One Good Hustle (29 page)

“It’s you!”

I turn around, startled, to see that Marlene has spotted me. She’s standing up now, between the coffee table and the couch, hands dangling at her sides.

Inside me there’s a rush, like roller-coaster nerves—like hustling nerves—through my arms and down through my guts. My legs get a Gumby feel to them, rubbery and boneless. I keep hold of the balcony for fear I’ll fall flat on my face and start bawling.

She comes out from behind the coffee table and moves slowly toward the open door. It feels as if there’s a bird thrashing around in my chest, something with a small voice screaming
go go go
—but I keep still.

Marlene reaches the sliding glass door and peers out at me, her eyes big and brimming.

I hold tight to the railing and it’s everything I can do to hold her gaze.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the BC Arts Council and The Canada Council for the Arts. Their support helped make this book possible.

Big fat squeezes go to Karen DeVito and John Turnbull for their home and hearts and frat room. When the going got hairy, the hairy got going.

And as always, teary gratitude goes to my editor, Anne Collins, for her steely belief that the story is in there. Even if the pot needs to simmer for a while, the story is in there.

BILLIE LIVINGSTON
published her critically acclaimed first novel,
Going Down Swinging
, in 2000. Her first book of poetry,
The Chick at the Back of the Church
was a finalist for the Pat Lowther Award. Her second novel,
Cease to Blush
, was a
Globe and Mail
Best Book and her story collection,
Greedy Little Eyes
, was the winner of the Danuta Gleed Literary Award as well the CBC’s inaugural Bookie Award for short fiction.