Page 424 - Some Dance to Remember

394 Jack Fritscher

“It’s not finished till I finish it.”
“Exactly,” Solly said. “It’s over for Kick. Now you have to let go of it.”
“Nothing lasts forever,” Kweenie said.
“I’ll second that,” Solly said.
“I’ll tell you what lasts forever,” Ryan said. His anger collapsed under
the weight of his heart. “His being gone will last forever. Loss lasts forever.
Emptiness lasts forever.”
“You should be glad he’s gone,” Kweenie said.
When Ryan returned to the Victorian after a week at Solly’s, Kick’s
clothes had disappeared from the house.
“He broke in and took them,” Ryan said. “He even stole the one Most
Muscular trophy he said was mine.” Ryan had reached into the drawer
where he kept mementos Kick had given him. He winced. “He took back
the posing trunks he gave me from our first contest.”
A week passed before Ryan realized Kick had stolen the typed manu-
script of Universal Appeal with all its photographs and negatives.
“Call the police,” Kweenie said.
“My dear,” Solly took her hand. “The San Francisco police do nothing
about lovers’ domestic quarrels.”
“Even about Logan?” she asked.
“Even about Logan,” Solly said.
“Then you’re treated worse than women,” she said.
“The only justice,” Ryan said, “is vigilante justice.”
“I suggest,” Solly said, “you change your locks. That’s the one thing
I’ve learned in dealing with my little hustlers. Keys disappear. Once a
month I change my locks.”
“I already have.” Ryan held up a set of bright gold Schlage keys.
Three weeks later, Kick broke into the Victorian again. Ryan was
furious.
“What did he take?” Solly asked.
“He didn’t take anything. Not this time.”
“Then why,” Kweenie asked, “are you so mad?”
“This time he made a delivery.”
“Flowers and candy?” Solly said.
“He had the nerve to bring back every single gift I ever gave him.
He owes me money. But he sneaks into my house and brings back all the
special sentimental gifts I ever gave him.”
“He’s good. He’s real good,” Solly said. “Signs and omens. Maybe’s he
trying to tell you something.”
“Like good-bye, dear, and a-men,” Ryan said. “He really knows how

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