“We met at the pharmacy.” Dean suggests.
“No. No way. I can’t be your patient in this scenario. That’s like, a violation of something.” I decide. “We met at the library. You liked the book I was reading. And we hit it off from there.”
“What book?”
I pause. “I don’t know. I don’t read books like that.”
“No, no, this won’t work,” Dean agrees.
“Will they recognize me as Andy’s wife?” I say suddenly, as if that might blow our cover.
“Eliza didn’t. I highly doubt my Mother will. She’s not exactly a folk-rock fan.” Dean laughs, and I can’t help but smile at it. “You’re not the famous one.”
That remark elicits a laugh from me. “Last night says otherwise.”
“Let’s just say we—we met at the grocery store,” Dean decides. “We met at the grocery store reaching for the same box of cereal.”
“That’s the stupidest fucking story I’ve ever heard.” I laugh. “Let’s just say we met online. That’s where everyone meets people these days.”
“Is that where you meet people?” Dean asks me.
“I haven’t met anyone since Andy died,” I reveal.
“What about me?” He places a palm on his chest, as if he’s taken aback I didn’t consider him.
“Do you count?” I ask, my voice serious. “And besides, I met you at the pharmacy.”
“No. This isn’t real, and it isn’t for another couple of days.” Dean pushes up his glasses. It catches me off guard to realize I’m looking right at him, which I haven’t done at all this morning.
“You don’t count, then.”
“Madeline, I’m so sorry about last night. This whole situation was just fucked up.”
“No kidding.” I look away, embarrassed.
“I really consider you my friend now,” He’s acting like this is some big, some morally wrong confession. “You’re doing me a big favor.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, my spoon clattering in my bowl as I bump it with my wrist. I don’t really know how to react to this information, other than that I finally feel like I can look at him again without feeling like it’s illegal. “We’re even now.”
“We’re even, Dean agrees. “What are you going to do this afternoon?”
“I don’t know, check out the spa maybe,” I shrug. “I haven’t really planned anything.”
“Do you want to come into town with me?” Dean asks. I don’t really want to go anywhere with Dean quite yet, I’m getting nervous about tonight, but he’s hit my weak spot. He knows I’ll jump at the chance to browse a Walgreens.
“Andy’s tribute concert doesn’t start until 8 p.m., isn’t it a little early to go into town?” I ask. Tonight’s performance takes place at the only theater downtown.
“We’ll go explore the town, and then come back before dinnertime. You can rest up before the concert. Then we’ll go back. It’s not that far a drive,” Dean explains.
“Have they cleared the roads?” I ask. He’s right, it’s less than a ten-minute drive back into town and the snow stopped sometime in the middle of the night, and the sky is crystal clear.
“I think so,” He nods. “There’s a bookshop and cafe. And a record shop.” Dean suggests.
“Can we stop at the Walgreens?” I need some semblance of my normal pharmacy browsing routine.
“We can if that’s what you want,” He answers.
I nod. Although I am not low on any of my medications, I think seeing a familiar place will help calm my nerves. My watch says my heart rate is normal, but I feel incredibly antsy. “I would like that.”
