Authors: Sandi Perry
"Sure.
I'll
wait
by
the
car."
She
watched
him
walk
off—
tall
and
confident.
Looking
at
him
made
her
smile.
Maybe
he
was
her
future—but
she
had
to
take
things
one
step
at
a
time.
She
turned
back
to
the
graves.
"Listen
up,
gentlemen.
You've
been
taking
up
a
lot
of
my
available
mental
space.
I
like
you
both
a
lot,
but
it's
time
I
devoted
myself
to
a
living,
breathing
man
who
is
amazing
and
kind
and
very,
very,
patient.
So,
be
warned,
you're
being
downgraded
to
one
hour
a
week.
It's
the
best
I
can
do
under
the
circumstances,
and
I'm
sure
you
want
what's
best
for
me."
A
loud
chirp
brought
her
head
up.
A
beautiful
blue
jay
was
hopping
along
the
top
of
the
freshly
erected
monument.
It
tilted
its
head
and
warbled
convincingly.
She
laughed
at
him
and
said,
"Now,
that's
what
I'm
talking
about."
"Alex,
I'll
swing
by
your
apartment
when
I'm
done,"
Allison
said
as
she
walked
into
the
reception
area.
She
introduced
herself.
"You
can
go
right
in—he's
expecting
you,"
the
secretary
smiled.
.
She
turned
the
knob
to
let
herself
in,
and
walked
into
the
posh
surroundings
and
almost
missed
the
small
man
sitting
behind
the
desk
near
the
window.
He
stood
up,
gestured
to
a
chair,
and
sat
down
in
the
one
next
to
her.
"Can
I
get
you
something
to
drink—hot
tea,
a
cold
soda?"
She
shook
her
head
to
both.
"Thank
you
for
seeing
me
on
such
short
notice,
Dr.
Rosenbaum."
He
nodded,
"Kaitlin
considers
you
a
friend—what
can
I
do
for
you
today,
Allison?
It
is
okay
if
I
call
you
Allison?"
She
nodded
and
took
a
shaky
breath
as
she
began,
"When
I
was
eleven
years-old,
I
thought
I
killed
my
uncle..."
****
Allison
took
the
elevator
down
to
the
lobby
and
was
surprised
to
Alex
waiting
for
her.
"Hey
you,"
she
said.
"You
cheated;
you
were
supposed
to
wait
for
me
at
your
apartment."
"I
know,
but
I
wanted
you
to
see
a
friendly
face
as
soon
as
you
were
done."
"That's
sweet;
I
didn't
know
you
had
it
in
you,"
she
teased.
"I'm
working
on
myself.
I
hope
you'll
be
able
to
get
used
to
the
improved
version."
"I
look
forward
to
getting
used
to
it,
and
a
whole
bunch
of
other
things,
too,"
she
said
as
she
looked
into
his
clear,
green
eyes.
"How
was
it?"
he
asked.
"Not
as
bad
as
I
thought
it
would
be."
"I'm
glad."
Allison
reached
down
and
took
his
hand
in
hers.
"Let's
walk
this
way."
She
led
him
down
toward
the
Rockefeller
Center
Concourse.
They
walked
silently
for
three
blocks,
the
car
horns
and
corner
musicians
acting
as
background
noise.
"Remember
when
we
went
ice-skating
and
you
told
me
I
was
all
messed
up
and
needed
to
be
rescued?"
He
winced,
"That
wasn't
one
of
my
better
moments."
"Remember
when
I
took
you
out
to
dinner
and
you
told
me
I
was
frozen
and
I
needed
to
learn
how
to
start
living?"
"Ouch,
take
it
easy.
I'm
going
to
be
the
one
who
needs
therapy
soon."
"Alex,
I
never
properly
thanked
you
for
rescuing
me
from
the
cottage,
and
for
simply
rescuing
me,
period."
"You're
welcome."
They
both
rested
their
arms
on
the
low
wall
of
the
Concourse
as
they
took
in
the
bustle
of
the
busy
street
filled
with
tourists.
There
were
tables
of
people
sitting
below
having
their
lunch
al
fresco.
"Did
you
know
that
I
can
tell
you
which
country
each
of
those
flags
stands
for?"
"Really?"
He
looked
at
all
the
flags
that
wrapped
around
the
whole
Center.
"How
do
you
know
that?'
"I
would
come
here
a
couple
of
times
a
year
to
visit
my
father
during
winter
and
spring
breaks,
and
he
would
take
me
here
and
teach
me
a
few
flags.
Then
the
next
time
he
would
test
me,
and
if
I
got
them
right,
he
would
tell
me
a
few
more."
She
leaned
her
head
back
into
his
chest,
and
he
put
his
arms
around
her.
She
felt
cocooned
and
safe—for
the
first
time
in
a
very
long
time.