"Mmmm," she said. "I want to invite _everybody! _"
"O.K." Oliver moved one leg farther up on hers. He put his mouth
against her neck. "Everybody," he murmured. A small shiver went through
her. She was wifely now in bed, accommodating, easily satisfied. Oliver
did his part; she did hers. They fell asleep peacefully and properly.
Oliver did not hear her get up to attend to Emma.
In the morning they decided that "everybody" meant everybody but their
parents. The holidays were coming; they would see them soon. Besides,
the party might be loud and last into the night, not a parents' kind of
party. "The telephone man is coming tomorrow," Jennifer said. "I'll
call my friends; you call yours."
"O.K.," Oliver said. "I might stop in at Deweys."
At the hospital the following day, he invited Dan to the housewarming.
Dan had twin girls in junior high and a devout wife. Oliver didn't
expect him to accept, but he liked Dan and wanted to ask.
"Saturday after next? Can't make it," Dan said. "I'm going to see my
brother."
"Oh. Where does he live?"
"Upstate New York. He works on a farm." Dan saw Oliver's surprise and
continued. "It's a long story.
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