Page 80 of Wham Line

“Thank God I’m in Portland.I’ll be back in about ten years.”

Indira laughed quietly.When it faded, she said, “Thank you for what you did, Dash.”

“You don’t have to thank me.”

“Of course I do.You saved my life.”

“Well, technicallyyousavedmylife.”In a rush, I added, “And I love you, so obviously I’m going to help you.”

“I love you too,” she said.“My life is much better—and much more interesting—with you in it.I hope you know that.”

There wasn’t much I could say to that.

“How’s Bobby?”she asked.“I didn’t want to bother him.”

“Better, I think.Day by day.You know how it is.”

“I do.”

“How are you?”I asked.

“Better, I think.”

“You don’t have to be better.You don’t have to have some sort of miracle cure.What you went through was awful, and it doesn’t matter how many years it’s been, or what’s happened since then.”

“I know.I do, Dash, believe me.And I appreciate you saying that.But I meant what I told Larry.I’m not alone anymore.I’ll be all right.”

A part of me wanted to rush in and offer more reassurances—that she didn’thaveto be all right, that she could feel whatever she needed to feel for as long as she needed to feel it.

But she knew all that.And, by some miracle, I kept my trap shut.

“In happier news,” Indira said, “I’ve been talking to Talmage.”

“You have?”

Indira laughed.“Believe it or not, we have a lot to talk about.”

“That’s putting it lightly.”

She laughed again, but her voice grew brisk again as she said, “Mal had managed things so that she doesn’t really have any ownership in Mizzenmast.”

“Since Jethro’s inheriting everything, what’s she going to do?Take him to court?”

“I don’t think so.In fact, Jethro seemed amenable to a new arrangement.He’s a sweet young man, and I think he really does want to do the right thing.”Her voice grew dry.“Although my brother is going to have a fit when he finds out Nalini has a boyfriend.”

“A very rich boyfriend.”

“There is that.”

“So, what’s the new arrangement?”

“Oh, well, I still have the money from my settlement with Mal.I asked Talmage if she wanted a silent partner.She really is talented, you know, and I think Mizzenmast could do quite well under the right management.”

“Wow,” I said.“Indira, that’s really kind of you.”

“It’s a bit selfish, actually.We’d be partners.”A note I couldn’t quite identify ran under the next words.“I’d even do some work in the kitchen.”

The sting in my eyes caught me off guard, and it took me a moment to swallow, take a deep breath, and try to find a normal voice.“That’s great,” I finally managed.“You’re going to be great.”