The Servants of Twilight

They came into Vegas the night before and took a small suite at Bally's Grand, and within a few hours the city seemed to be sending them omens that indicated a happy future together. On their way to dinner, Christine put four quarters into a slot machine, and although it was the first time she had ever played one, she pulled off a thousand-dollar jackpot. Later, they played a little blackjack, and they won nearly another thousand apiece.

In the morning, exiting the coffee shop after a superb breakfast, Joey found a silver dollar that someone had dropped, and as far as he was concerned his good fortune far exceeded that of his mother and Charlie: "A whole dollar!"

They had brought Joey with them because Christine could not bear to leave him. Their recent ordeal, the near loss of the boy, still weighed heavily on her, and when he was out of her sight for more than a couple of hours, she grew nervous." In time," she told Charlie, "I'll be able to relax a bit more. But not yet.

In time, we'll be able to go away together by ourselves, just the two of us, and leave Joey with Val. I promise. But not yet. Not quite yet.

So if you want to marry me, you're going to have to take my son along on the honeymoon. How's that for romance?"

Charlie didn't mind. He liked the boy. Joey was a good companion, well-behaved, inquisitive, bright, and affectionate.

Joey served as best man at the ceremony and was delighted with his role.

He guarded the ring with stern-faced solemnity and, at the proper moment, gave it to Charlie with a grin so wide and warm it threatened to melt the gold in which the diamond was set.

When it was official, when they had left the chapel to the recorded strains of Wayne Newton singing "Joy to the World," they decided to forgo the complimentary limousine and walk back to the hotel. The day was warm, blue, clear (but for a few scattered white clouds), and beautiful, even with the honky-tonk of Las Vegas Boulevard crowding close on both sides.

"What about the wedding lunch?" Joey demanded as they walked.

I 'You just had breakfast two hours ago," Charlie said.

"I'm a growin' boy."

"True.”

"What sounds like a good wedding lunch to you?" Christine asked.

Joey thought about that for a few steps, then said, "Big Macs and Baskin-Robbins!"

"You know what happens to you when you eat too many Big Macs?" Christine said.

"What?" the boy asked.

"You grow up to look like Ronald McDonald."

"That's right," Charlie said." Big red nose, funny orange hair, and big red lips."

Joey giggled." Gee, I wish Chewbacca was here."

"I'm sure Val's taking good care of him, honey."

"Yeah, but he's missing all the jokes."

They strolled along the sidewalk, Joey between them, and even at this hour a few of the big signs and marquees were flashing.

"Will I grow up with big funny clown's feet, too?" Joey asked.

"Absolutely," Charlie said." Size twenty-eight."

"Which will make it impossible to drive a car," Christine said.

" Or dance," Charlie said.

"I don't want to dance," Joey said." I don't like girls."

"Oh, in a few years, you'll like them," Christine said.

Joey frowned." That's what Chewbacca says, but I just don't believe it."

"Oh, so Chewbacca talks, does he?" Christine teased.

"Well. "

"And he's an authority on girls, yet!"

"Well, okay, if you want to make a big deal of it," Joey said, "I gotta admit I just pretend he talks."

Charlie laughed and winked at his new wife over their son's head.

Joey said, "Hey, if I eat too many Big Macs, will I grow up with big funny clown hands, too?"

"Yep," Charlie said." So you won't be able to tie your own shoes." "Or pick your nose," Christine said.

"I don't pick my nose anyway," the boy said indignantly.

"You know what Val told me about picking my nose?"

"No. What did Val tell you?" Christine asked, and Charlie could see she was a little afraid of the answer because the boy was always learning the wrong kind of language from Val.

Joey squinted in the desert sun, as if struggling to remember exactly what Val had said. Then: "She told me the only people who pick their noses are bums, Looney Tunes, IRS agents, and her ex-husband."

Charlie and Christine glanced at each other and laughed. It was so good to laugh.

Joey said, "Hey, if you guys wanta be, you know. ummm. alone. then you can leave me in the hotel playroom. I don't mind. It looks great in there. They got all kinds of neat games and stuff. Hey, maybe you guys want to play some more cards or them slot machines where Mom made money last night."

"I think we'll probably quit gambling while we're ahead, honey."

"Oh," the boy said, "I think you should play, Mom! You'll win, I bet.

You'll win a lot more. Really. I know you will. I just know you will."

The sun came out from behind one of the scattered white clouds, and its light fell full-strength across the pavement, sparkied on the chrome and glass of the passing cars, made the plush hotels and casinos look brighter and cleaner than they really were, and made the air itself shimmer fantastically.