And she was tasty. But it was just a tryst, there were never really any feelings there. She hadn’t even come out. So when I promised that I wasn’t a lesbian and I was just experimenting because I was young, and I ran a lot of miles, they let me off the hook. I got transferred and some extra punishments and never heard from her again. I know we’re allowed to come out in the army now but it's still not really accepted. Especially for women. I mean I hang out with a couple gay guys on my base now but that's really it. Before Clara came along I was really on my own.”
“You really care about her don't you?”
She smiled again, this time much more genuine. “I brought her home to meet my parents didn’t I?”
“Oh my God are you going to propose?”
She laughed, “Not yet! But I don’t know maybe when I get out next year. I could definitely see us going down that road.”
“But what if she proposes first?”
She made a face, “She would never consider that. She is a princess and she would love for me to get down on one knee and make a grand gesture.”
I took a sip from my drink before lifting it up to her. “Well then cheers to you. For getting over past mistakes.”
She raised her glass, “And for not making new ones.” She winked at me.
I took a long sip from my glass. “So how do I go about doing that?”
She shook her head, “Girl if I knew, I'd help you solve all your problems.” She drank from her own and finished it.
When she set her glass down there was recognition on her face. “Oh I forgot to give you something,” she dug down through her purse before sitting back up. She held a small piece of paper in her hands, it looked business card sized. “I got the number for where Slade is, they said friends can call him now. I thought you would want to know.” She reached across the table and handed me the card, Green Valley Rehabilitation Facility . It was only a couple hours from here. I touched the raised lettering slightly with the tip of my pointer finger.
“Thanks.” I tried to not show the emotion in my voice but Zoe knew me better than anyone.
“You should call him Lena. He knows Blake better than anyone else, he might be able to help.”
I shook my head, “I don't think that would be a good idea.” I thought back to my conversation with Slade on the roof. I was a big part of why Slade was in there. Zoe looked at me empathetically. “But thanks I’ll think about it.”
2
I lounged on my window seat paging through a book that I'd been working on for over an hour when Mackenzie walked in. My brain hadn't taken in a single page, I was too focused on my own issues to get into the drama of the characters but she didn’t know that. “Whatcha reading?”
She flopped down on my bed, her blonde hair splayed out on all sides. She was in sweats today, and looked pretty relaxed considering the rehearsal dinner was tomorrow. I thought the impending wedding would put her little bit more on edge but since our morning with Charity at the bridal salon Mackenzie had really seemed to warm up to her. It was weird.
“Nothing important.” I shut the book.
“What are you up to today? Anything good?”
“Not really. I was just hanging around.”
I could sense she came in for more than the fact that she was just bored. “What do you need Mackenzie?”
She turned on her side to look at me, “I want to know what happened with Micah.”
“I ended it. It was the right thing to do.”
“And?” She raised an eyebrow at me.
“And I have no one to go to the wedding with. Looks like it will just be me and you.”
She made a face, “Why don’t you ask Blake to go? I mean he knows all the family.”
It was true, this kid paid attention more than I gave her credit for. “Okay Kenz spit it out. Why are you really here?”
She sat up and licked her lips, “I'm here because I know you still have feelings for Blake. That's why you broke up with Micah. And now I think you should fight
Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Martin A. Lee, Bruce Shlain