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"Then I rescind the invitation. I want to be alone anyway."

"Listen to you… all Greta Garbo."

"What?"

"Never mind. How did it go with Mac? Did he come home?"

"Yeah. He's gone now. We had our words, and he left."

"Wow. So quick? I'm impressed."

"I assure you it was not easy."

"That's because you're his meal ticket."

"Yeah, he brought that up..."

"You've got to be kidding."

"…in so many words."

"Well, it's the truth. How could he deny it?"

"He's doing drugs again."

"No," Demarco said. He gave good face on the screen, clutching imaginary pearls.

"I know. Big surprise. I offered to wash his jeans and a vial fell out of the pocket."

"Lordy… it's like that old after-school special. Did Helen Hunt show up on angel dust and jump out your window?"

This made Alec laugh. He was trying not to, but Demarco was very good at bringing levity to

any situation.

"If Helen Hunt had shown up… I'd have been under a table, looking for twisters."

"You're getting better."

"I'll never be you."

"So, you're leaving me… for Montana."

"Here. I'll send you the link to where I'll be." Alec began rat-a-tat-tatting on the keyboard. "I'm leaving tomorrow, right after my doctor's appointment."

"Girl! So soon?"

"Why wait?"

"Because Demarco needs to get used to the idea. I can't just—" He was distracted by activity on his screen. "Wait, what are you sending me?…Beulah Mountain? Melody Montana?Might as well be Walnut Grove, half-pint."

"D, I can't wait. Next week is Thanksgiving. The airports will be awful."

"True. But what about Mac? You're not going to leave him there, are you?"

"I told you. He's gone."

"Permanently?"