“It’s okay. You can stay in the other bedroom. You designed it yourself.” I could tell he was annoyed with me. I was having a hard time expressing my gratitude. I knew I didn’t sound grateful, but I had given all my power over to Elliott, and I wanted to gain some of that back. Certainly, Henry and Griffin would be better, but I was just discovering the mistakes I had made and how easy it had been. I wanted and needed them to see me as an individual. That had been a problem with Griffin and me all along.

“I see some things don’t change no matter how dire your circumstances.” Griffin was exasperated, but I saw a hint of a smile.

“You can go and come as you please,” I offered, thinking about Alex. Henry looked at Griffin and laughed.

“Griff, you may be offering to send my sister back to New York before this is over.” They looked at each other and asked me to leave the room. I went to the ladies room and surveyed my neglected appearance. I washed my hands. When I returned the door was cracked. I took another deep breath and found the tiniest strand of courage.

“I do plan to go back to New York. I don’t have a lot, but I have some work. Like Mac.”

“We expect a full-blown proposal after we give you the budget,” Griffin said.

“I will treat you just like any other client,” I said. I extended my hand to shake on our business arrangement. Griffin’s phone buzzed. He excused himself, and I wondered if Alex was on the other end.

Griffin was gone briefly and when he returned, we left together. He drove past NOIR and VERT. He turned into a parking lot of a small clinic. He drove with the kind of efficiency of a homing pigeon or a prompt waiter.

“Where are we?” I asked, as my insides churned.

“We need to get your blood tested,” Griffin said, like it was a common occurrence. I moved in slow motion. Once inside, a nurse took my blood in two vials. She said, “We’ll let you know when we hear back from the lab on both the STD and HIV tests.”