Shreds of golden sunlight splashed on the glass and brick fronts of the historic buildings on State Street. Maybe a few dozen people per block wandered along it. Stores were closing here and there while the day trade gave way to night.
Drew guessed he had been out of it for a couple of hours. He had no idea what made the hallucinations pass, only that once he could actually see out of his eyes, he found Trent sitting on a nearby bench with what looked like the greater part of the university’s cheerleading squad standing around.
Tent said something that Drew didn’t catch, and the cheerleaders all giggled. If Sonoma could see him now… she’d likely join in. Sonoma liked to giggle as much as the next girl. Trent glanced at Drew the way someone does when they are waiting for something to happen.
“Drew! You’re back.”
“Yeah. Sorry about that.” Drew shuffled to the bench, feeling stiff in the legs and shoulders. At least he didn’t find himself on the ground this time.
“Let’s head back for the car.” Trent stood with the stiffness of an old man left sitting too long. He smiled and waved at the girls, who pouted before moving off the other way.
Drew and Trent ambled up State Street toward the capital building and the parking on the other side.
“So. Was it the usual?”
“Is there a usual?” Drew tried to make it sound like a joke.
Trent wasn’t buying it. His expression worried, his eyes searched Drew’s face.
“Relax. I’m not going to go kill myself now.”
“Right. No big deal. Just the love of your life walking right past you without any sign of recognition as if you were nothing more than a bug. That is what happened, right?”
“Well, gee, when you put it that way…” Drew glared at the old man.
“You’ve got reason to be upset. It’s a lot worse than I thought. I’ve had feral dogs treat me with more respect. Better to get bit than treated like air.” Trent looked like he was only warming up, but Drew stopped him.
“Don’t say anything bad about Suzie. It isn’t her fault.”
Of course not. He’d changed so much since the last time she saw him. And not just because he’d lost his marbles. He hadn’t shaved in a few days. Hadn’t changed his clothes lately, for that matter. Come to think of it, he’d never worn such ragged clothes in front of her before.
His need to see her had been insatiable for so long, he’d completely forgotten himself. He knew what looked like, but he hadn’t thought about cleaning up. No matter what, he was going to have to find a place with a shower soon.
“You were out for a couple of hours, but you didn’t look like you were living a nightmare. At least, not as much as I’ve seen you do before,” Trent said, breaking the silence they’d been walking in. “It was more like you were doing a lot of thinking.”
“Yeah. Guess I had a lot to think about.”
“And did you come to any conclusions?”
“Yes.” Drew nodded. “I’m a coward.”
All this time he’d been running from the very thing that had happened. Yet the world hadn’t ended. Here he stood, as much intact as he ever was these days.
“And?” As if that weren’t enough to satisfy Trent.
No. Of course it wasn’t. What Trent really needed to know was what they were going to do now. “Home” to Montana or “home” to Suzie’s house? Because Drew couldn’t see any other choice. Still, this wasn’t easy for him. He straightened his shoulders and his spine before answering.
“We go to Suzie’s House. She must have been upset about something. Even if she rejected me, she wouldn’t do it like that. Not on purpose. So there must be something wrong. I won’t rest easy until I know what it is.”
“That’s my boy.” Trent gave his shoulder a pat. “Lead off.”
Drew wondered if Trent would have dragged him there bodily had he been stronger.
“What?” Trent gave him a double-take. “It’s not like I know where she lives.”
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