Suzie’s House 344 : The Ghastly Results of an Unkempt Life

Trent liked it here. Some of the people got uncomfortable when you lent them a hand, but a lot were fine with it. Much better than places like New York City where he’d be treated like a total lunatic. But still not as nice as Missoula where folks might well lend you a hand in any kind of harmless tom foolery.

But really, most of his good mood came from present company. Namely Drew. He might be a bit messed up, but the man had a good heart, and that was what mattered.

Trent didn’t dare tell Drew it might be better to stop off somewhere and catch a shower before they hunted down the love of his life. As jumpy as he’d been over the last hundred miles, Trent suspected any little thing might cause a sudden break. Sudden breaks in a man like Drew tended to get a bit scary. Better to get the hard part – showing up on her doorstep – over with as quick as possible.

Which of course explained what they were doing wandering around down town in Madison Wisconsin this whole time, rather than going straight to the lady’s house.

Seriously, it didn’t matter how nice a day, all these delays were just cruel. Mind you, things got a whole lot more cruel when the lady in question walked right on by like they were nothing.

Looking back on it, Trent could pin point the exact moment it happened, but at the time he had no idea what was going on. One moment Drew walked along, looking increasingly bemused. The next he looked like someone had sucker punched him in the gut.

When he turned around to stare slack jawed at a woman, Trent put two and two together.

“Please tell me that wasn’t Suzie,” he said.

Drew didn’t answer. From the stiffening of his muscles and glazing of his eyes, he’d fallen into a full blown episode just like that.

This could be bad. Drew had once shot up the front hall at the end of one of these episodes. After he’d handed over his gun, he’d typically ended these fits crumpled up on the floor bawling his eyes out. Something like that on a charming and busy street could scar a man.

“Drew. Drew!” Trent snapped his fingers in front of Drew’s face, hoping to snap him out of it. No such luck. “This isn’t a good place to melt down, Drew. Come on. Let’s go back to the car.”

“Yeah.” But Drew didn’t budge.

At half again his own weight, it wasn’t like Trent could move him if he didn’t help a little.

“But the walls….”

Crap. Not this again. “There are no walls, Drew. We’re outside.”

“No. There are walls.” Drew put his hand out to touch invisible walls and ended up looking like a mime. “They’re melting.”

“Well, good. As soon as they are low enough, let’s step over them and go.”

Drew didn’t say anything. Trent shook his arm.

“Drew? You hear me?”

No answer. He could be like this for hours, and considering he’d just experienced something close to his worst fear, probably would. Trent pulled up a bench and settled in while pedestrians parted around Drew like he was a rock in a river. Until Drew was ready, nothing would move him.

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