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"That’s your favorite thing aboutI can work on"

" Work on?"

"Things you like about me, I want to do the orht and fluffy yet full of taste But I don’t kno to be smart and simple at the same time better than I am now In fact, I’ you should think about It’s nothing you can work on It’s just who you are Anyhen I marry you, it won’t be forhow fast , the last thing that I needed was sugar, but I took the pastry

We ate in silence for a e - when do you think we should order the cake?"

"Soon I can’t wait ht, I said, "Too rinned "You see what’s happening here?"

"I guess I’ withis - I want a second churro, and I’ to have it now instead of next Thursday"

"You’re a oman, Stormy Llewellyn"

"You don’t know the half of it"

This had been a bad day, ith Harlo Landerson and Fungus Man and the black room and the bodachs everywhere and Elvis in tears Yet as I sat with Storht with the world

The , and I wasn’t sur­prised to hear Chief Porter’s voice

"Son, the sacristy at St Bart’s gives newto the word trashed Someone went purely berserk in there"

"Robertson"

"I’ht You always are It was probably hione by the tiain?"

"We’re sort of hiding out here but… no, not a sign of hi lot, the continuous traffic co in and out of Mexicali Rose’s drive-up service lane, and the street beyond, looking for Bob Robertsons dusty Ford Explorer

The chief said, "We’ve had a watch on his house for a few hours, but noe’re actively looking for hinetis toat random for half an hour

"Is that wise, son? Iin the car?"

"I’ll take her home first"

Stormy quashed that idea: "Like hell you will, Mulder"

"I heard that," said Chief Porter

"He heard that," I told Stormy

"What do I care?" she said

Chief Porter seemed tickled: "She calls you Mulder, like on The X-Files?"

"Not often, sir Only when she thinks I’ paternalistic"

"Do you ever call her Scully?"

"Only when I’m in the mood to be bruised"

"You ruined that show for me," the chief said

"How’d I do that, sir?"

"You made all that weird stuff too real I didn’t find the supernatu­ral to be entertaining anymore"

"Me neither," I assured hi, Stors and containers, and had stuffed the When we left Mexicali Rose, she dropped the the exit lane

As I turned left into the street, she said, "Let’s stop by et un You’re not licensed to carry"

"I’m not licensed to breathe, either, but I do it anyway"

"No gun," I insisted "We’ll just cruise and see what happens"

"Why’re you afraid of guns?"

"They go bang"

"And why is that a question you always avoid answering?"

"I don’t always avoid answering it"

"Why’re you afraid of guns?" she persisted

"I was probably shot to death in a past life"

"You don’t believe in reincarnation"

"I don’t believe in taxes, either, but I pay theuns?"

"Maybe because I’ve had a prophetic dream in which I was shot"

"Have you had a prophetic dream in which you were shot?"

"No"

She can be relentless "Why’re you afraid of guns?"

I can be stupid As soon as I spoke, I regretted my words: "Why’re you afraid of sex?"

Froer’s seat, she gavelook

For a moment I tried to pretend that I didn’t realize the impact that

my words had on her I tried to focus on the street ahead as if I were nothing if not always a responsible driver

I have no talent for pretense Sooner than later, I looked at her, felt terrible, and said, "I’m so sorry"

"I’m not afraid of sex," she said

"I know I’m sorry I’m an idiot"

"I just want to be sure - "

I tried to hush her

She persisted: "I just want to be sure the reason why you’re in love with s"

"It does," I assured her, feeling ss You know that"