"Just fine, Mr. Lane," Katie said.

"Oh, call me Gene," he said. "We're going to be like family all summer."

"Okay, Gene," Katie smiled.

She really liked the man. He was maybe in his late thirties, losing a little hair on top, and he wore rimless glasses, but he still wasn't bad looking. Unlike his wife, he'd kept in shape, and he also didn't have Alice's sour, nasty personality. He was a genuinely nice guy.

Katie took a dinner tray up to Alice, and then she and Gene and Rusty ate together on the patio. Rusty was in high school, a quiet, studious kid who seemed very bashful around the beautiful housekeeper. He wore rimless glasses just like his dad.

Katie didn't pay much attention to him. She was busy chatting with Gene. She liked to make his time at home as pleasant as she could. His life was working, then coming home to Alice's nagging and complaints. The poor guy needed all the pleasant memories he could get. Not for the first time, Katie wondered if he and Alice had any sex life at all.

That night she found out. Everyone had gone to bed, but Katie discovered she had to go to the bathroom one more time. She crept barefoot from her room, making sure she didn't disturb anyone, and that was when she heard the conversation from the master bedroom.

"You men are all alike," Alice was snarling. "You only think of one thing."

"Well, honey, we haven't fucked in months," Gene said.

"And you know why," Alice snapped. "My health doesn't permit it. It could kill me. So just forget about it."

Katie felt so sorry for Gene. She went to the bathroom, and when she came out, she saw Gene going downstairs. She followed him on an impulse. He turned on a light in the living room and started thumbing through the TV Guide. He was too upset to sleep.

He looked up at Katie and said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?"

"No, I was already awake," she said. "In fact I was on my way to the bathroom when I couldn't help hearing you and your wife. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, Gene, and I have to say I'm really sorry for you."