17. Chapter 17

“Vicky?”

“Yeah.”

“Vicky Donahue?”

“I said, yeah. Who the hell is this?”

“Still got your charm and sophistication, sounds like.”

“Alex? Alex Danvers?”

“Hi.”

“Hey. Is… is everything ok? Is your sister okay? Why – “

“Yeah, no, Vicky, everything’s fine, no one’s… listen, I… you have literally no reason to say yes to this, but I just… I been thinking about a lot lately, realizing a lot lately, about… things. About myself, and I… it’s all made me want to apologize for… how things ended. Between us.”

A long silence.

“Vicky?”

“Yeah. Yeah. I’m here. You still cut right to the chase, huh? So this thing you realized… mind if I take a guess?”

“What – “

“You’re gay, right? I mean I always kinda thought so, but I dunno, I guess I assumed I’d just done something wrong and I – “

“What? No, Vicky, I – I mean, yes, yes, I’m… gay, but no, you didn’t do anything wrong, I… I didn’t know, then, I didn’t understand what I… I missed you, in college.”

“I missed you too, Alex. I still – do you wanna – I mean, I know maybe you just called to clear your conscience or something, but if you wanted to, you know, try to be… friends again? I mean, it’s been over a decade, right, so I’d get it if you – “

“No no, yeah, that’d be great, Vicky, I – friends. That aren’t somehow tied up with work. That’d be new and different.”

“Is that a yes, Alex?”

“Noonan’s, tomororw. I’ve got this girl I wanna tell you all about.”