“I’ve got your back,” Rinaldo said. “I hope you decide to stay in touch.”
“Maybe eventually,” I said. “I’ve got to try and figure out this whole real life thing, you know?”
“All of this hasn’t been real enough for you?” He waved his hands around the office and smiled.
“Nah.” I shook my head. “I think I slept through most of it.”
Rinaldo laughed.
“I hope you will rest easy now.”
“With Lia, yeah,” I said, “I think I will, sir.”
“Take care, son.”
My heart raced as I looked at him, nodded slowly, and turned to leave before I decided to change my mind. I made my way down the back steps without looking back.
It felt strange to walk out of his office with no intention of returning. I knew there would always be the possibility of him calling in a favor—and I would probably do whatever he asked—but for now, he would leave me in peace.
I looked out at the Chicago skyline as I boarded the bus and found two seats together so I had a place for my packages. It was equally strange to know I wouldn’t be riding around on the same CTA buses, looking up at the same buildings, or walking along the lake with Odin chasing seagulls and pigeons.
There were so many memories, so many things I had done here, but more often than not, they weren’t pleasant things. I rode the bus to where my car was parked and then found myself driving around Lake Shore East Park. Someone had fixed the warning sound for the parking garage. It wasn’t as loud as it used to be, but it still made me cringe. There was a spot open, so I parked the car and looked up to the balcony of my old apartment as I walked around the park.
Without actually meaning to, I went inside the dog run.
There were a few people hanging out there, and I sat down on a bench for a minute to watch the dogs sniff and bark at each other. A golden retriever mix came up to me, and I rubbed his head before his owner called him back. Memories of Odin flooded through my mind, but they were all good ones.
I left the park, drove to Giordano’s, and ordered a pizza.
After I had stuffed myself, I walked by the 676 Bar and Grill, but I didn’t go in. It was too early for Michele with one “L” to be working, and besides, the last memories I had there were of Davies. I’d known then he was hiding something, but I thought he was just planning to turn me in along with the rest of Greco’s group, not kidnap and try to rape my girlfriend.
My hands clenched into fists. Lia hadn’t said anything else about it, but I knew she thought about it. She’d woken up last night in a cold sweat, crying. I held her against my chest until she fell back to sleep.
I supposed I owed her a few nights of that.
I was pretty sure she and Luisa had talked about it more, and I was glad she had another woman to go to because I couldn’t even deal with my own traumas, let alone help with hers. I could be there for her, but I didn’t have any words to take away what had happened to her.
After all of that, she still felt guilty about taking his life.
I only regretted not doing it myself.
Shoving my hands in my pockets, I turned away from the lake wind and made the trek back to the car. I drove slowly through downtown traffic and watched the tourists with their shopping bags and Chicago-themed sweatshirts walk up and down the street, looking at maps and smartphones as they tried to figure out where they were.
I drove by the corner where Bridgett used to hang out and wait for tricks.
“You need to stop this shit,” I told myself. “Too many fucking memories.”
With a quick tw
ist of the wheel, I got myself onto Lakeshore Drive and headed toward the less damaged of Rinaldo’s homes. When I arrived, all of Lia’s things were in a pile on the porch next to mine. As I pulled up, she came outside with Luisa and Jonathan behind her.
“Ready now?” she asked.
“Definitely,” I replied.
Luisa and Lia shared an awkward one-armed hug, carefully avoiding bumping the bright pink cast over Luisa’s arm and elbow. They spoke a few soft words as I threw the last of our things into the car and shut the lid to the trunk. Jonathan came over and clasped his hand on my back.
“You take care of yourself, brotha,” Jonathan said as he shook my hand vigorously. He was wearing his Save Ferris T-shirt, which made me smile. “You ever need anything, you know how to find me.”