Part 25 (1/2)

”You could be his friend,” Dan said. The light-headedness was back, and I slumped in my chair, tried to control my breathing, the panicked thumping of my heart.

”You could try to understand, you could try to help him. You could stick with him, the way he stuck with you. You don't have to toss him out on his a.s.s.”

Lil had the good grace to look slightly shamed. ”I'll get him a room,”

she said. ”For a month. In Kissimmee. A motel. I'll pick up his network access. Is that fair?”

”It's more than fair,” Rita said. Why did she hate me so much? I'd been there for her daughter while she was away -- ah. That might do it, all right. ”I don't think it's warranted. If you want to take care of him, sir, you can. It's none of my family's business.”

Lil's eyes blazed. ”Let me handle this,” she said. ”All right?”

Rita stood up abruptly. ”You do whatever you want,” she said, and stormed out of the room.

”Why are you coming here for help?” Tom said, ever the voice of reason.

”You seem capable enough.”

”I'm going to be taking a lethal injection at the end of the week,” Dan said. ”Three days. That's personal, but you asked.”

Tom shook his head. _Some friends you've got yourself_, I could see him thinking it.

”That soon?” Lil asked, a throb in her voice.

Dan nodded.

In a dreamlike buzz, I stood and wandered out into the utilidor, out through the western castmember parking, and away.

I wandered along the cobbled, disused Walk Around the World, each flagstone engraved with the name of a family that had visited the Park a century before. The names whipped past me like epitaphs.

The sun came up noon high as I rounded the bend of deserted beach between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian. Lil and I had come here often, to watch the sunset from a hammock, arms around each other, the Park spread out before us like a lighted toy village.

Now the beach was deserted, the Wedding Pavilion silent. I felt suddenly cold though I was sweating freely. So cold.

Dreamlike, I walked into the lake, water filling my shoes, logging my pants, warm as blood, warm on my chest, on my chin, on my mouth, on my eyes.

I opened my mouth and inhaled deeply, water filling my lungs, choking and warm. At first I sputtered, but I was in control now, and I inhaled again. The water s.h.i.+mmered over my eyes, and then was dark.

I woke on Doctor Pete's cot in the Magic Kingdom, restraints around my wrists and ankles, a tube in my nose. I closed my eyes, for a moment believing that I'd been restored from a backup, problems solved, memories behind me.

Sorrow knifed through me as I realized that Dan was probably dead by now, my memories of him gone forever.

Gradually, I realized that I was thinking nonsensically. The fact that I remembered Dan meant that I hadn't been refreshed from my backup, that my broken brain was still there, churning along in unmediated isolation.

I coughed again. My ribs ached and throbbed in counterpoint to my head.

Dan took my hand.

”You're a pain in the a.s.s, you know that?” he said, smiling.

”Sorry,” I choked.