Page 118 - The Grotesque Children's Book

“They're round and smooth, Gaetana. Look! You can't see any bones. I
deliberately carved them smooth and soft. I want to touch them. I'm going to
touch your knees.”

“I'm going to look away if you do.”
“Why?”
“I won't be able to feel your fingers touching me. I'll be able to see you
touching me but I won't feel a thing. That will hurt me. On the inside, I
mean.”
“I don't have to touch you.”
“No, go ahead. Touch me if it will make you feel better. I just won't
look.”
She turned away. But he did not, in fact, touch her, as much as he
wanted to. Tears began flowing down his cheeks. He stifled a sob.
“Oh, now, Vitale.”
“It's not fair.”
“I know.”
“Me without you, and now stuck with our little disaster of a child.”
“That's why I want you to --” She stopped speaking.
“To what? To remarry. I don't want to, Gaetana. I'll take care of Helen
and nurture our memories, but...Gaetana? Gaetana?”
Gaetana had stopped moving as well, frozen in her position of looking
away. The hour which Vitale had requested was up, apparently.

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