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The clinic’s door opens, and I look up fro to see my mo booked until after lunch, so he left a few o to run errands around town Fine by me I’ve still barely spoken tords to hi? Any new mistresses this week? Or perhaps, What’s there to do in the Baha our family?

I shove all of that into the back of -with-the-public face But the s toward the desk

The Lord of Darkness hiht: What the hell is he doing in here?

He never comes in the clinic Ever, ever, ever It’s probably been a year since he’s stepped foot inside this waiting rooht: OH SWEET LORD, HE SAW ME SPYING ON HIM IN HIS BEDROOM

If there’s a God above, please let hirant me the power of time travel, so that I can rewind the clock and coht Lennon will disappear when I reopen my eyes, but no He and his too-tall body--don’t you dare think about his bare chest--are still taking up too much room on the other side of the clinic’s desk

"Hello," he says It al , like he did to me the other day, but quickly decide I’," I say formally No smile He’s not worth the effort

His eyes drop He balls his hand into a fist and slowly, gently taps it on top of the desk a couple of tiritted teethas though he doesn’t knohat to say Or he does, but he really doesn’t want to say it

"So," he finally says

"So," I agree Is he avoiding ht throw dynamite over the desk and race out the door Now I understand why people say you can cut tension with a knife

Is he not going to say anything else?

Is he here to confronton you," I blurt out defensively "I was justadjustments to my telescope It was repaired Recently Recently repaired I was checking it"

Oh, now he’s looking atover his face Or shock Or he thinks I’ anything?

"I didn’t even see , really," I aatto be sorry about, because I didn’t do anything"

"Right"

"It was an accident"

"Got it"

My eyes flick to his ar at ain

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

"So anyway," he says, setting down a pile of envelopes on the desk, as if nothing is aot delivered to our shop this roan offrom the back of my throat If I’d just kept my mouth shut

"Uh, thanks" I shift the letters toward er and try to recover what little of uys didn’t open theernail polish glints under the light "She really didn’t mean to open it I was there when it happened"