Page 118 of Rest In Pink

“Yes, please,” I said and followed her across that ridiculous living room.

* * *

In the kitchen, Marianne and Peri were discussing sprinkles.

“Liz, tell her that sprinkles are the best,” Peri said. She had that look on her face that said that everything was perfectlyfine,and my heart broke for her.

“Sprinkles are not good,” I told her. “Nuts are good.”

Peri heaved a hefty sigh.

“I would like a tin roof sundae,” I told Marianne. “Although I can make it myself.”

“You?” Marianne said. “You can’t even make toast.”

She turned back to the freezer as Peri said, “What’s a tin roof sundae?”

“Vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and red-skinned peanuts,” I said. “It’s a classic.”

Peri sighed again. Loudly. “I will have a tin roof sundae, please. With sprinkles not peanuts.”

She shot me a glance, daring me to disagree, and I sighed a hefty sigh.

She giggled.

“Okay then,” I said and we distracted her with ice cream and the promise of bears and plans for decorating her room now that it was going to be her room for longer than a month.

And I wondered what Vince was doing, if he was chasing Mickey Pitts, if he was going to be all right.

Because if I was staying in this lousy town, he sure as hell wasn’t going to die on me.

* * *

Two hours later, I was in a bubble bath, trying to sort out my future, when there was a knock on the bathroom door and Vince came in, looking more tired than I’d ever seen him.

“You’re filthy,” I said as cheerfully as I could. “Get in here.”

He stripped down, not with his usual enthusiasm. “Let me get clean first.”

“Get clean in here.”

“Just a sec.” He hopped in the shower and did a quick rinse.

Then he walked over and stepped into the tub and I moved forward so he could get behind me. He moaned a little when he slid into the hot water.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“No, but it will be.”

His arms were around me, his hands on my breasts, and he was solid against my back, but the important part was that he was alive and safe with me, at least for now.

So, we just sat there, holding on to each other, topping up the hot water as it cooled, silent and sure that for right now, everybody was okay.

Tomorrow was going to be hell, but tonight, we were justfine.

THURSDAY

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