The Johnstown Girls

Chapter 4. Tuesday, April 18-Saturday, April 22, 1989

109 T H E J O H N S T O W N G I R L S Tuesday, April 18– Saturday, April 22, 1989 ■ At eleven last night, after Ben left, she watched the news again, KDKA this time featuring the heroic fireman, and went to bed wondering if the fireman would indeed read her article the next day. On Tuesday morning, a few people in the office mention the article. So it probably passes muster. And she is sent before she can settle down with her cup of coffee—in her car this time—to check out a report of a shooting in Springhill. She spends stray moments imagining herself and Ben tucked into her place, other moments imagining herself being hit by street gunfire. And a Post-Gazette reporter got caught in the gunfire. She is in critical condition at this time. When she drove Michelle to work this morning, Michelle said, “I saw Ben last night. Bringing you food, it looked like.” “He did. Nice of him. We had a good talk.” How lame she sounded. Stupid. Having started with Ben on a sneaky note, she didn’t know how to explain what was happening now, whatever it was. “He’s a really cute guy,” Michelle said. “Nice, too. Good reporter.” Finally Michelle stopped angling. And Nina thinks now, as she waits patiently for the police to figure out who shot whom, that she must quit worrying and simply take the relationship a day at a time. I don’t have to empty half my drawers tonight, she tells herself. 110 K AT H L E E N G E O R G E When she finally gets back to the office—someone was shot, but nobody will say who did it or who was bleeding on the sidewalk—she writes her little bit of a piece. Ben comes right up to her desk, once again exhibiting his new, different behavior, and he hands her a can of Diet Coke. “Oh. Thanks.” “Tonight I’m taking the boys to dinner and spending the evening with them. You okay with that?” “Of course.” “You get something good today?” “Boring. You?” “I’m starting to trace that cousin in Detroit.” “The murderer. That’s how I think of him.” “Paul. Yeah. As much corroboration as I can get before I run the thing.” “Sounds good.” “You okay?” “Yes, really.” When the workday is over on Tuesday night, Nina watches Ben leave the office. She imagines him getting in his car—it’s parked on the Wharf, she saw it—driving Banksville Road, coming to his brother’s house. What else? The boys coming over. A trip to a McDonald’s or an Eat’n Park, right, because he wants to please them and he has little money. Will he take them to a movie? It’s a school night. But then he might want to spoil them as warring parents do. She reads the paper. She looks up what movies are playing. New York Stories is still at the Denis. With a zip of excitement going through her, she realizes she can do what she told Michelle to do—she can take herself to a film she wants to see. Go alone. Why not? It would feel good. Eat something at the Dor-Stop? She starts for her car. Partway to Dormont, she realizes she’s not sure the Dor-Stop is open for dinner, so she pulls into a small place that appears to be an Indian restaurant. If they make palak paneer, she will have it. She is having a good time—an unplanned, spontaneous evening. It is palak paneer for dinner. She fiddles with her copy of the paper, 111 T H E J O H N S T O W N G I R L S reading just about everything in it as she sits at one of four tables in the small place. When she leaves she winds up the hill, thinking, ah, yes, she could have had Mexican at Jose and Tony’s if she’d been thinking ahead. And she wonders how often she will be on this road with Ben to pick up the boys. Will they like her? And vice versa! Will they stop sometimes to eat at Jose and Tony’s? Luck is on her side. There’s street parking on the side street near the...