“Hello, Josh,” she musters. Then after a few exchanges with Kenny, she
tells me through him that she’s glad to see me.

“You’re surprised?,” I ask suspiciously, knowing very well the answer.

“It was just that when you left LA..”

“It’s okay,” I cut her off. Some things are better left unsaid. “So is
Kiefer somewhere around here, still fighting for his flag-burning cause?”

I really didn’t mean it the way it sounded, but judging by the way Kenny is
relaying it to Joey..

“What’s it to you?”

“I’m just wondering; can’t a guy wonder?” Exactly.

“You don’t wonder, Josh.” So I’m not one for subtlety.

“He’s not here,” she adds. One would expect me jumping out of my shoes and
doing one of those goofy dances. I am, however, surprisingly calm. “Though
I can’t say the same for your date,” she points in the direction behind me.
“She’s very pretty.”

Date? What date? I turn around, only seeing Donna. Oh, yeah.

Wait, what’s wrong with her? She seems lost in thought. We make eye
contact for a sec, but she quickly looks away. Then it’s almost like she’s
busy calculating something.

Like an escape plan.

Is she going to leave me? It’s a party, sure, but I need her here. That’s
why I asked her in the first place.

The thought worries me severely. Maybe I should have brought her with me to
meet Joey. I look at her again, and I see her talking to a tall blond man.

“Josh?” Kenny’s voice snaps me back to their direction.

“Yeah?”

Both of them are sharing this knowing look on their faces. What is there to
know about? “I was complimenting your date.”

“Oh. Thank you. She’s just my assistant.”

Just my assistant. Donna would probably kick my but if she heard me. Hell,
I would kick my own butt, because I heard myself say that.

“Just your assistant?” Joey raises an eyebrow at me. She doesn’t believe
me. Why not?

“Well, a friend, too.” She still doesn’t believe me.

“That’s nice.” She’s waiting for me to say more.

I don’t think so.

“Did you get my flowers at the hospital?” She’s changed the subject. Thank
God.

“Yes, they were very nice. Thank you.” I flash her a grateful smile,
because I am grateful. I do not, however, wish to discuss flowers. I
subtly turn to where Donna is, and she’s smiling as she talks animatedly to
the man who had approached her earlier. Good for her.

What is that stupid tugging at my chest? Maybe just a residual pain from
the scars..

“You know, Josh, near-death experiences could make a man re-evaluate his
life.” That was random. I look back at Joey, that knowing look still
pasted on her face.

“Been there, done that, Joey,” I answer wryly. I hope that news about the
“window” situation has not spread this fast.

“Have you?” Her gaze shifts to Donna, and suddenly, I knew what she meant.
Sly girl, she hasn’t changed the subject one bit after all.

“She’s just my..”

“Assistant, I know. You’ve said that already,” Kenny interrupts. Now it’s
my turn to raise an eyebrow.

He shrugs. “She would have said it.”

I turn to Joey again, and she nods. “I don’t think you’ve completely looked
at what you’ve wanted from life. If anything, the shooting should have
taught you that you live life to its fullest.”

Has she been talking to Stanley?

“Stop dwelling in the pain, and live for yourself and for the ones who love
you dearly.”

Joey Lucas, psychologist. You knew? She kisses me gingerly on the cheek,
and Kenny and she walk to the dance floor.

I look at her. Then back at Donna.

Now what am I going to do?