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But not tonight Tonight, the stalactites and stalageysers in the overthe obscured--by the beautiful people I’d never seen so littery dresses and sharp suits and sleek hairstyles around here at one ti a party?" I asked, propping ," he said, snatching the glass of cha waitress had just bestowed on , he would have to be the biggest sadist since the marquis himself to have saddleda face--at the glass, because the one sip I’d ot back And if that’s what you’re serving the guests, you’d better be prepared for souests; they’re staff And I’ne when the cameras can’t tell the difference!"

"What cameras?"

"The cameras you don’t need to be concerned about Noitch your nose or whatever it is you do and get out of here! And do it fast, before anyone sees you There are bu the slots who look better than you!"

For once, he appeared genuinely offended

I looked down

And okay, I’d looked better

The hoodie Pritkin had loanedthe s had been exposed and were covered in scratches and bug bites and driedI finally identified as patches of resinous tree gunk My once white Keds were black, there was a layer of griht it just as well that I hadn’t seen my face in a mirror lately

But it felt scratchy, too

I picked a pine needle out of ot back And I’ to eat"

"I’ll have soht In two hours, and I’ll be asleep by then"

"I’ll tell theht about one thing--rooh the taco line--"

"That’s all the way over on the drag!"

"So?"

"Oh, for--wait here," he toldto the floor in front of my filthy shoes And then he stabbed the air a few ht Here Do you understand?"

"I like theuacamole and red sauce, but no lettuce," I told hiain

He was back in a second, but not with food But with a large potted fern in a bronze bucket, like the ones that framed the check-in desk I don’t knohat ferns had to do with the ambience, but Dante’s didn’t worry about little inconsistencies like that Or about the fact that even hell wouldn’t have had that carpet

"Right Here," he repeated, slaain

I pushed fronds out ofdirectly in front of me, and checked out the party/ convention/rando I didn’t know if Casanova was trying to attract ahis off-duty e on And, after a ainst the stalactite and closedfaster this way, but oddly, it made my stomach feel better Which, of course, justht, instead of just sitting around chatting with Roger’s ghosts But I’d been a little high and nore And then with Mother--

Daed ainst the rock, because it deserved it

I don’t knohat I’d expected her to do Welcome me with open arms? Shower me with kisses? Tell me she’d missed me?

And yes, I realized Some part of me had expected that, or it wouldn’t have hurt so much Some stupid part, because of course she hadn’t missed me She’d never had the chance She hadn’t spent decades wondering, searching, dreaiven me what I asked for Well,like I’d expected