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"Who was it?" The panic in her voice frightened e of the plastic table as if to steady herself

"I-I don’t really know hiht a little"

"Stay away froiant eyes

The phone rang inside the apartain

"Get the phone," she said "I need to think"

I ju

"Hello?"

"Hey," said a weak and scratchy voice

"Jay? You sound terrible!" I sat down at the kitchen table and glanced out at Patti She was sitting with her eyes closed, still holding the table’s edge, her posture rigid

"I feel terrible," he said "How much do you hate me?"

"Don’t be crazy, Jay I was just worried about you Are you sick?"

"I feel like I got hit by a Mack truck I don’t re, but what I do remember makes me feel like a jackass"

"We were lucky Jana helped," I said

"Hmph I paid for that one She hadher breakfast before she had to go to work And I’s and bacon and everything! I couldn’t even stand up straight"

I held in a laugh as I iot ing a bottle of gin Ugh I can’t even think about it or I’ll get sick Then everyone was co you a drug, and I just lost it I only reh the place trying to find him Pretty sure I knocked a few people over Aw, ot so wasted"

"Is that all you remember?"

"Yeah Why? What else did I do?" I looked over and saw Patti standing now, looking out at the trees with her arms across her chest I keptyou, Scott, and a "

"Oh, no Are you serious? Is everyone okay? Did thebreak?"

"Yes, it broke, but everyone’s okay Scott had some cuts and his nose was possibly broken, but I think youhurts Aw, et thatfixed before his folks get back But was it even true about the drugs? You definitely weren’t acting right when I saw you"