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And it’s about ti like I am

“Harrison,” Rocky whispers

I shake ers

“Does it feel good?” I ask, loweringto anyone but her I lift our joined hands up between us for e at the her best not to trip on her own feet, she nods

I shrug “Then I’o”

Tiny fingers clenching in mine, Rocky smiles a little to herself and looks down at her feet to make sure she doesn’t trip over theh er than I expect It’s like I’ve been dying of thirst, stu my hand in hers is the first drink of clean, fresh water

It’s right It’s gratifying It’s the sustenance I’ve beensince the moment I set foot in California

I don’t pay attention to anything other than the arround beneath my feet as we come to the end of the back hall and stop at the studio door

I’ the hold I have on Rocky’s hand now, but I won’t even give her the pleasure of a place to put her anger If my eyes don’t meet hers, I keep my oer—my own happiness—to myself

I hear a deep sigh as I look to the side of Rocky’s glowing face and seous Dolled up, dressed down, soaked to the bone froust New York day…

She’s the wooddamn boxes

A burst of flashing lights and yells overwhelms the silence and closes it out as Heidi shoves open the door and clears a path for us to the waiting black SUV The door swings open courtesy of Rocky’s driver, and Freddie Bones brings up the rear behind us to keep the jostling crowd fro in on us

All sorts of questions come fro Rocky into the car I take her hand and weight in ht pressure at her hip As she scoots across the seat, I follow, and the door closes with a dra as soon as I clear the threshold

The crowd still rages outside, like a tornado above a storm shelter, but I don’t let it confuse my objective