Page 61 of Torch Songs

April said, “It was a disappointment to me too.”

Guthrie choked back a snort, and Lulu relaxed a smidge. “What’re you gonna do,” she said philosophically. “It’s not like they ask our opinion.”

“I’m saying,” April told her. “But, you know, at least his taste in men has improved.”

Guthrie gave her a panicked look.

“What?” April asked. “They knew!”

“Your brother’s at a weak moment right now,” Guthrie muttered. “You don’t want to pin him down ’cause I did a nice thing.”

April snorted. “Men are weird. Go. Do what you gotta. I’m gonna sit on the couch and finish the blanket for your poor neighbor girl about to have the baby.”

“Ooh,” Agnes said, sinking down on the couch next to her. “Can I watch? I’ll be quiet and shit. I just never seen anybody do it up close, and it’s cool.”

“Yeah, sure,” April said, and Guthrie went into his room to repack his knapsack and throw his bright blue polo shirt away.

To his consternation, Lulu followed him.

“’Sup, darlin’?” he asked, his hands full of clothes.

“Explain to me again what you’re doing?”

Guthrie blew out a breath. “Her brother got injured up near Truckee. She needed a ride home. Her halfway house kicked her out because shedaredto visit her wounded brother without their permission, and now I’m taking her tohisplace and then taking him his pajamas.”

Even to his own ears it was complicated.

“For a guy you’re not sure loves you?”

“For his sister who needs a break,” Guthrie said and then sighed, knowing all this would be relayed straight to her brother and then to Seth. “And for her brother who… who sort of made me hope right before heliterallyfell off a cliff.”

“Oh!” Lulu said. “That was in the news!”

Guthrie laughed a little. “Yeah. That was in the news. Anyways—”

“What about work?” she asked, concerned, and he sighed.

“They fired me,” he told her simply. “April showed up, freaked out about Tad, and I left to take her to him. My boss was an asshole. I’ll be taking my laptop and sending out resumes I guess.”

“Yeah, but to where, Guthrie? Sacramento or San Rafael?”

He grimaced. “Maybe I can get a temp job in Sac—I’ll look for that until he’s better.”

“Agnes and I can take over rent here,” she said. “I know you were going to charge us half, but you’re not even going to be here, and not having to come up with first and last months or the money for the lease is huge.”

“Naw, honey, I promised your brother—”

“Guthrie, you gave us yourbedfor three months. Seriously. It’s fine. Lily and I were trying to get out of Sacramento anyway. Maybe after Agnes goes back, Lil and I can move in here and you can move in with your cop. It’ll work out. Don’t worry about it.”

Guthrie grimaced. “Honey, if you and your brilliant sister are moving in, you can probably afford better than this place.”

She snorted. “Do you think we grew up in a castle? God, Guthrie, don’t you listen toanyof Seth and Kelly’s stories about home?”

He shook his head; he knew better. “It’s too early to commit,” he said with dignity.

“Well, is it too early to hope? C’mon, you’ve been single as long as Seth’s known you.”

He sent her a helpless look, and it washerturn to grimace. “Well, yeah. Kelly told us about that. But, you know, you’ve got to be over that by now?”

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