Page 156 of I Can't Even Think Straight

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as they take the flowers off my hands.

“Anything else I can do for you, sir?”

“That’ll be all, Matron,” I say,

in a posh-person impression,

playing along with their game.

“Righto, cheerio, off you go,”

I add before the penny drops,

and I realize I sound like Obi.

Vass and I both look at him.

Obi looks down at Vass’s pillow and blanket.

“Righto, I think I’d better go.”

My cheeks burn with embarrassment.

It’s my turn to be the apologetic one.

“Obi, I’m so, so sorry,” I say.

“We weren’t making fun of you.”

I reach out my left hand for Obi,

but he’s farther than arm’s length.

If Obi reached out

or stepped toward me,

we could touch.

But he doesn’t reach

or step my way.

Obi looks at my hand

but doesn’t look me in the eye.

I look up at the evil eye hanging

above Vass’s bedroom door.

I look down at the evil eye bracelet

around my left wrist.

I rest my hand back on the bed.

“Honestly, it’s fine if you were,”

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