Warmth rippled through my body. Mia and I glanced at each other. “Ell and Stone?” I said.
“And Chewy, you ass. Don’t forget him.”
“They made it!” I shouted. “Where are they at?”
“Getting their examinations, I suppose. I can take you there in a second. Just let me finish—”
But I was too excited and sprinted my way toward the door.
Mia said, “Go ahead, Nina. I got my grub, I’m good for now.”
As it happened, I ended up leading the way while Nina, who I later found out was Dr. Hart’s younger sister, shouted directions from behind me.
“Right down there,” she said, pointing. I squinted and saw Nick Rider leaning against the wall. He held a magazine in one hand. He was chewing gum and blowing big pink bubbles. When he looked up at Nina and me, a particularly large one popped and stuck around his mouth and in his beard.
“He’s your problem now, Nick!” Nina hollered. “I gotta finish my rounds.”
I ran—well, that’s being generous…I limped at a decent speed—toward Rider. He set his magazine down on the air register.
“I see you’ve already heard, Grady. I was just about to come and get you. They should be done with their examinations soon enough. And when the blood work comes back, you can go in.”
“How long will that take?”
“Not long.” He motioned to the magazine. “You interested in ‘sculpting the butt you’ve always wanted’?”
“Uh…”
“It’s the cover article. Woman’s World. It’s the only stuff I haven’t read around here. And you know what? It’s opened my eyes to a lot about the opposite sex. No wonder my second wife dumped my sorry behind.”
When I was allowed back about an hour later, which I spent in Mia’s room, I did cry with happiness. Ell and Stone both looked worse for wear, but I could tell the little time behind the safety of the City’s walls was healing.
Soon as I entered the room, Ell rushed over and wrapped her arms around me. We kissed like a couple who hadn’t seen each other in years instead of days. Stone gagged at every smack of our lips, but there were tears in his eyes too, especially when we did our Musketeer handshake.
Chewy spun around in a million circles, barking his head off. I bent and rubbed his belly until his leg kicked so fast it became a blur.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Ell said. “I was having the worst dreams. You were being tortured and—”
“Well, you’re not far off.”
“What?”
I smiled. “Nothing. I’ll tell you later.”
“Where’s Mia? Did she have the baby? Is she okay? They said so, but I don’t know who to believe.” She was beating at my shoulder with every question.
“She’s fine—they’re both fine.”
Ell jumped, clapping her hands. She cried tears of happiness too. “Oh, thank God!”
“That’s another crazy story I’ll have to tell you about.”
“Can we see her?” Stone asked.
“I think so.” I looked around for one of the people who performed the exams, thinking I’d see Gas Mask or Tinted Visor or even Berretti, but I hadn’t. If I had, the joy would’ve ended quickly, seeing as I’d knock their teeth down their throats.
I saw no one, so I led the way to Mia’s room. Stone held on to my shoulder for support. We both limped along the hallway.
“No Ramsey?”
“Nope,” Stone said. “We tried, but he gave me some shit about a caged bird needing to spread its wings or something. I don’t know. I told him most caged birds didn’t have to deal with the kind of shit we have to deal with.”
This news was disappointing, but I thought I’d see Ramsey again. I don’t know why, it was just a feeling.
The reunion in Mia’s hospital room was loud, which was okay since Monica was awake. Ell and Stone took turns holding the baby.
When Stone held her, he about freaked when she grinned at him. “Look! Look! She’s smiling at Uncle Stoney!”
Both Mia and I said, “It’s just gas,” much to his disappointment.
I recounted our journey to the City, brushed over the last few days, and then Ell and Stone recounted theirs.
“Nothing matters,” Eleanor said, “besides the fact that we’re together again.”
She was right.
“And safe,” Stone added.
About that, he was mostly right. With Berretti and his cronies here, I wasn’t sure of our safety.
Maybe an hour later, Nick Rider poked his head around the door frame, and I waved him inside. Introductions were made all around.
Stone raised a fist. “Glad to see another brother made it this far.” When Eleanor flashed him her signature annoyed glare, he said, “What? You’ve seen horror movies. The black dudes always die first, and aren’t we basically just living in a horror movie?”
“Yeah, but it’s better than living in a Tom & Jerry cartoon,” I said, and everyone laughed besides Nick, who wasn’t part of that inside joke, but he cleared his throat and smiled politely.
“It was very nice meeting you all,” he said, “and I think we have a great future ahead of us, but it’s dinnertime for me now. So I guess we’ll talk more soon.”
The others said their goodbyes, and then their frantic conversation continued. I kept quiet, leaning against the wall by the door and taking it all in. I was so damn happy. All the hell I went through was worth it for this moment alone.
“I hope you stay,” Rider whispered to me before leaving. “We could use good people like y’all. But I should tell you this: if you choose to stay, you have to pull your weight around here. Nothing’s free. There will be a time when you’re called upon to do something you don’t want to do. Something potentially dangerous.” He paused, staring into my eyes with a cold seriousness. “Can you handle that, Mr. Miller?”
“Yeah, Nick. I think I can handle that,” I said, but thought: Because I would do anything for these people. “And call me Grady.”
“Good, Grady, good.” Rider left the room
