"Aub," Thad said brightly. "I found a stray."

"Hello, Max," I said.

"Aubrey."

"You're early for the Tuesday haircut," I said.

His hand went to the back of his head, and then he stopped it.

"This is your husband's friend," Thad said, to the room at large, "and he'd like to hear the intermediates."

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