“Oh the hell you do?”
“Corporal…” He hesitated and then plunged forward into the most difficult part of it. “ I want to be the father. Sally wants me… too.”
“You want to be? But I thought you said—”
“Don't play a dumb bastard! I did say it, and Sally is. You know what I mean. But both of us can't be the father, realize that — what’ll the kid think? I want to be the father, corporal — the only one.”
Gary regarded his partner with a momentary silence. So this was the end of the line. “All right,” he said. “I can take a hint.”
Almost bashfully, Oliver put out his hand. “Thanks, corporal.” He made no attempt to hide his relief or that he was pleased with the outcome. “Damned white of you! Sally and I talked this thing over; we didn't know what to do. The kid scares her a little bit but the thought of you and me fighting scared her more. I'll tell her everything is all fixed up.” He turned and started back toward the cabin, a wide grin pasted foolishly across his face. “And corporal — if you're down this way next winter, drop in and see us, will you? Stop in and see my kid?”
“Now don't rush me,” Gary objected. “I'll be around for a while yet.”
* * *
It had been a hollow, thoughtless promise. He left in less than a week, too aware of the sudden tension that sprang up between the girl and himself, and vaguely uncomfortable because of it. Both Sally and Oliver tried to pretend that nothing had changed, nothing was different and the old fifty-fifty partnership remained the bond between the trio. The pretending was false and the tension grew. Gary stayed away from the cabin as much as possible and seldom spoke to the girl.
“We've had some good times,” Oliver said reminiscently.