Page 186 of Should the Sky Fall

“Is this about Cal?” Ash asks, never one to beat around the bush.

A self-deprecating laugh forces its way out. “Am I that obvious?”

“No,” Ash says, regarding him with sympathy. “I just have a hunch for these things.”

Dawson huffs, suddenly grateful Ash is here. He’s not his therapist right now, but unlike Gabe, he knows things about Dawson no one else does. Although it makes him feel vulnerable, it also gives him a sense of security.

“What happened?” Gabe asks. “Why were you asking if Cal’s here?”

“Because I didn’t want to bump into him.” He ignores the little voice inside his head saying that’s not really true. “He…he had a heart attack. Spent two days in the hospital.”

“Shit,” they say at once. Gabe follows it with, “Is he okay?”

“Yeah. He went home three days ago.”

“Okay…”

Right. Context.

“His memories came back.”

Gabe gapes at him. Even Ash seems taken aback, which happens…never.

“How’s that possible?” Gabe asks. “It’s been like…two months, no?”

“I don’t know. But he remembers now.”

He doesn’t know anything anymore. The doctors had stressed that the brain is unpredictable, and the statistics don’t tell you everything, but he’d disregarded it. He’d pushed it to the back of his mind and, with each day that passed without Cal regaining his memories, he’d sunk further into blissful ignorance.

“What else? There’s something else,” Gabe says, cocking his head as he studies Dawson, making him fidget under the scrutiny.

Whatever. He might as well tell them. He’d end up confessing everything to Ash anyway. He has a feeling he’ll need him more than ever from now on.

“He said…stuff. Nonsense stuff.” A fresh wave of anger fills his gut. “Made up this story that he’s not the real Cal, that he’s…” He gives an incredulous laugh. “A reaper, or something, and that he took over Cal’s body when he was in the hospital after his accident. And some other stuff. I packed a bag, took Donut, and got out of there. No reason to stay and let him manipulate the fuck out of me because he can’t handle the truth.” He looks at Ash. “You were right. People don’t change.”

Instead of patting him on the shoulder and giving him a gentle but truthfulI told you so, Ash stares at him with an unreadable expression which slowly transforms into a thoughtful one. He opens his mouth but gets interrupted.

“Oh. Oh!” Gabe taps the table, eyes like saucers as he stares into distance. “Sothat’swhat that was.”

“What was what?” Ash asks before Dawson can.

Gabe almost tells him, then seems to remember Dawson is there too. He holds up a finger and gives him a pinched smile. “Can you give us a sec?” Without waiting for a response, he slaps Ash’s arm and mouths something. They hurry off behind the counter, far enough that Dawson can’t hear. He tries to read their lips, but can’t see much. Gabe’s hands fly through the air as he explains something ofutmost importanceto Ash, who seems more stricken by the second. Ash looks over at Dawson, perplexed, and his lips shape around words that Dawson can read even from a distance: “Holy shit.”

After another minute of the heated discussion, they return to the table, that baffled expression still on Ash’s face.

Gabe interlaces his fingers, his cheeks puffing up before he expels a sharp breath. “Dawson, this will sound crazy, but hear me out, yeah?”

Dawson scoffs. “Crazier than a reaper taking over a dead guy’s body?”

The following silence isn’t very reassuring, and neither is the look Gabe exchanges with Ash.

“Have you considered the possibility that Cal was telling the truth?”

Is that a trick question? “Um, no?”

“I think you should.”

Dawson laughs, of course he does. Because Gabe is joking, right?Right?