Part 45 (2/2)
Spence laughed briefly, then cringed from the pain. ”You're going to mention me, aren't you?”
”You can bet your poker face and existential a.s.s that I will.”
”I told you, I'm not an existentialist. I'm a-”
”Yeah,” Kathleen recalled. ”A solipsist.” She laughed over the line. ”You've got enough c.r.a.p to sink a s.h.i.+p.”
”I know,” Spence said.
”Are you really going to come to my wedding?”
”No,” Spence said.
Kathleen paused. ”What do you mean no?”
”The word denotes a negation, denial, or disagreement. It's an adverb. But I'm only kidding. Of course I'll come to your wedding. Oh, and I'll also say lots of good things about you when you interview me for your book.”
”Get well soon, Spence. And keep in touch.”
”I will,” Spence said. ”Good-bye.”
(IV).
Simmons visited him regularly. He brought books and magazines and bantered about things of little consequence.
”You don't have to therapize me by making distracting small talk,” Spence told the doctor.
”Oh, I know that. Who could ever therapize you, you, Jeffrey?” Simmons walked around the clean hospital room as if making a discreet inspection. ”So when do you get to go home?” Jeffrey?” Simmons walked around the clean hospital room as if making a discreet inspection. ”So when do you get to go home?”
”A couple of weeks.”
Simmons looked at him. ”And what then?”
Spence knew what he meant. ”I don't know. I might quit.”
”Fine. Start a business. Teach. Anything. You might even consider being a psychologist.”
”Not likely,” Spence said. ”That would be even more depressing than being a cop.”
Simmons turned from the window and cast Spence a reproving scowl. ”It's really not that bad, you know. It really isn't.”
”What?” Spence.
”If you let yourself really look look, Jeffrey, you'll see some of the most wonderful things. It really can be wonderful.”
”What?” Spence repeated.
Simmons' hand opened toward the sunlit window.
”The world, Jeffrey.”
THE END.
Edward Lee (seen here with his new electronic cigarette) has had more than 40 books published in the horror and suspense field, including CITY INFERNAL, THE GOLEM, and BLACK TRAIN. His movie, HEADER was released on DVD by Synapse Films, in June, 2009. Recent releases include the stories, ”You Are My Everything” and ”The Cyesologniac,” the Lovecraftian novella ”Trolley No. 1852,” and the hardcore novel HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD. Currently, Lee is working on HEADER 3. Lee lives on Florida's St. Pete Beach. Visit him online at:
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