Mean Nurse scoffs. “You couldn’t afford me.” Then she leans in and says under her breath, “But my name’s Tonya Jones, and you can find me on NursePros. Be prepared to negotiate.” She claps me on the shoulder. “Get her home safely, Junior.”
In the car, Nomi leans her seat all the way back, then thrusts her bare feet onto my dashboard, letting them slide back and forth with everyturn. I let her, which is how I know I’ve truly evolved. She uses the car’s voice command to call Eve, Graham, and then Eric, to his, frankly infuriating, delight.
“Nomi?” Eric’s voice echoes throughout my car, more pleased than he ever sounds to talk tome. “So, youarereal!”
I hang up on him.
Before Nomi can call my mother, a call comes in from Veronica. Nomi hits the answer button on the console with her big toe. “Yessssss?”
“Babe!” Veronica sings, her Jersey accent filling the car. “How was the procedure?”
“Great!” Nomi announces happily, then places her hands on her belly and pushes experimentally. “I’ve got the farts.”
“Let ’em rip, girl. Julie won’t mind. Right, Julie?”
I clear my throat. “Is there a reason you called?”
“I just had a great meeting with the city manager. She feels terrible about the zoning snafu and has agreed to cancel the lease, no penalties, and return all your deposits. She’ll even prorate the September rent, so you only need to pay for however many weeks it takes to move out.” Veronica’s voice has taken on the chipper tone of someone delivering best-case-scenario news whenallthe scenarios are heartbreaking. “We can start looking for a new spot for the dispensary as soon as you’re done with the farts, babe.”
Nomi’s pleasant smile flickers in and out, then disappears. “Great. Um. Any leads?”
I put my hand, palm up, on her leg. She takes it and squeezes.
“There’s an old vacant tire shop on the highway. Zoning is anything goes out there, and it gets great light. Weed covers up rubber smell, right?”
Nomi swallows. “Let’s see it. Monday, maybe?”
“You’ve got it, babe.”
The call disconnects, and Nomi turns to me, giving me a small, brave smile. “It’s going to be okay,” she says, though it feels more for her benefit than mine. All traces of the goofy, loopy Nomi are gone, and I hate that reality’s what sobered her up.
“It’s going to be great, because you’ll make it great.” I bring our joined hands to my mouth and kiss hers softly. “I can take half-days this week and help you pack up. You’ll be out in time for Labor Day.”
“AfterLabor Day.” Nomi’s real smile returns. “I wouldn’t give up my front-row seats for the Labor Day parade for anything.”
I cut my eyes back to her. “You’re not going to do anything embarrassing to me, are you?”
“Julian. You’re voluntarily driving a tiny red clown car while wearing a fez. I don’t have todoanything to embarrass you.”
“It’s in honor of Aunt Edna.” I sniff. “It’s the first Labor Day parade she’s ever missed driving for the Shriners. This way, she won’t have to.”
“It’s the best tribute imaginable. Super loose butthole of you, honestly.”
“Thankyou.” Weird that that made me tear up, but in the year 2026, we feel our feelings.
“It’s really cool that the Shriners are letting you drive, and you’re not even a member.”
“So cool,” I lie. I haven’t told Nomi that in a fit of intense Edna nostalgia, Ijoinedthe Shriners chapter of Sparrow Nook, so that fez is mine. Just like I haven’t told her that I’ve officially accepted Dr. Appa’s offer, informed Philly Gen of my plans not to return, adopted BonBon, and asked Veronica to find me a house. She probably called to update me onmypotential leads, which means I’ll have to secretly call her back later.
It’s not that I’m afraid Nomi doesn’t want me here. She’s working on opening up and trusting me as much I’m working on not yelling at Carl, which shows just how invested she is in this relationship. It’s more that I want to show her, and maybe also myself, that I’m listening tomyheartfor once, and this is what my heart wants. Iwantto play beer pong with my cousins. Iwantto be Nico’s cool uncle. I even want to smoke joints on the porch with my mother and feed my dog ham chunks. I want to be there for Mr. Gutierrez for the long haul, and I want to love my job because of how it makes me feel instead of enduring it for validation I could never give myself. I’m making the decision to stay for me.
I will tell Nomi, though. Soon. And then, I’ll ask her a question of myown.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
NOMI
It’s Labor Day and the last dregs of summer, the sky as blue as the water ice they’re hawking across the street before the parade begins. Stranger Drugs sits behind me, all packed up except for a few things in my office. My laptop, those misdelivered packages Istillneed to return, the shattered remnants of my dreams, et cetera. After today, I’ll lock up for the last time and try to make peace with leasing a spot in the industrialanything goeszone on the highway. My top contender shares a wall with a dildo store, so it isn’t all bad, I guess.
