Page 99 of Switch!

“Yes.”

His relief is transparent. “Death is part of the job. I’m learning to accept that. For now, I’m glad he’s not dead.”

“I’m sorry to have put you through everything.”

“No! It was good practice.” Jesse makes a face. Then he snorts. “That sounds terrible. You know what?Hesounded terrible! The things you wrote about Caleb, the way he bullied you…”

“He was a horrible person,” I confirm.

“And yet Trixie tells me that you want to save him. Somehow.”

“Yup. He might be a bad guy, but I like to think that I’m not. Does that make sense?”

Jesse smiles. “Totally. A paramedic doesn’t judge someone before deciding whether or not to help them.”

“Exactly. Although you do sometimes judge them mentally afterwards. The guy who thought he was overdosing on edibles…”

Jesse laughs. “Some people shouldn’t have kids.”

“So judgmental,” I tease. “Or what about the lady who—”

We spend the rest of the drive reminiscing, which is odd because we have the same memories of those events. It’s fun anyway. I feel a lot less alone by the time we pull up to Patrick’s apartment complex.

“This is a decent neighborhood,” Jesse says, as if I need reassurance. “The calls we get out here are never too crazy. Umm… I can’t stay long, but I can come inside and help you get settled.”

“It’s okay,” I say. “Besides, it’s Saturday morning, and that’s when you get up early so you can bring back donuts for Colin. You’re already running late.”

“He can wait,” Jesse says, but I spent enough time with him to know how much he hates to disappoint his boyfriend, even over the little things.

“I’m fine,” I reply. “I have your number. Or not! I never memorized it.”

“I’ll give it to you,” Jesse says. “Trixie’s too. I promised her you would call. Oh! And I have one more thing.” He reaches behind my seat.

“My backpack!” I exclaim happily when he reveals it.

“I figured you’d want this. Especially since you made me trespass to get it.”

“Sorry about that,” I say sheepishly. “I could have gotten you into trouble. I don’t always think these things through.”

“That’s what makes you a teenager,” Caleb says, shaking his head ruefully. “In an adult body. The world isn’t ready for this.”

“Hey, I’m actually older than you now. Jesus, I’m pushing forty! Show some respect for your elders, sonny.”

“Your life must be very strange,” Jesse says.

“It used to be boring. I’m not sure which I prefer.” I look through the windshield at my apartment. “Speaking of which, time for me to figure out what this new life is all about.”

“Stay in touch,” Jesse says. Then he unbuckles his seatbelt so he can give me a hug. “Take care of yourself. Patrick too.”

He’s one of the rare ones. After I get out of the car, I watch him drive away. Then I turn and climb the stairs, returning home while feeling like I’m leaving for an unknown destination.

Twenty-five ↔ Chapter

The first thing I notice after closing the apartment door is the solitude. I haven’t had this much privacy since I was Caleb. I’m still not certain how aware Patrick is of my actions, but I can’t sense him. It’s almost as if I’m not sharing this body with anyone.

Walking through a home that doesn’t belong to me feels weird. I start with the kitchen to deal with my thirst. I’m hoping for a cola or anything with flavor, but the refrigerator is empty. No mustard, no margarine, no grape jelly, not even a stray ketchup packet. That must be intentional. All the freezer has is ice, so I open the cabinets until I find a glass and fill it with tap water. I sip this as I walk through the living room, which is dark, the blinds lowered and shut.

A laptop catches my eye. It might hold the answers I need about Patrick’s past. And his current situation. For instance, do I have a job? A memory surfaces of cashing the last of his unemployment checks, so I guess not. I hope he’s not completely broke. I decide to worry about that later. I walk down the hall, stopping first at a closed door on my right. I try the knob, but it’s locked.