I wanted to say I had the same reaction to her food, but it wasn’t worth the trouble it would cause to tell her off. Instead, I focused on the foot that was gently tapping against my shin, grounding me. I shifted my eyes to Maks, who was speaking sentences with a look. It felt as though he was attempting to calm me down, like he knew Sally’s statements about Towertown had the capacity to push me over the edge. Sometimes I wondered if Maks understood more about me than I had been willing to share, if he knew me well enough to know it all.

“I spent a good amount of time there and they were alright,” I answered. “Good to me.”

“See, my son can see past things I could never to bear to look at if it means he’s getting clams,” my dad said, as if it was an attribute I should be proud of.

I tried not to focus on his descriptors. They were confirmation of what I had always known but hearing it every so often really drove the point home. I said nothing, downing my third drink instead.

By the time dessert was served I was three sheets to the wind, ready to get on with my night. I wiped the chocolate pie off my lips and stood to say my farewells.

“You’re leaving so soon,” Sally tsked, wrapping me in a hug I didn’t want. “It’s not even ten.”

“I’m sure he has a lady to take out,” my father said, shaking my hand.

“You should have brought her here. I told your father to tell you that you were invited with a date,” Sally said, shooting a look to kill at her husband.

“I told him,” my dad promised. “He’s never brought a dame around. He likes to keep it casual.”

“I can’t deny that,” I stated, shaking Igor’s hand. The comment garnered leers from the ladies, who evidently believed I should be treating broads better.

Having had my fill of all of it, I bundled up in my jacket and scarf, beginning to walk to the spot Cal and I had agreed upon. Rosie had somehow hooked himself a man who was in town for a business trip and planned to spend the week with him in his hotel. Though we had the apartment to ourselves, we’d decided to get out on New Year’s and arranged to meet at Navy Pier.