roof of Nevils' Auto Loan, across the street from the bank, the same place I'd found him before.
" See?" I said, "I've got everything under control."
He appraised me. "It looked sketchy there for a minute."
" I don't have time to deal with you. If you have a problem with the way I manage my Borough then file a complaint with the Conference."
I spun on my heel to leave, but then he was beside me, gripping my arm, turning me to face him. "Remy, please just talk to me for a second."
I pulled away from him but stayed, crossing my arms over my chest. "Fine. What do you want to talk about?"
" I went to see the Laudable Ladybug."
My second partner, after Glint, though it had been seven years since we'd worked together. "How is she?"
" She saw the fight. She was worried."
" Right. Everybody's so worried. After years of no one caring how I got on, now everyone's concerned."
" Us not caring? You're the one who walked out on Lady. Hurt her feelings, I think."
That was true. Lady had gotten too close and nearly found out about Conley on more than one occasion.
I said, "Aren't you the one who taught me that you can't trust anyone? Even your partner? She wanted to know my identity, so I asked to be reassigned."
" You asked to go solo. That's not something that healers do."
" I'm not a normal healer."
" Maybe. Or maybe you're hiding something other than your identity."
The sounds of police investigation on the street below faded into nothing. My stomach did odd loopty-loops. Did he know? It wouldn't be hard to figure out. The child looked little like me–I figured if Glint got one good look at Conley, he would see his own face.
He asked , "Are you sick? Were you afraid that if the Conference found out you'd get benched? Is that what you're hiding from me?"
" Me hiding secrets from you ?" I almost laughed I was so relieved. "I'm the one who showed you my face. I trusted you. You're the one who wouldn't so much as look me in the eye.
" Well, you were right. It's safer not to let anyone know who I am. And the easiest way to do that is by working alone."
His hands clenched , his posture tensed, but he didn't deny it. I might've been the one who walked away, but he was the one who had ended our relationship.
" Why are you even here?" I asked.
His voice was quiet. "I was worried about you."
Worried. Because of one stupid broadcast and yet never concerned all those years I managed to stay out of the headlines.
"Okay," I said. "You were worried. Now you see–I'm fine. Go back to your new partner." I could see that my words stung, but I had more important things to worry about than my ex-boyfriend's feelings.
" Remy–"
" Take off your mask."
He froze , uncertain. I must've caught him off-guard, because he'd never hesitated before. The answer had always been no . His hands clenched and opened, clenched and opened.
Was he actually considering it?
"Please, Remy just–"
" Go, Glint. I don't need you."
When I walked away this time, he didn't try to stop me.
~
Conley was late.
A week after Acoustic Calamity, my injuries were healed but Conley was still sullen. It was too dangerous for him to be out alone, so during summer break he was stuck with our neighbor, Ms. Ruth, while his friends were off to summer camp. I compromised by letting him walk by himself to the diner for lunch every day.
I checked the clock on the wall again. Asked if the cute old couple in my section needed coffee refills without really seeing them. Ran my thumb back and forth over the familiar groove in the coffee pot's handle as I refilled the mugs at a table of off-duty cops I knew, but who didn't recognize me in civvies.
I w andered into Julie's section and refilled the mug of a man sitting alone without bothering to ask if he wanted more. I checked the side-street outside the diner's window. Conley waited at the crosswalk for traffic to clear.
" You're late," I chided when he entered.
" Sorry, Mom."
I crossed the diner to guide him toward
" See?" I said, "I've got everything under control."
He appraised me. "It looked sketchy there for a minute."
" I don't have time to deal with you. If you have a problem with the way I manage my Borough then file a complaint with the Conference."
I spun on my heel to leave, but then he was beside me, gripping my arm, turning me to face him. "Remy, please just talk to me for a second."
I pulled away from him but stayed, crossing my arms over my chest. "Fine. What do you want to talk about?"
" I went to see the Laudable Ladybug."
My second partner, after Glint, though it had been seven years since we'd worked together. "How is she?"
" She saw the fight. She was worried."
" Right. Everybody's so worried. After years of no one caring how I got on, now everyone's concerned."
" Us not caring? You're the one who walked out on Lady. Hurt her feelings, I think."
That was true. Lady had gotten too close and nearly found out about Conley on more than one occasion.
I said, "Aren't you the one who taught me that you can't trust anyone? Even your partner? She wanted to know my identity, so I asked to be reassigned."
" You asked to go solo. That's not something that healers do."
" I'm not a normal healer."
" Maybe. Or maybe you're hiding something other than your identity."
The sounds of police investigation on the street below faded into nothing. My stomach did odd loopty-loops. Did he know? It wouldn't be hard to figure out. The child looked little like me–I figured if Glint got one good look at Conley, he would see his own face.
He asked , "Are you sick? Were you afraid that if the Conference found out you'd get benched? Is that what you're hiding from me?"
" Me hiding secrets from you ?" I almost laughed I was so relieved. "I'm the one who showed you my face. I trusted you. You're the one who wouldn't so much as look me in the eye.
" Well, you were right. It's safer not to let anyone know who I am. And the easiest way to do that is by working alone."
His hands clenched , his posture tensed, but he didn't deny it. I might've been the one who walked away, but he was the one who had ended our relationship.
" Why are you even here?" I asked.
His voice was quiet. "I was worried about you."
Worried. Because of one stupid broadcast and yet never concerned all those years I managed to stay out of the headlines.
"Okay," I said. "You were worried. Now you see–I'm fine. Go back to your new partner." I could see that my words stung, but I had more important things to worry about than my ex-boyfriend's feelings.
" Remy–"
" Take off your mask."
He froze , uncertain. I must've caught him off-guard, because he'd never hesitated before. The answer had always been no . His hands clenched and opened, clenched and opened.
Was he actually considering it?
"Please, Remy just–"
" Go, Glint. I don't need you."
When I walked away this time, he didn't try to stop me.
~
Conley was late.
A week after Acoustic Calamity, my injuries were healed but Conley was still sullen. It was too dangerous for him to be out alone, so during summer break he was stuck with our neighbor, Ms. Ruth, while his friends were off to summer camp. I compromised by letting him walk by himself to the diner for lunch every day.
I checked the clock on the wall again. Asked if the cute old couple in my section needed coffee refills without really seeing them. Ran my thumb back and forth over the familiar groove in the coffee pot's handle as I refilled the mugs at a table of off-duty cops I knew, but who didn't recognize me in civvies.
I w andered into Julie's section and refilled the mug of a man sitting alone without bothering to ask if he wanted more. I checked the side-street outside the diner's window. Conley waited at the crosswalk for traffic to clear.
" You're late," I chided when he entered.
" Sorry, Mom."
I crossed the diner to guide him toward
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