Hudak from downstairs. James has dark curly hair, and he works as a waiter at a downtown restaurant where he has to wear a tuxedo. But this afternoon, James is not wearing anything, and as he moves beneath Leonora, his face flushed, she feels distracted by images of her husband: Victor tiling the kitchen floor on his knees, his dungarees stretching over his firm ass; Victor balancing the checkbook for Festa Liguria, cursing as he discovers an error; Victor in front of the mirror dabbing one finger against his beardless chin; Victor kissing the throat of a woman whose voice Leonora would recognize.Her friend Mustache Sheila has asked her if she’s curious what this Elaine looks like, and Leonora had told her she’s not. Still…she pictures Elaine as a blonde with small earlobes. For three months Leonora has known about Elaine, but not about the engagement party—not until Anthony mumbled something about needing new shoes.“But I just bought you sneakers.”He pulled at his fingers as if yanking off invisible gloves.It drove Leonora mad, seeing him like that, mad and worried.
