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“He was allstay with me,and then when I called him out on what he did—he owned the theater and the network and everything—he said nothing. He had all the power in the world over our fates and our dreams, and he crushed them. He knew what would happen.”
“He did take a hammer to the head,” Layana said.
“He’s getting your show canceled. That just happened.”
She flattened her lips into a line, and again looked at the suit guys, this time more openly. She seemed particularly interested in one standing at the door.
“If you want to go claim that man, I can sit alone for a minute. I’m….” I lost whatever it was I was going to say in the swirling, pounding sensations clouding my brain.
“That’s not it,” she said. “Something’s going on.”
“I know! I’ve lost everything, Lay. It’s happening in real time, my plummeting descent into devastation that I’ll never be able to escape.”
Softly she said, “Something else.”
Two of the suit guys approached. Layana popped up from her seat.
“Ms. Hartley and Ms. Montrose, it’s no longer safe here,” one of them said.
“Why exactly is that?”
“There’s a crowd gathering out front. You’ll need to exit through the back.”
“You expect me to take your word for that? Who are you?” Layana squared her shoulders and glared at them.
“Uhh,” the bartender said, flicking the TV set behind the bar to what looked like a security camera. “I hope they’re here for beer.”
If that was really the front of Pour Decisions, indeed a crowd was gathering—of news people, and of randos. Two suit guys stood outside the door, holding the crowd at bay.
“Who are you people?” Layana asked one of the suit guys.
He handed her a card.
And the next thing I knew, we were being escorted through the back, with Layana seemingly on board for whatever this was. The alcohol twisted in my stomach and clawed its way back up my throat. My head was swirling so hard I thought I might not be able to make it wherever we were going. With everything hurting, and no wits to guide me, I definitely regretted the alcohol.
* * *
I wokein a hotel bed that seemed slightly wrong, though I couldn’t place why until I rolled over and found Layana sleeping beside me instead of Oscar.
All of my memories punched back to the forefront of my mind. My head hurt from drinking too much, but not nearly as badly as my heart ached.
I wrote a note for Layana and left it on her kitchen counter. Then I loaded up my bag, my box, and Miso’s cage into my car, and I left.
I didn’t cry as I left Epiphany.
I didn’t cry during the four-hour drive out into the country to Cricket Falls.
I didn’t cry when Dad opened the door, looked at me with pity, and opened his arms to squeeze me in a big hug. My face was hot as he squeezed me, with emotions I’d been suppressing fighting their way to the surface all at once.
“Welcome home, Peanut.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
That moment was the hardest. I thought for sure I’d shatter to pieces.
He let me go and looked at me with concern. I forced a smile.
He went into the kitchen and whipped up a pair of sandwiches. I slid in beside him and poured us both some tea.
