Dahlia spent the day in her pajamas and Roy next to her on the couch.

"I need to just be with you," she said.

"So let's go do something," Roy suggested.

"No. I just need your energy."

She had her head on Roy's lap, his hand stroking her side. She gazed up at him, eyes wet. Dahlia's hair was messy and strands curled around her forehead.

"Can I make you lunch?"

"No, stay here. Stay with me. Let me touch you."

"It's not like you're never gonna see me again."

"I don't believe you."

"Why's that?"

"It might be two years again. It might be twenty. It might be never. I don't know."

"I'll visit. I promise."

"When are you leaving?"

"I suppose tomorrow."

"You can't wait to go back, can you."

"I don't know, Dahlia. I am rather impatient."

"We should tell Kevin and Amanda."

"I almost quit yesterday."

"What?" Dahlia chuckled.

"I'm sick of Amanda, to be honest. I almost walked right out the door. Almost."

"Oh my god," Dahlia smiled. "I hate that woman."

"Really? I thought you guys were like best friends."

"Ha. Pity friendship, I guess."

"Like a pity fuck?"

"Hey, I never pity fucked you."

"Just sayin'."

"Mmm."

"So did you tell Kevin or Amanda we slept together first."

Dahlia frowned. "Can we just drop that now?"

"I think I deserve to know."

"I consider Kevin a good friend of mine. Close friend. He was asking about you."

"Oh yeah? What was he asking?"

"Like if you're a good worker, how we know each other."

"And us having sex came up in the conversation."

"Kinda."

"So you blurted it out?"

"No..."

"You just needed to tell someone."

"Y-yeah..."

"Jesus Christ, Dahlia. And by the way, Mr. MacMillan, that new guy in the wheelchair your niece randomly hired, yeah, we slept together."

"You're making it sound bad. And I didn't say it like that."

"You still made it known, though. I don't need Amanda fucking asking me how I have sex."

"She asked you that?"

Roy nodded, raising an eyebrow.

"Dear god," Dahlia sighed.

"Kevin; hey Amanda! Guess what! Dahlia sexed Roy."

"I'm sure he didn't say it like that either."

"He probably did," Roy said.

"I don't know why you say sexed."

"Because it's what it is."

"Whatever."

Dahlia ran her index finger down Roy's slender nose. She sat up and kissed his forehead, caressing his cheeks.

Dade came in suddenly. "No work today?"

"Roy is leaving," Dahlia blurted out.

"Huh?" Dade asked.

"I'm going back to LA tomorrow," Roy said.

"Oh..."

"If I gave you money, could you run to the station and grab me a ticket?"

"Um..."

Roy pulled several bills from his wallet, handing them to Dade.

Dade smiled. "I'm happy for you."

"What?" Roy asked.

"Because you don't belong here," Dade said.

"Yeah..."

"What made you decide?"

"Circumstances and feelings beyond my control."

In a way, it was Father Augustine.

"Actually, if you'd like, I can go get a ticket right now."

"Really?"

"I said I'm happy for you," Dade repeated, still smiling faintly. He bent down and hugged Roy, patting him on the back. "You've always followed your dreams. I admire that."

"It's so sudden," Dahlia commented softly.

"I'll be right back," Dade said.

Dahlia sighed heavily.

"It's like he wants you to leave," she said when Dade left.

"He means well."

"I'm sorry," Dahlia held Roy's hands between hers. "I'm just gonna miss you."

"I know, Dahlia."

"What do you think your family is gonna say?"

"I honestly have no idea. I'm gonna sit them down tonight I guess."

"Let me come when you do."

"No."

"For moral support."

"It's fine."

"What if Whit like, I don't know, punches you or something."

"I beat up your ex with a baseball bat. I think I can handle it."

"I want to help you pack."

"I only have a few things."

"I don't want to sleep alone."

"You're persistent."

"I'm more stubborn than Dade."

"I can see that."

"I'm coming."

"We're not sleeping upstairs."

"I'll sleep on the floor."

"You can take the couch."

Dade came back with a train ticket for eight in the morning.

"Please...thank you," Roy said.

"You'll say goodbye before you leave, right?"

"I'll be here."

Dahlia pulled on a sundress and fixed her hair, pinning the same flower on the right side behind her ear.

She started the car, hands shaking.

"Calm down, you're worried for nothing."

"I'm worried for you," she said.

"It's fine."

They entered the house quietly, and Dahlia accidentally slammed the door. She jumped, nearly bumping into Roy.

Whit was looking out the back window of the kitchen, sipping on cheap beer. Roy felt anxiety rise within him as he cautiously approached his brother.

"Whit...I gotta talk to you about somethin'."

"Ok..." Whit crossed his arms.

"Actually, where's Ma and Pop?"

"They're in bed already."

"Could you go get them? They should be here."

"You want me to wake our parents..."

"It's kind of important."

Whit could tell Roy wasn't joking.

"Fine." He leapt up the stairs, and Roy gave Dahlia a look who was waiting daintily in an armchair.

Soon his mother, in night attire, followed Whit into the living room. His dad followed. Roy's hands were sweating. This felt like an intervention.

"You didn't propose to Dahlia, did you?" Whit scoffed sarcastically.

Dahlia frowned in obvious disappointment.

"I want you all to know that it's been great being home. It's been wonderful. But I forgot why I had left here in the first place. I'm not supposed to be here. My heart is elsewhere."

"You're going back to California," his mother said.

"The train leaves tomorrow."

"Well, at least you told us this time." Whit stood up, a bitter look on his face. "Maybe this time you won't be so careless." He walked out the front door, and it barely hit the lock.

Are you shitting me?

"I'm sorry this is last minute," Roy said.

Dahlia crossed and uncrossed her legs, fidgeting in her seat.

"You're not proposing to Dahlia?" Pop asked.

"I'm not proposing to Dahlia."

"She's very good for you, Roy."

"He thinks otherwise," Dahlia mumbled. But no one heard her but Roy.

"I'm afraid we can't stop you," Ma said.

Roy wanted to apologize, but he wasn't exactly sure for what.

"The train leaves at eight a.m. Will you be here?"

"We'll be here," Ma insisted.

"You go to bed now," Roy said.

Pop said nothing and went back to his room. Roy's mother got on her knees, throwing her arms around him.

"Please, please be safe," she pleaded.

"I promise," Roy said.