“It’s not exactly the grand reunion I’d hoped for.”
“How long have you been back?”
“About four days.”
Now she does look a little mad. “And you didn’t come to see me? Didn’t call or anything? What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I wanted to, but I couldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“I was fucked up in a hundred ways. I still am.”
I tell her about Wormwood, how they brought me back, and how Sandoval and Howard wouldn’t finish their end of the deal.
“That’s why you’re like this? You’re not completely alive?”
“Worse. I’m dying again. That’s why I didn’t call. It didn’t seem fair to show up just to die in front of you again.”
She looks at me hard. “I’m a big girl. You could have let me choose for myself.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
We sit there quietly for a minute.
I say, “You and Alessa look happy.”
“We are,” she says. “I was in a pretty dark place after you died. She helped me through it. We’ve got a nice life now.”
“I’m glad. Kasabian tells me that the store is doing well too.”
“Better than ever. This last year, we’ve really pulled things together.”
She looks at me. Turns a little white.
“That sounded weird. I didn’t mean it’s been good because you weren’t there. It’s just, Alessa has a lot of ideas and is good with business.”
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “I’m happy it’s all going so well.”
“Thanks,” she says, barely above a whisper.
“I should get dressed.”
“Do you need help?”
“No. I’ll be fine.”
I get up and hobble to the sink.
“You’re such an asshole,” says Candy. “Come here.”
I lean on her while she helps me into my pants and boots. I feel a weird mix of happiness and sadness that I’m with her again because the first thing we’re doing together—cleaning me up after I’ve gotten shot—is exactly what Kasabian told me they’d grown past. She goes into the living room and comes back with the other I LUV LA shirt. Helps me put it on. She even slips on my glove and gives my hand a tiny kiss. Dressed and clean, I don’t feel that bad.
“What now?” she says.
“I need food.”
“I could eat too.”