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“You could do that? I mean, just let me tag along? I thought<br />
I needed training.”<br />
“You do. But not just to come along and observe. Plus, I’m<br />
kind of high up now. I’m an assistant director. <strong>The</strong>y’ll trust me if I<br />
say you’re okay.”<br />
“Well, I’ll think about it. Thanks for sticking your neck out<br />
for me.” I smiled and reached out for a one-armed hug.<br />
He returned the same one-armed gesture and we hugged<br />
awkwardly as two new friends do. <strong>The</strong>n I gave him a little wiggle<br />
of my fingers. “I’ll be in touch. Be safe driving home; I know you’ve<br />
got a long way to go!”<br />
Tucker laughed. “Yeah, I’ll do my best.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> next day, Michelle and I <strong>final</strong>ly had a schedule that<br />
matched up, so at 6:00 she was knocking at my front door with a<br />
massive pepperoni and sausage pizza from Antonio’s. I reached out<br />
like I was going to hug her but made a big show of snatching the<br />
box from her and rushing away. She darted after me, leaving the<br />
front door wide open as we ran into the kitchen. Trouble darted<br />
around our feet and barked at us as he tried to jump up at the food.<br />
“Hello, Michelle!” Gunner called. We heard him shut the<br />
front door behind us.<br />
“Hi, Gunner!” she shouted back, pulling her pin-straight<br />
butt-length black hair back into a ponytail so she wouldn’t get it on<br />
her pizza. I’d been trying to grow my own hair as long as hers for<br />
years but it never quite got past my elbows.<br />
We plopped down in front of the TV with several slices<br />
apiece and immediately turned on <strong>The</strong> Departed. Gunner came to sit<br />
down with us, but he had one of his ghost research books with him,<br />
so it was apparent that he would only be half-involved in the<br />
conversation. Trouble situated his skinny body on the floor between<br />
my friend and me, with his head resting on the couch for best crumbcatching<br />
access.<br />
“So how has your week been?” Michelle asked through a<br />
mouthful of cheese. “I feel like we’ve barely seen each other yet this<br />
summer!”<br />
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