And I know…
I know…
Together we will figure everything out.
Because that’s what we do.
That’s what you do when you love another person.
Two hours later, I’m home. Donny was willing to stay, but I insisted that he go home as well. In the end, he agreed. He should be home in the morning so he can see his mother and father.
It’s late. After midnight. But I knock softly on Rory’s door.
“Yeah?” she says through the door.
“It’s me. I’m home.”
“Come on in.”
My sister is in bed, and the light is off, but I knew she wouldn’t be asleep. I walk in, closing the door behind me, and sit down on her bed.
“Hey,” I say. “I convinced Donny that he needed to be home in the morning since his parents are home. They’re going to want to spend some time with him.”
She nods.
“We’re going to figure this out, Ror. First thing is to figure out when Pat Lamone came back in town. I’ll go over to the inn tomorrow and ask when he started working there.”
“What if he’s there?”
“Then I’ll tell him to have the owner call me.”
“Why don’t you just call him?”
“Good idea. I will. First thing tomorrow when I get into the office.”
Rory nods again. “I wish there were more I could do.”
“You can.”
“Oh, yeah? What? I have students tomorrow. I’m a musician, Callie. I don’t have any expertise in any of this crap.”
“Go see Doc Sheraton.”
“What for? I don’t have a pet. I’m supposed to just walk in and say, ‘Hey, where’s Brittany?’”
“Actually…”
“What?”
“Let’s get a dog. We live on a ranch. We should have a freaking dog. Let’s go to the shelter tomorrow in Grand Junction and pick out a dog for each of us.”
“What’s Mom going to say?”
“Who cares? If she doesn’t like it, we move out.”
“And go where, Callie? We don’t have any money.”
“I’m kidding, Rory. Geez. Mom loves dogs. I’m surprised we’ve gone so long without one. I guess she never got over Hedwig. Hedwig was a great mutt, but he died over two years ago.”