His black hair is wetter than it was when I left him and it hangs over his forehead, curls around his ears.
There is something wild about him too, something I can’t put my finger on.
He’s wearing different clothing—a black shirt made of soft cotton with three buttons below the collar. It reminds me of the Henleys Edward wears in the fall to keep warm.
“You look better,” I tell him.
“So do you.” He smiles down at me and leans into the doorway with his shoulder. “May I come in?”
Toto huffs from behind me.
“Of course,” I say, ignoring my dog because how dare he ruin my fun.
I’m still a little tipsy from the ale and the ozrum and maybe more courageous than I ought to be.
I pull the door back and Rook enters casually, easily, as if he visits a woman’s room on any old occasion.
Of course he does. Look at him. He might not have memories but surely he’s looked in the mirror by now? Women and men must swoon at the sight of him. I would swoon if I were the swooning type. Which I am not. But I could be. For him.
Don’t fucking swoon, Dorothy.
Rook circles the room.
“Have any memories returned?” I ask him. “That man… the doctor. Did he know you?”
Rook glances at me with a frown. “Afraid not. He mistook me for someone else.”
I deflate. “I was hoping someone here would recognize you.”
“Me too.” He comes to a stop at the window that overlooks the street below. In the distance, over the nearby rooftops, I can see the wizard’s statue, the sweep of his bronze hair in the golden twilight.
“Remy said you have the room next to me?”
“I do.” He leans a shoulder into the window casing.
“That’s good. I’m glad you’re near. I mean… that’s not what I meant.”
He tilts his head. “Are you drunk, Kansas?”
“What? No! Well… buzzy. Not drunk, I assure you.”
“I am assured.” He smiles.
“The ale is good here.”
“I’ll try to remember that.”
“And we did a god salute, with the rum.”
His dark brows sink over his eyes. “A god salute?”
“Have you never heard of it? It’s like this: East, West, Oz… no, wait, that’s not right. Oz, Oz, Oz!”
He’s laughing harder, his shoulders rocking.
“I’m sorry. I don’t remember it exactly.”
“I’m sorry I missed it.”
