Well after dark, Eva sat on the porch swing, a glass of bourbon turning in her hands. Gus sat across from her on the love-seat and refilled his own glass.
"You wouldn't have to stay here, Eli. I mean in the house. We could build you your own place, like over on the East side of the property, you know where there's that small stand of oak trees on the little rise. You could come and go as you please." Gus looked at her hopefully.
Eva shook her head. "Gus, you know that's not the problem."
He sighed. "I don't get it. You keep going out there and getting your heart broken to bits and then coming back here to heal. Why don't you just stay here? Nothing bad is going to happen to you here."
"Gus, it's lonely for me here. I'd rather... I'd rather get hurt everyday for the rest of my life, then live alone in comfort."
"You wouldn't be alone here."
Eva sighed. "You know what I mean."
Gus looked down at his bourbon glass, his brow furrowed as if searching for another retort.
Eva leaned forward and touched his arm gently. "I'm going to leave at the end of the week."
Gus simply nodded, and took a drink from his glass. The uneasy silence was broken by the screen door opening. Meredith, Gus's wife, came out and moved to join him on the bench.
"Kids are down?" Gus leaned forward and filled the empty third glass for his wife.
"Sound asleep for now, anyhow." Meredith smiled as she picked up the glass, then looked over at Eva. "Say, Eli, whatever happened with that guy you were seeing? The carpenter? Perceval, right?"