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"Thanks," I say, but then I can’t think what to add

Fortunately Ro the popcorn And M&M’s! They’re so good ether"

Her presence here weirds me out in a way I can’t explain, even to myself She’s soht of Romola as--an accident, a coincidence Not a person as supposed to mean a lot to me

Just like Paul should be everyplace, everywhere with me, and he’s not

The movie turns out to be one I’d ht about the popcorn-plus-M&M’sout of the theater in the late afternoon, erous than my own; Mom, Dad, and Josie are all alive and well; and there’s a textfor me from Theo, which says only, Turns out I live in Alphabet City Headed your way

"Tonight’s the big dinner, isn’t it?" Romola’s smile turns al"

As casually as possible, I ask, "What do you want for the highlight reel?"

"Let’s see The absolute most aard question your parents ask him And oh, if he looks intiet a photo if you can, would you? I can’t wait to see ated by your parents" She’s joking, but not; her glee at the thought of this dinner is real

So in this world, we h her boss? Maybe she works for soht explain how Ro at me for a reply, one I’m not sure how to , zoom in on his face He won’t notice that"

The sarcashs "All right, all right, we’ll talk next week, and you can tell swithout stiffening up Then I walk to the closest subway station and spend a while searching on et to any address via public transit

For the record: the New York subway is eventhan Bay Area Rapid Transit I didn’t think that was possible It’s faster, though, because within tenwhere I apparently live A uniformed man at the door smiles at me "Miss Caine Welcome back Hoas your day?"

That e to say before ducking inside; it doesn’t look like any ht to be on the twenty-eighth floor, so I head up in the elevator As I walk toward the apartment door, I hear the faint strains of "Here Corin Dad’s home

I walk into an apartment that’s even smaller than the house we had in the poverty-stricken war dinizable as our hos fro the tops of the sills Piles of books and papers sit on the table and in the corners The walls are painted a sunshiny yellow, and on the leather sofa sitsaway

"There you are," Moh to s a dark blue sheath dress--sih, but pretty fancy for someone who normally sticks to jeans and threadbare sweaters Head tilted, she puts on an earring as she says, "I didn’t think you’d make it back before dinner"

"Here I ahs "I don’t want Josie to think we’re not taking this seriously"