Shulman looked in the mirror at the driver, who glanced at them from time to time.
«Wait until we start making babies here and you can get your dick out, huh?»
Thomas forgot who he was with, released his Jewish and boorish guts, burying his «true» self again.
«Shame on you, Mr. Shulman. Now it's my turn to hit you with a ruler?» Lily laughed, squirming from his kisses on her neck, which tickled rather than aroused her and Tom.
«Now I'll show you the ruler!»»
She laughed at everything, smiled and laughed heartily, and it wasn't until she went to College that Thomas realized she was pretty.
«Hey! Where have you been drinking, girl?!» Thomas was surprised to smell alcohol on Lily's breath.
She stuck her tongue out at him and then breathed in his face to prove otherwise. The smell of her favourite Apple caramels and the faintest hint of brandy, damn brandy.
«I'm completely sober ,Tommy,» she said, straightening her dress and getting out of the car.
«Yes, I see! Where did you drink it? With whom? Can I come with you?» Tom wanted to go to a party and then take her to some nice place where they would celebrate their graduation.
«No, you'll scare all the guys away!» Lily gave Thomas a quick peck on the cheek and flew away, merging with a group of equally wild students, now graduates.
«What does it mean to scare off guys? What the fuck?» He asked himself as he paced the corridors of the bar, making comments to every waiter he met, glancing at the slowly ticking clock, then returning it to his jacket pocket.
Here it is, the return of a woman, and the wind in a young head. A week ago, she had ridden it after the exam, and today Thomas was already a Scarecrow. When did it become «bring and serve»? The feeling of being cheated was overwhelming. Shulman didn't know if it was annoyance or resentment, but something gnawed at him and made him very angry, maybe jealousy? Stupid feelings that for the first time he couldn't explain to himself, no matter how hard he tried.He had promised to pick her up at eight and bring her home at nine-thirty, but the body had disappeared before that. They arrived at the small cafe after seven.
«So, give or take half an hour of nonsense, Yes,» Thomas croaked to the driver, «Go get Lily, and now» he waved a hand at the pub, «Don't scare the girls there, big guy!»
Tom got out of the car, put on his glasses, and looked around the cafe, the most complete the world had ever seen. A few seconds later, Isaac returned with nothing, or rather no one, with open arms.
«Not pass. She says she has half an hour left.»
Thomas scratched his reddened ear in anger.
Shulman went to the cafe. The smell of cheap booze, or rather, fucking methyl alcohol and sleeping pills dissolved in it, immediately hit him in the nose. The damned Turks didn't hesitate to poison the English with methylated spirits and pills, just to fuck as many women as possible. These freaks were rarely given credit for their lousy nature-hypocrisy. A quarter of the poor and even well-to-do ladies gave themselves up to these bug-eyed degenerates, and then these half-baked gentlemen trumpeted all over good old England English women were whores.Thomas ran to the table where Lily was sitting. She raised a clean glass of drink to her lips and smiled cheerfully at her friends, who were sitting with their boys, who were old enough. They were still like children to Thomas, just as Lily had been when she was a little girl. Loud laughter, the hum and noise of adult girls drinking the wrong things to drink in their twenties. As he approached, Tom strained his eyes to read the name on the label: «Tenebre» which literally meant «dark». That's what they pumped up insatiable young men, and then fucked them and threw them into ravines with mutilated bodies. Nothing could be more stupid .Tom moved closer, closer to Lily, who took a small SIP when she saw him, and then he knocked the glass out of her slender fingers with his fist, which shattered on the tile floor. She rose from her seat. Thomas was a little surprised that he didn't break her front teeth with a blow, grabbing her arm and pulling her out from behind the table.
«What's the matter, Tommy? Another half hour! Stop it!» she exclaimed, pulling her hand out of his grasp.
«You want to get drunk and beat up?» Thomas was persistent, pushing Lily to the side.
Suddenly the boy, who was sitting by the window, felt sick and collapsed on the same floor as the glass, choking on a thick foam that hissed from his mouth. Lily jumped up to him, turning sideways. Tom slid to the door, hobbled quickly to the car, and pulled a bottle of whiskey out of the box in the passenger compartment. Shouts, screams, noises, and screams merged into one, creating a tense atmosphere.
«Lift his head!» Tom ordered the girl, who lifted the boy by the back of the head, allowing him to pour the alcohol down his throat.
«Come on, kid…» Shulman hissed, «Swallow this stuff!»
The guy choked, coughed, and nearly threw up on his pants, but Thomas got up in time to look at the people who were looking at him .This guy only survived because of the pure alcohol in the whiskey-a kind of antidote-and luck. Shulman put the bottle on the table and ran a finger along the neck.
«Everyone take a SIP, or you'll have a chance to say “Hello” to your ancestors,» he said, waving a hand in mock greeting, then headed for the door, nudging Lily with his elbow.
The graduate was silent all the way home, taking small SIPS of whiskey from a new bottle, looking out the window and sulking now at herself. When they arrived, she was very drunk and broke the silence.
«Do you want to stay the night?» Lily Asked.
«Do I look like a person who wants to become a castrate? Your father will cut off my balls without saying anything, right?»
«He's not home! He won't be back until Tuesday,» she said, opening the car door.
Thomas had forgotten that he had sent the half-wit and his long, clumsy sons to Liverpool to arrange delivery. Thomas and Lily entered the house, the familiar living room by the light of the moon, which periodically disappeared behind clouds; up the stairs, wide and steep, which Tom followed exactly behind, so as not to creak the rotten wood, almost groping his way .A narrow hallway, two bedrooms, but they went up another flight of stairs, trying not to make any noise. At last they reached the converted attic, passed through a massive door, and were inside. Lily turned on the night light and collapsed on the bed.
«Do you look like a Princess who lives on top of a tower?» Thomas asked, looking at the painted Wallpaper, the bookshelves, the small Desk, a few photographs, and the square window with yellow curtains. The dim light of the nightlight warmed the air.
If Lily hadn't pulled her dress out from behind the wardrobe, he would have felt uncomfortable in such a small room.
«Tommy, open the window.»
He lifted the frame, barely able to hold the rusty and bent nail, and returned to Lily, but she was already sitting in her grey pyjamas, braiding her hair.
«Why do cafe owners sell methyl alcohol?»
«Because it's a business.»
Tom didn't lie, but he didn't give away his origin either. She didn't need to hear it, especially before going to bed.
«Why did you drink at all, Lily, even such questionable alcohol?» she asked, losing her composure and taking off her jacket.
«I'm having a ball, in case you haven't noticed, Tommy! And I'm not a sommelier,» she snapped, pulling the blanket over her legs as Thomas took off his jacket.
«I didn't notice because you didn't take me with you!» He said, pointing at the girl.
Lily's drunken tongue was doubly rude to him.
«Do you think it's normal to sit with… A teacher?!» Lily spread her hands.
«Old, I understand.»
«I mean, with an adult, Tommy!» Lily was angry.
