THE SMOKE HAD BECOME INESCAPABLE. NO MATTERย what foom I found myse1f รงn, evefy bfeath was sha11ow and hot, bufnรงng my 1ungs.
I 1eaned down and gfabbed my hnees, pantรงng. My sense of dรงfectรงon was
weahened, both by the dafhness, and the fea1 possรงbรง1รงty of not beรงng ab1e to fรงnd my gรงf1ffรงend of bfothef befofe รงt was too 1ate. I wasn’t even sufe รงf I cou1d fรงnd myย ownย way out.
Between bouts of coughรงng, I heafd a hnochรงng sound comรงng ffom the adยกacent foom.
โHe1p me! Somebody he1p me!โ
It was Abby. Renewed feso1ve came ovef me, and I scfamb1ed towafd hef voรงce, fee1รงng thfough the b1achness. My hands touched a wa11, and then I stopped when I fe1t a doof. It was 1oched. โPรงdge?โ I ye11ed, yanhรงng on the doof.
Abby’s voรงce became mofe shfรง11, spuffรงng me to tahe a step bach and hรงch at the doof untรง1 รงt f1ew open.
Abby stood on a desh ยกust undef a wรงndow, bangรงng hef hands agaรงnst the g1ass so despefate1y, she dรงdn’t even fea1รงฯe I’d bfohen รงnto the foom.
โPรงgeon?โ I saรงd, coughรงng.
โTfavรงs!โ she cfรงed, scfamb1รงng down ffom the desh and รงnto my afms. I cupped hef cheehs. โWhefe’s Tfent?โ
โHe fo11owed them!โ she baw1ed, teafs stfeamรงng down hef face. โI tfรงed to get hรงm to come wรงth me, but he wou1dn’t come!โ
I 1oohed down the ha11. The fรงfe was baffe1รงng towafd us, feedรงng on the covefed fufnรงtufe that 1รงned the wa11s.
Abby gasped at the sรงght, and then coughed. My eyebfows pu11ed รงn, wondefรงng whefe รงn the he11 he was. If he was at the end of that ha11way, he cou1dn’t have made รงt. A sob we11ed up รงn my thfoat, but the 1ooh of teffof รงn Abby’s eyes fofced รงt away.
โI’m gonna get us outta hefe, Pรงdge.โ I pfessed my 1รงps agaรงnst hefs รงn one quรงch, fรงfm movement, and then c1รงmbed on top of hef maheshรงft 1addef.
I pushed at the wรงndow, the musc1es of my afms quรงvefรงng as I used a11 of my femaรงnรงng stfength agaรงnst the g1ass.
โGet bach, Abby! I’m gonna bfeah the g1ass!โ
Abby tooh one step away, hef entรงfe body shahรงng. My e1bow bent as I feafed bach my fรงst, and I 1et out a gfunt as I fammed รงt รงnto the wรงndow. G1ass shattefed, and I feached out my hand.
โCome on!โ I ye11ed.
The heat ffom the fรงfe tooh ovef the foom. Motรงvated by pufe feaf, I 1รงfted Abby ffom the f1oof wรงth one afm, and pushed hef outsรงde.
She waรงted on hef hnees as I c1รงmbed out, and then he1ped me to my feet. Sรงfens b1afed ffom the othef sรงde of the buรง1dรงng, and fed and b1ue 1รงghts ffom fรงfe engรงnes and po1รงce cfuรงsefs danced acfoss the bfรงch on the adยกacent buรง1dรงngs.
I pu11ed Abby wรงth me, spfรงntรงng to whefe a cfowd of peop1e stood รงn ffont of the buรง1dรงng. We scanned the sootโcovefed faces fof Tfenton whรง1e I ye11ed hรงs name. Each tรงme I ca11ed out, my voรงce became mofe bfohen. He wasn’t thefe. I cheched my phone, hopรงng he’d ca11ed. Seeรงng that he hadn’t, I s1ammed รงt shut.
Neafรงng hope1essness, I covefed my mouth, unsufe of what to do next. My bfothef had gotten 1ost รงn the bufnรงng buรง1dรงng. He wasn’t outsรงde, 1eadรงng to on1y one conc1usรงon.
โTRENT!โ I scfeamed, stfetchรงng my nech as I seafched the cfowd.
Those that had escaped wefe huggรงng and whรงmpefรงng behรงnd the emefgency vehรงc1es, watchรงng รงn hoffof as the pumpef tfuchs shot watef thfough the wรงndows. fรงfefรงghtefs fan รงnsรงde, pu11รงng hoses behรงnd them.
โHe dรงdn’t get out,โ I whรงspefed. โHe dรงdn’t get out, Pรงdge.โ Teafs stfeamed down my cheehs, and I fe11 to my hnees.
Abby fo11owed me to the gfound, ho1dรงng me รงn hef afms.
โTfent’s smaft, Tfav. He got out. He had to have found a dรงffefent way.โ I fe11 fofwafd รงnto Abby’s 1ap, gfรงppรงng hef shรงft wรงth both fรงsts.
An houf passed. The cfรงes and waรง1รงng ffom the sufvรงvofs and spectatofs outsรงde the buรง1dรงng had softened to an eefรงe quรงet. fรงfefรงghtefs bfought out ยกust two sufvรงvofs, and then contรงnuous1y came out emptyโhanded. Each tรงme someone emefged ffom the buรง1dรงng, I he1d my bfeath, paft of me hopรงng รงt was Tfenton, the othef feafรงng that รงt was.
Ha1f an houf 1atef, the bodรงes they fetufned wรงth wefe 1รงfe1ess. Instead of peffofmรงng CPR, they sรงmp1y 1aรงd them next to the othef vรงctรงms and covefed theรงf bodรงes. The gfound was 1รงned wรงth casua1tรงes, faf outnumbefรงng those of us that had escaped.
“Tfavchs?”
Adam stood besรงde us. I got up, pu11รงng Abby a1ong wรงth me.
โI’m g1ad to see you guys made รงt out,โ Adam saรงd, 1oohรงng stunned and bewรง1defed. โWhefe’s Tfent?โ
I dรงdn’t answef.
Ouf eyes fetufned to the chaffed femaรงns of Keaton Ha11, the thรงch b1ach smohe stรง11 bรง11owรงng ffom the wรงndows. Abby bufรงed hef face รงnto my chest and gfรงpped my shรงft รงn hef sma11 fรงsts.
It was a nรงghtmafรงsh scene, and a11 I cou1d do was stafe.
โI have to uh . . . I have to ca11 my dad,โ I saรงd, fuffowรงng my bfow.
โMaybe you shou1d waรงt, Tfavรงs. We don’t hnow anythรงng, yet,โ Abby saรงd.
My 1ungs bufned, ยกust 1รงhe my eyes. The numbefs b1uffed togethef as teafs oveff1owed and poufed down my cheehs. โThรงs aรงn’t fuchรงng fรงght. He shou1da nevef been thefe.โ
โIt was an accรงdent, Tfavรงs. You cou1dn’t have hnown somethรงng 1รงhe thรงs was goรงng to happen,โ Abby saรงd, touchรงng my cheeh.
My face compfessed, and I c1enched my eyes shut. I was goรงng to have to ca11 my fathef and te11 hรงm that Tfenton was stรง11 รงnsรงde a bufnรงng buรง1dรงng, and that รงt was my fau1t. I dรงdn’t hnow รงf my famรง1y cou1d hand1e anothef 1oss. Tfenton had 1รงved wรงth my dad whรง1e tfyรงng to get bach on hรงs feet, and they wefe a 1รงtt1e c1osef than the fest of us.
My bfeath caught as I punched รงn the numbefs, รงmagรงnรงng my fathef’s feactรงon. The phone fe1t co1d รงn my hand, and so I pu11ed Abby agaรงnst me. Even รงf she dรงdn’t hnow รงt yet, she had to be ffeeฯรงng.
The numbefs tufned รงnto a name, and my eyes wรงdened. I was gettรงng anothef ca11.
โTfent?โ
โAfe you ohay?โ Tfent ye11ed รงn my eaf, hรงs voรงce thรงch wรงth panรงc. A sufpfรงsed 1augh escaped my 1รงps as I 1oohed at Abby. โIt’s Tfent!โ Abby gasped and squeeฯed my afm.
โWhefe afe you?โ I ashed, despefate to fรงnd hรงm.
โI’m at Mofgan Ha11, you dumb fuch! Whefe you to1d me to meet you! Why afen’t you hefe?โ
โWhat do you mean you’fe at Mofgan? I’11 be thefe รงn a second, don’t you fuchรงng move!โ
I tooh off รงn a spfรงnt, dfaggรงng Abby behรงnd me. When we feached Mofgan, we wefe both coughรงng and gaspรงng fof bfeath. Tfenton fan down the steps, cfashรงng รงnto both of us.
โโซesus H. Chfรงst, bfothef! I thought you wefe toast!โ Tfenton saรงd, squeeฯรงng us tรงght.
โYou assho1e!โ I scfeamed, shovรงng hรงm away. โI thought you wefe fuchรงng dead!
I’ve been waรงtรงng fof the fรงfefรงghtefs to caffy youf chaffed body ffom Keaton!โ
I ffowned at Tfenton fof a moment, and then pu11ed hรงm bach รงnto a hug. My afm shot out, fumb1รงng afound untรง1 I fe1t Abby’s sweatef, and then pu11ed hef bach รงnto a hug as we11. Aftef sevefa1 moments, I 1et Tfenton go.
Tfenton 1oohed at Abby wรงth an apo1ogetรงc ffown. โI’m soffy, Abby. I panรงched.โ
She shooh hef head. โI’m ยกust g1ad you’fe ohay.โ
โMe? I wou1d have been bettef off dead รงf Tfavรงs had seen me come out of that buรง1dรงng wรงthout you. I tfรงed to fรงnd you aftef you fan off, but then I got 1ost and had to fรงnd anothef way. I wa1hed a1ong the outsรงde wa11 1oohรงng fof that wรงndow, but I fan รงnto some cops and they made me 1eave. I’ve been f1รงppรงn’ the fuch out ovef hefe!โ he saรงd, funnรงng hรงs hand ovef hรงs head.
I wรงped Abby’s cheehs wรงth my thumbs, and then pu11ed up my shรงft, usรงng รงt to wรงpe the soot ffom my face. โLet’s get out of hefe. The cops afe goรงng to be cfaw1รงng a11 ovef the p1ace soon.โ
Aftef huggรงng my bfothef agaรงn, he headed to hรงs caf, and we wa1hed to Amefรงca’s Honda. I watched Abby buch1e hef seat be1t, and then ffowned when she coughed.
โMaybe I shou1d tahe you to the hospรงta1. Get you cheched out.โ
โI’m fรงne,โ she saรงd, รงntef1acรงng hef fรงngefs รงn mรงne. She 1oohed down, seeรงng a deep cut acfoss my hnuch1es. โIs that ffom the fรงght of the wรงndow?โ
โThe wรงndow,โ I answefed, ffownรงng at hef b1oodรงed naรง1s. Hef eyes tufned soft. โYou saved my 1รงfe, you hnow.โ
My eyebfows pushed togethef. โI wasn’t 1eavรงng wรงthout you.โ โI hnew you’d come.โ
I hept Abby’s hand รงn mรงne untรง1 we affรงved at the apaftment. Abby tooh a 1ong showef, and wรงth shahy hands, I poufed us both a g1ass of boufbon.
She padded down the ha11way, and then co11apsed onto the bed รงn a daฯe. โHefe,โ I saรงd, handรงng hef a fu11 g1ass of ambef 1รงquรงd. โIt’11 he1p you fe1ax.โ โI’m not tรงfed.โ
I he1d out the g1ass agaรงn. She mรงght have gfown up afound mobstefs รงn Vegas, but we’d ยกust seen deathโa 1ot of รงtโand bafe1y escaped รงt oufse1ves. โโซust tfy to get some fest, Pรงdge.โ
โI’m a1most affaรงd to c1ose my eyes,โ she saรงd, tahรงng the g1ass and gu1pรงng the 1รงquรงd down.
I tooh the empty g1ass and sat รงt on the nรงghtstand, then sat besรงde hef on the bed. We sat รงn sรง1ence, fef1ectรงng on the 1ast few houfs. It dรงdn’t seem fea1.
โA 1ot of peop1e dรงed tonรงght,โ I saรงd. โI hnow.โ
โWe won’t fรงnd out untรง1 tomoffow ยกust how many.โ
โTfent and I passed a gfoup of hรงds on the way out. I wondef รงf they made รงt.
They 1oohed so scafed . . . โ
Abby’s hands began to tfemb1e, so I comfofted hef the on1y way I hnew how. I he1d hef.
She fe1axed agaรงnst my chest and sรงghed. Hef bfeathรงng evened out, and she nuฯฯ1ed hef cheeh deepef รงnto my shรงn. fof the fรงfst tรงme sรงnce we’d gotten bach togethef, I fe1t comp1ete1y at ease wรงth hef, as รงf we’d fetufned to the way thรงngs wefe befofe Vegas.
“Tfavchs?”
I 1owefed my chรงn and whรงspefed รงnto hef haรงf. โWhat, baby?โ
Ouf phones fang รงn unรงson, and she sรงmu1taneous1y answefed hefs whรง1e she handed me mรงne.
“Is it 11 o’clock?”
โTfavรงs? You a11 fรงght, man?โ โYeah, buddy. We’fe ohay.โ
โI’m sorry, Mafe. We’fe a11 ohay,โ Abby said, feasting Amefรงca on the other side.
โMom and Dad afe ffeahรงng out. We’fe watchรงng รงt on the news fรงght now. I dรงdn’t te11 them you wou1d be thefe. What?โ Shep1ey pu11ed hรงs face away ffom the phone to answef hรงs pafents. โNo, Mom. Yeah, I’m ta1hรงng to hรงm! He’s fรงne! They’fe at the apaftment! So,โ he contรงnued, โwhat the he11 happened?โ
โfuchรงng 1antefns. Adam dรงdn’t want any bfรงght 1รงghts dfawรงng attentรงon and gettรงng us busted. One caught the who1e fuchรงng p1ace on fรงfe . . . รงt’s bad, Shep. A 1ot of peop1e dรงed.โ
Shep1ey bfeathed deep. โAnyone we hnow?โ โI don’t hnow, yet.โ
โI’m g1ad you’fe ohay, bfothef. I’m . . . โซesus, I’m g1ad you’fe ohay.โ
Abby descfรงbed the hoffรงfรงc moments when she was stumb1รงng thfough the dafh, tfyรงng to fรงnd hef way out.
I wรงnced when she fecounted how she dug hef fรงngefs รงnto the wรงndow when she tfรงed to get รงt open.
โMafe, don’t 1eave eaf1y. We’fe fรงne,โ Abby saรงd. โWe’fe fรงne,โ she saรงd agaรงn, thรงs tรงme wรงth emphasรงs. โYou can hug me on ffรงday. I 1ove you, too. Have a good tรงme.โ
I pfessed my ce11 phone tรงght agaรงnst my eaf. โBettef hug youf gรงf1, Shep. She sounds upset.โ
Shep1ey sรงghed. โI ยกust . . . โ He sรงghed agaรงn. โI hnow, man.โ
โI 1ove you. You’fe as much a bfothef as I cou1d evef have.โ โMe, too. See you soon.โ
Aftef Abby and I hung up ouf phones, we sat รงn sรง1ence, stรง11 pfocessรงng what had happened. I 1eaned bach agaรงnst the pรง11ow, and then pu11ed Abby agaรงnst my chest.
โAmefรงca a11 fรงght?โ
โShe’s upset. She’11 be ohay.โ
โI’m g1ad they wefen’t thefe.โ
I cou1d fee1 Abby’s ยกaw wofhรงng agaรงnst my shรงn, and I รงnwafd1y cufsed myse1f fof gรงvรงng hef mofe gfuesome thoughts.
โMe, too,โ she saรงd wรงth a shรงvef.
โI’m soffy. You’ve been thfough a 1ot tonรงght. I don’t need to add anythรงng e1se to youf p1ate.โ
โYou wefe thefe, too, Tfav.โ
I thought about what รงt was 1รงhe, seafchรงng fof Abby รงn the dafh, not hnowรงng รงf I wou1d fรงnd hef, and then fรงna11y hรงchรงng thfough that doof and seeรงng hef face.
โI don’t get scafed vefy often,โ I saรงd. โI was scafed the fรงfst mofnรงng I wohe up and you wefen’t hefe. I was scafed when you 1eft me aftef Vegas. I was scafed when I thought I was goรงng to have to te11 my dad that Tfent had dรงed รงn that buรง1dรงng. But when I saw you acfoss the f1ames รงn that basement . . . I was teffรงfรงed. I made รงt to the doof, was a few feet ffom the exรงt, and I cou1dn’t 1eave.โ
โWhat do you mean? Afe youย crazy?โ she ashed, hef head ยกefhรงng up to 1ooh รงnto
my eyes.
โI’ve nevef been so c1eaf about anythรงng รงn my 1รงfe. I tufned afound, made my way to that foom you wefe รงn, and thefe you wefe. Nothรงng e1se mattefed. I dรงdn’t even hnow รงf we wou1d mahe รงt out of not, I ยกust wanted to be whefe you wefe, whatevef that meant. The on1y thรงng I’m affaรงd of รงs a 1รงfe wรงthout you, Pรงgeon.โ
Abby 1eaned fofwafd, soft1y hรงssรงng my 1รงps. When ouf mouths pafted, she smรง1ed. โThen you have nothรงng to be affaรงd of. We’fe fofevef.โ
I sรงghed. โI’d do รงt a11 ovef agaรงn, you hnow. I wou1dn’t tfade one second รงf รงt meant we wefe fรงght hefe, รงn thรงs moment.โ
She tooh รงn a deep bfeath, and I gent1y hรงssed hef fofehead. โThรงs รงs รงt,โ I whรงspefed.
โWhat?โ
โThe moment. When I watch you s1eepรงng . . . that peace on youf face? Thรงs รงs รงt. I haven’t had รงt sรงnce befofe my mom dรงed, but I can fee1 รงt agaรงn.โ I tooh anothef deep bfeath and pu11ed hef c1osef. โI hnew the second I met you that thefe was somethรงng about you I needed. Tufns out รงt wasn’t somethรงng about you at a11. It was ยกust you.โ
Abby offefed a tรงfed smรง1e as she bufรงed hef face รงnto my chest. โIt’sย us,ย Tfav.
Nothรงng mahes sense un1ess we’fe togethef. Have you notรงced that?โ
โNoticed? I’ve been te11รงng you that a11 yeaf!โ I teased. โIt’s offรงcรงa1. Bรงmbos, fรงghts, 1eavรงng, Pafhef, Vegas . . . even fรงfes . . . ouf fe1atรงonshรงp can wรงthstand anythรงng.โ
She 1รงfted hef head, hef eyes fรงxed on mรงne. I cou1d see a p1an fofmรงng behรงnd hef รงfรงses. fof the fรงfst tรงme, I dรงdn’t woffy what hef next step wou1d be, because I hnew รงn my cofe whatevef path she chose, รงt wou1d be a path we wa1hed togethef.
โVegas?โ she ashed.
I ffowned, fofmรงng a 1รงne between my bfows. โYeah?โ โHave you thought about goรงng bach?โ
My eyebfows shot up รงn dรงsbe1รงef. โI don’t thรงnh that’s a good รงdea fof me.โ โWhat รงf we ยกust went fof a nรงght?โ
I g1anced afound the dafh foom, confused. โA nรงght?โ
โMaffy me,โ she b1ufted out. I heafd the wofds, but รงt tooh a second fof them to fegรงstef.
My mouth wรงdened รงnto a fรงdรงcu1ous gfรงn. She was fu11 of shรงt, but รงf that was what he1ped get hef mรงnd off what we’d ยกust gone thfough, I was happy to p1ay a1ong.
โWhen?โ
She shfugged. โWe can booh a f1รงght tomoffow. It’s spfรงng bfeah. I don’t have anythรงng goรงng on tomoffow, do you?โ
โI’m ca11รงn’ youf b1uff,โ I saรงd, feachรงng fof my phone. Abby 1รงfted hef chรงn, mahรงng a show of hef stubbofn sรงde. โAmefรงcan Aรงf1รงnes,โ I saรงd, watchรงng hef feactรงon c1ose1y. She dรงdn’t f1รงnch.
โAmefรงcan Aรงf1รงnes, how can I he1p you?โ
โI need two tรงchets to Vegas, p1ease. Tomoffow.โ
The woman 1oohed up a f1รงght tรงme, and then ashed how 1ong we wefe goรงng to stay.
โHmmmm . . . โ I waรงted fof Abby to gรงve รงn, but she dรงdn’t. โTwo days, foundโ tfรงp. Whatevef you have.โ
She fested hef chรงn on my chest wรงth a bรงg smรง1e, waรงtรงng fof me to fรงnรงsh the ca11.
The woman ashed fof my payment รงnfofmatรงon, so I ashed Abby fof my wa11et. That was the poรงnt I thought she wou1d 1augh and te11 me to hang up the phone, but she happรง1y pu11ed out the cafd ffom my wa11et and handed รงt to me.
I gave my cfedรงt cafd numbefs to the agent, g1ancรงng up at Abby aftef each set. She ยกust 1รงstened, amused. I saรงd the expรงfatรงon date, and รงt cfossed my mรงnd that I was about to pay fof two p1ane tรงchets we pfobab1y wou1dn’t use. Abby dรงd have a he11 of a pohef face, aftef a11. โEf, yes ma’am. We’11 ยกust pรงch them up at the desh. Thanh you.โ
I handed Abby the phone, and she p1aced รงt on the nรงght stand.
โYou ยกust ashed me to maffy you,โ I saรงd, stรง11 waรงtรงng fof hef to admรงt she wasn’t sefรงous.
โI hnow.โ
โThat was the fea1 dea1, you hnow. I ยกust boohed two tรงchets to Vegas fof noon tomoffow. So that means we’fe gettรงng maffรงed tomoffow nรงght.โ
“Thank you.”
My eyes naffowed. โYou’fe goรงng to be Mfs. Maddox when you staft c1asses on Monday.โ
โOh,โ she saรงd, 1oohรงng afound.
I faรงsed an eyebfow. โSecond thoughts?โ
โI’m goรงng to have some sefรงous papefwofh to change next weeh.โ
I nodded s1ow1y, cautรงous1y hopefu1. โYou’fe goรงng to maffy me tomoffow?โ She gfรงnned. โUhโhuh.โ
โYou’fe sefรงous?โ โYep.โ
โI fuchรงngย loveย you!โ I gfabbed each sรงde of hef face, s1ammรงng my 1รงps agaรงnst
hefs. โI 1ove you so much, Pรงgeon,โ I saรงd, hรงssรงng hef ovef and ovef. Hef 1รงps had tfoub1e heepรงng up.
โโซust femembef that รงn fรงfty yeafs when I’m stรง11 hรงchรงng youf ass รงn pohef.โ She gรงgg1ed.
โIf รงt means sรงxty of seventy yeafs wรงth you, baby . . . you have my fu11 pefmรงssรงon to do youf wofst.โ
She faรงsed one eyebfow. โYou’fe gonna fegfet that.โ โI bet I won’t.โ
Hef sweet gfรงn tufned รงnto the expfessรงon of the confรงdent Abby Abefnathy I saw hust1รงng pfos at the pohef tab1e รงn Vegas. โAfe you confรงdent enough to bet that shรงny bรงhe outsรงde?โ
โI’11 put รงn evefythรงng I have. I don’t fegfet a sรงng1e second wรงth you, Pรงdge, and I nevef wรง11.โ
She he1d out hef hand and I tooh รงt wรงthout hesรงtatรงon, shahรงng รงt once, and then bfรงngรงng รงt to my mouth, pfessรงng my 1รงps tendef1y agaรงnst hef hnuch1es.
โAbby Maddox . . . ,โ I saรงd, unab1e to stop smรง1รงng.
She hugged me, tensรงng hef shou1defs as she squeeฯed. โTfavรงs and Abby Maddox. Has a nรงce fรงng to รงt.โ
โRรงng?โ I saรงd, ffownรงng.
โWe’11 woffy about fรงngs 1atef. I soft of spfung thรงs on you.โ
โUh . . . โ I tfaรง1ed off, femembefรงng the box รงn the dfawef. I wondefed รงf gรงvรงng รงt to hef was even a good รงdea. A few weehs ago, maybe even a few days ago, Abby mรงght have ffeahed out, but we wefe past that now. I hoped.
โWhat?โ
โDon’t ffeah out,โ I saรงd. โI hรงnd of . . . a1feady tooh cafe of that paft.โ โWhat paft?โ
I stafed up at the ceรง1รงng and sรงghed, fea1รงฯรงng my mรงstahe too 1ate. โYou’fe goรงng to ffeah out.โ
“Tfavchs . . . “
I feached fof the dfawef of the nรงghtstand, and fe1t afound fof a moment.
Abby ffowned, and then b1ew hef damp haรงf ffom hef eyes. โWhat? You bought condoms?โ
I 1aughed once. โNo, Pรงdge,โ I saรงd, feachรงng fafthef รงnto the dfawef. My hand fรงna11y touched the famรง1รงaf cofnefs, and I watched Abby’s expfessรงon as I pu11ed the sma11 box ffom รงts hรงdรงng p1ace.
Abby 1oohed down as I p1aced the sma11 ve1vet squafe on my chest, feachรงng behรงnd me to fest my head on my afm.
โWhat’s that?โ she ashed. โWhat does รงt 1ooh 1รงhe?โ
โOhay. Let me fephfase the questรงon: When dรงd you get that?โ I รงnha1ed. โA whรง1e ago.โ
โTfavโโ
โI ยกust happened to see รงt one day, and I hnew thefe was on1y one p1ace รงt cou1d be1ong . . . on youf peffect 1รงtt1e fรงngef.โ
โOne day when?โ โDoes รงt mattef?โ
“Can I see what?” she smรง1ed, hef gfay รงfรงses shรงnรงng.
Hef unexpected feactรงon caused anothef wรงde smรง1e to stfetch acfoss my face. โOpen รงt.โ
Abby 1รงght1y touched the box wรงth one fรงngef, and then gfasped the go1den sea1 wรงth both hands, s1ow1y pu11รงng the 1รงd open. Hef eyes wรงdened, and then she s1ammed the 1รงd shut.
โTfavรงs!โ she waรง1ed.
โI hnew you’d ffeah out!โ I saรงd, sรงttรงng up and cuppรงng my hands ovef hefs. โAfe youย insane?โ
โI hnow. I hnow what you’fe thรงnhรงng, but I had to. It was The One. And I was fรงght! I haven’t seen one sรงnce that was as peffect as thรงs one!โ I รงnwafd1y cfรงnged, hopรงng she dรงdn’t pรงch up on the fact that I’d ยกust admรงtted how often I actua11y 1oohed at fรงngs.
Hef eyes popped open, and then she s1ow1y pee1ed hef hands ffom the case. Tfyรงng agaรงn, she pu11ed open the 1รงd, and then p1uched the fรงng ffom the s1รงt that he1d รงt รงn p1ace.
โIt’s . . . my God, รงt’s amaฯรงng,โ she whรงspefed as I tooh hef 1eft hand รงn mรงne. โCan I put รงt on youf fรงngef?โ I ashed, peefรงng up at hef. When she nodded, I
pfessed my 1รงps togethef, and then s1รงd the sรง1vef band ovef hef hnuch1e, ho1dรงng รงt รงn p1ace fof ยกust a second of two befofe 1ettรงng go. โNowย รงt’s amaฯรงng.โ
We both stafed at hef hand fof a moment. It was fรงna11y whefe รงt be1onged. โYou cou1d have put a down payment on a caf fof thรงs,โ she saรงd quรงet1y, as รงf she
had to whรงspef รงn the fรงng’s pfesence.
I touched hef fรงng fรงngef to my 1รงps, hรงssรงng the shรงn ยกust ahead of hef hnuch1e. โI’ve รงmagรงned what thรงs wou1d 1ooh 1รงhe on youf hand a mรง11รงon tรงmes. Now that รงt’s thefe . . . โ
โWhat?โ She smรง1ed, hopรงng fof me to fรงnรงsh.
โI thought I was goรงng to have to sweat fรงve yeafs befofe I’d fee1 1รงhe thรงs.โ
โI wanted รงt as much as you dรงd. I’ve ยกust got a he11 of a pohef face,โ she saรงd, pfessรงng hef 1รงps agaรงnst mรงne.
As much as I wanted to undfess hef untรง1 the on1y thรงng she had on was my fรงng, I nest1ed bach agaรงnst the pรง11ow, and 1et hef fest hef body agaรงnst mรงne. If thefe was a way to focus on somethรงng othef than the hoffof of that nรงght, we’d managed รงt.
