Page 236 of Smooth Sailing

Di put on her headphones and tinkered with the machine.

Hugger followed suit.

And at the Denver Art Museum, with Diana, Hugger walked through the first art exhibit he’d ever seen.

It was the absolute shit.

The Problem We All Live With was powerful.

But as he discussed it with Di on their way to the Highlands after they left DAM, he shared his favorites were Saying Grace, Before the Shot and The Lineman.

25

TAKE IT FROM HERE

Big Petey

Several years ago…

The place was quiet as a tomb, and Big Petey didn’t like to make that comparison, but there it was.

It was dark, late-ish, but there were still lots of staff and visitors, people taking time, eking out the last dregs, trying to make a miracle by making what was proved finite, last longer.

He found her room, he also found her alone.

He wasn’t expecting this, he thought for sure Harlan would be there.

When Jackie noticed him loitering at the door, she raised her hand to him, and since it looked like it took a lot out of her to do it, he rushed forward and held it.

“Pete,” she whispered.

“Hey, pretty girl,” he whispered back.

“Thank you…for coming,” she pushed out with some effort.

“Anytime you need me, Jackie. You know that.”

She gave him a ghost of a smile.

He glanced around the room then down to her. “Where’s your boy?”

“Asked him to go out and get me some DQ.”

It was Pete’s turn to give her a ghost of a smile. “Bet he got right on that.”

“Didn’t want to.” Her weak voice came at him. “Didn’t want to leave me. But you’re right, he went right out to get it.” She gave him a feeble squeeze of fingers. “We don’t have a lot of time. I wanna do this before he gets back.”

“Okay, sweetheart. What you need?”

“Look after him?”

Pete hid his affront. “A’ course.”

“No, Pete. Look after him.”

Big Petey continued to hide his affront. “Jackie, you don’t gotta ask that. Me and all the boys got you covered.”

“I mean Chaos.”

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