how long have you guys been walking? i woke up at seven and you were already gone. _ _ monty, digging in his pocket for his keys, kisses her for an answer. naturelle closes her eyes and tries to embrace him but monty abruptly ends the kiss and climbs the stairs. doyle wags the stump of his tail.
how you doing, mr. doyle? she bends down to scratch him behind his mangled ear.
what are you thinking about?
don't joke about that.
so what are we doing tonight? before you shoot yourself. monty reclines, arms spread wide and resting on the sofa's back cushions.
i thought it was over with him.
come take a bath with me.
not this again.
you,don!t have room on your ass for an irish flag. monty dips his hands into the warm water, reaches below her, grabs her butt. naturelle shrieks and monty laughs.
baby? v_.  monty looks up. naturelle stands in the bathroom's doorway, wearing a bathrobe.
where you going?
you want me to?
this is my favorite store.
it's closed.
everything here is so expensive.
you have a good day?
do anything special?
anyone call for me when i was out?
nobody? monty begins to get worried.
like, for example, my mother didn't call?
this is the third time this month, montgomery. what's your problem, you're illiterate? you can't write down a message on a piece of paper?
you meant to? you meant to?
i'll put the knife away. you want me to put the knife away?
this is funny? monty steps back and naturelle advances on him with the knife. she's kidding, basically, but it's hard to tell.
you think this is funny? i'll carve your heart out, you shit. monty laughs. doyle has walked into the kitchen and now stands behind monty, staring up curiously at the two humans. monty x you're gonna carve my heart out?  i)
keep laughing.
yeah, keep laughing, you fuck. i'll carve your heart out and feed it to doyle. she continues kicking while monty laughs and doyle, mystified, begins to bark, and finally naturelle starts laughing too. monty grabs her wrist and pulls her down on top of him . she drops the knife to the side and bites monty, hard, oh the lips.
you ready for this?
hey, jake. she hugs jakob. mary has not stopped dancing since first hearing dusk's mix.
is this your friend? - .
okay. i'm naturelle.
what?
this is my last one . lindsay brakes with her feet and stares at monty .
naturelle.
you're the one that got thrown out of campbell-sawyer, right?
i want to finish my cigarette. he smiles and sits on the swing next to her. he tries swinging a little.
why are you all alone?
i guess so . they're around a lot, anywayv slattery drains his whiskey. he signals for another and the bartender pours it . he's clearly getting drunk, though slattery is a man who can handle his liquor. he checks his watch.
i wish monty could call in sick. have you seen him around?
can you do me a favor?
keep an eye on monty tonight, would you? try to stick with him.
he's just acting really strange. you don't think he's acting strange?
i want him to act like he's scared.
i don't want him to hurt himself. will you watch him for me? -to.,,,,,--. slattery nods. for a while they are quiet.
i don't think he wants me here.
you see the way he looks at me these days. it's like he doesn't trust me .
i'm going uptown. when you see him, tell him i'm waiting for him back home, okay? she stands and smooths out the wrinkles in her silver dress . again, slattery has to turn away from the sight of her .
he loves you, frank. you know that.
keep an eye on him, okay?
what time is it? both of them turn to look at the digital clock on the nightstand.
it doesn't matter right now.
how could i ever hate you?
stay with me, baby. we have another hour.
hey. don't go anywhere. stay here with me.
you idiot. a knock on the door. naturelle goes to answer it. we hear voices that sound very distant. monty peers through his swollen eyelids at the man walking toward him.
you have to go to the hospital, baby.
you won't be able to get one. let him take you to the hospital.
wait a second. she goes to the kitchen and monty rocks back and forth on his bootheels. when she returns she holds a plastic ba g filled with ice cubes. she makes him hold the bag against the side of his face. they don't move for a moment, her hand on top of his hand, the ba g of ice pressed to his jaw.
no . . .