“Now listen, you gutter-minded monkey, Mardi an’ me are like this.” I crossed my fingers. “I’m marrying her because it’s the one thing I can do that I want to do. Now do you get it?”
He walked slowly away from me. “You mean you want to marry this jane?” He sounded incredulous.
“Yeah.”
“And you want me to help you?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, by Heck! I guess you’re nuts.”
Just then Mardi came out. She stood in the doorway and Ackie got an eyeful. She certainly looked the cutest thing, with her big smoky eyes and her smile. Ackie just gaped. Then he looked at me. “Well,” he said.
“Now do you get the idea?” I asked.
He shook his head mournfully. He went over to Mardi. “You poor little thing,” he said, shaking hands. “What a break. You don’t know what you’re doing. You can’t marry this guy… he ain’t fit to marry any one.”
Mardi just laughed at him. “Are you going to help us?” she asked.