public street beneath the broad light of day.”
I sighed. “Never mind that. Just where is it you think you’re going? You shouldn’t be walking around yet. You have no decent clothes on and, in case you haven’t noticed, you’re about to find yourself in the middle of a downpour.”
Thunder rumbled overhead, emphasizing my point.
Duke merely smiled as if in a cheerful mood this morning. “Oh, don’t worry about me. I always liked a walk in the rain. Besides, I thought I’d wander on down and have a look at that marvelous underground train we were speaking of.”
Now it was my turn to be perplexed. “What? You can’t just up and leave the hospital like this without a word to anyone.”
“I never intended to. I’ve left a detailed note explaining my circumstances and promising repayment for their services immediately on my procurement of the sum. All is now happily settled.”
I raised my eyebrows. “It might be happily settled for you, but I doubt it’s settled as far as the hospital’s concerned.”
“Nonsense. You worry too much. I’m sure the rest of us are content all the way around. Now come. You’re just in time to show me around this amazing city of yours. I confess I don’t know one street from the next.”
He was walking again and I had no choice but to begin walking backward myself or be collided into. “Are you serious?” I demanded. “You’re just going to stroll right out of the hospital and onto the street with no money, no friends to go to, and no destination in mind?”
“There goes your natural pessimism again. I have a destination. I’ve told you I’m going to the subway.” He was beginning to look peeved.
“Oh, and are you going to be living in the subway too?”
He looked surprised. “Do people do that?”
“Actually, yes,” I admitted. “But that’s not the point. You need to stand still and listen to me.”
He stood still. That was a start.
I tried to sound reasonable. “Look, I understand you’re tired of sitting in a tiny bed in a white room all day. But you can’t take off like this without making a plan first. You have to realize that you have no money in your pockets and nowhere to go. Do you have any friends nearby you could go to?”
“I have you,” he said winningly.
I refused to be mollified. “I mean someone who can put you up. Someone who can take care of you until you’re feeling…more like yourself.” I didn’t want to say saner but I was certainly beginning to question his mental condition at this point. Who did things like this?
He broke into my thoughts. “I’ve told you before I haven’t a soul that I know of. But don’t let that concern you. As you can see, it doesn’t concern me. You know your trouble—”
“I know, I know. Again with the negativity.” I suddenly realized tiny cold drops were spattering down all around us and had been doing so for some minutes. “Oh, great,” I muttered. “It’s started.”
He followed my gaze heavenward. “Ah, there’s nothing like an invigorating walk in a spring rain.”
He sounded so content I could’ve punched him.
“Right,” I snapped. “Except this isn’t spring, it’s autumn.”
Really, where had he been that he didn’t even know the season?
“Now we’re going to be wet and freezing,” I added testily.
Nearby on the street, a car whizzed past, splashing up a newly formed puddle that sprayed a muddy line across my white capris. I squeaked and jumped at the cold spray. “And my borrowed clothes are ruined!” I shouted at no one in particular.
“Good. Now you won’t spend the afternoon worrying about them,” he said matter-of-factly. “Come now. Let us get moving and warm ourselves. On our way to the subway you can show me the sights of this fantastic city. I’ve never seen buildings so immense…”
Having stepped around me, he was already moving away so that the last of his words were lost to me.
I gritted my teeth and stared longingly at the
I sighed. “Never mind that. Just where is it you think you’re going? You shouldn’t be walking around yet. You have no decent clothes on and, in case you haven’t noticed, you’re about to find yourself in the middle of a downpour.”
Thunder rumbled overhead, emphasizing my point.
Duke merely smiled as if in a cheerful mood this morning. “Oh, don’t worry about me. I always liked a walk in the rain. Besides, I thought I’d wander on down and have a look at that marvelous underground train we were speaking of.”
Now it was my turn to be perplexed. “What? You can’t just up and leave the hospital like this without a word to anyone.”
“I never intended to. I’ve left a detailed note explaining my circumstances and promising repayment for their services immediately on my procurement of the sum. All is now happily settled.”
I raised my eyebrows. “It might be happily settled for you, but I doubt it’s settled as far as the hospital’s concerned.”
“Nonsense. You worry too much. I’m sure the rest of us are content all the way around. Now come. You’re just in time to show me around this amazing city of yours. I confess I don’t know one street from the next.”
He was walking again and I had no choice but to begin walking backward myself or be collided into. “Are you serious?” I demanded. “You’re just going to stroll right out of the hospital and onto the street with no money, no friends to go to, and no destination in mind?”
“There goes your natural pessimism again. I have a destination. I’ve told you I’m going to the subway.” He was beginning to look peeved.
“Oh, and are you going to be living in the subway too?”
He looked surprised. “Do people do that?”
“Actually, yes,” I admitted. “But that’s not the point. You need to stand still and listen to me.”
He stood still. That was a start.
I tried to sound reasonable. “Look, I understand you’re tired of sitting in a tiny bed in a white room all day. But you can’t take off like this without making a plan first. You have to realize that you have no money in your pockets and nowhere to go. Do you have any friends nearby you could go to?”
“I have you,” he said winningly.
I refused to be mollified. “I mean someone who can put you up. Someone who can take care of you until you’re feeling…more like yourself.” I didn’t want to say saner but I was certainly beginning to question his mental condition at this point. Who did things like this?
He broke into my thoughts. “I’ve told you before I haven’t a soul that I know of. But don’t let that concern you. As you can see, it doesn’t concern me. You know your trouble—”
“I know, I know. Again with the negativity.” I suddenly realized tiny cold drops were spattering down all around us and had been doing so for some minutes. “Oh, great,” I muttered. “It’s started.”
He followed my gaze heavenward. “Ah, there’s nothing like an invigorating walk in a spring rain.”
He sounded so content I could’ve punched him.
“Right,” I snapped. “Except this isn’t spring, it’s autumn.”
Really, where had he been that he didn’t even know the season?
“Now we’re going to be wet and freezing,” I added testily.
Nearby on the street, a car whizzed past, splashing up a newly formed puddle that sprayed a muddy line across my white capris. I squeaked and jumped at the cold spray. “And my borrowed clothes are ruined!” I shouted at no one in particular.
“Good. Now you won’t spend the afternoon worrying about them,” he said matter-of-factly. “Come now. Let us get moving and warm ourselves. On our way to the subway you can show me the sights of this fantastic city. I’ve never seen buildings so immense…”
Having stepped around me, he was already moving away so that the last of his words were lost to me.
I gritted my teeth and stared longingly at the
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