Chapter 24: Whole Couch

It took five people and the front door's hinges to get the couch into our house.

The drummer unscrewed the door while the bassist held the other end.

Stevie stood on the porch giving orders she was not qualified to give.

Hank pushed from behind with his face the color of a plum.

"It's twelve feet," he panted.

"It's eleven," said Jude.

"It's a boat."

"It's a couch."

My mother had come in from the car with a pot of soup in a towel.

Hank looked at her and said, "Ma'am, I withdraw the comment."

When the thing was finally in the living room, the six of us stood around it.

It was deep green velvet, and it ran under the window all the way along the wall.

It looked like it had been made for one person to lie across.

"I love it," I said.

"It's too big," said Stevie.

"That's why I love it."

My mother set the soup on the counter, looked at me, looked at Jude, and said, "I'm going to find a hotel. Hank, you're driving."

"Yes, ma'am."

"There's a woman in Erie who will want to know about the porch."

They left in a bustle of coats, and Stevie hugged me twice, and the door closed.

Then it was quiet, and snow was falling past the window on the river.

I walked to the couch and ran my hand across the arm.

The velvet was warm from the heater.

"Come here," I said.

He crossed the room, slowly, and I took his T-shirt in both fists.

I pulled it off over his head, and I let it drop on the floor.

"I recorded something yesterday," I said.

"I know. Hank told me."

"I haven't played it for you."

"You don't have to."

"I know." I kissed the scar in his eyebrow. "I want to tell you what I said first."

He waited, with his hands on my waist.

"I said my name," I said. "And then I said, I'm not sorry."

His eyes shut.

When they opened they were too bright.

"Lie down," he said. "Please. I want to look at you on it."

I undressed in front of him, button by button, with the snow light on my skin.

I let the sweater fall, and the bra, and the skirt, and the rest.

I lay down on the green velvet and stretched out along the whole length of it.

My head was at one arm and my feet were nearly at the other.

My hip made a long curve, and my thighs spread soft and heavy over the cushions.