OceanofPDF.com
ChapterTwenty-Two
@ElissaJohnson
So I spoke to the cops this morning for an update on my stolen key, and they say that the suspect was spotted trying to fish for cheques in a West Sidemailbox!
@ElissaJohnson
She ran away! She ran awayagain. Does anyone know who she is?? Someone at @SundayNightLive MUST know. They impersonated her. I’m so confused and #angry.
@ElissaJohnson
Oh great. Now The Gramercy Neighbourhood Society say it will be another two weeks until I can get a new key!!! This is #horrendous
@NewYorkDailyNews
Hi Elissa. Follow us. We’d like to DM youaboutthis.
‘Hello you!Where are you? It’salldark!’
‘I’m in a bar bathroom in Staten Island,’ I tell Birdie, to which she gasps in delight. ‘I got the letter back!’ I say, deciding to start with apositive.
‘Amazing! You are the best. What a relief. I gotta say, I was panicking a bit. I put my whole heart into thatletter.Phew!’
‘There’s bad news too… I’m stuck in Staten Island overnight. There’s a storm and there’s no way to get back toManhattan.’
Birdie’s face clouds over. ‘Are you all right? Where will you stay? Are you there alone? Shit,Olive.’
‘I’m fine,’ I wave away her concern. ‘I’m here with Seth. He knows the owners ofthebar.’
‘Seth?The TV show writer?’ Birdie raises aneyebrow.
‘Yeah, him. Anyway. I’m just worried because I won’t be able to get to Chuck today. Of course, there’s tomorrow, but it’s cutting it pretty fine, especially if he’s not still workingthere.’
Birdie nods and bites her lip. She looks more tired than usual today. Her normally sleek pixie crop is a little messy and ruffled and her lipslookpale.
‘Are you okay?’ I ask.’ You don’t lookverywell.’
Birdie laughs, absent-mindedly rubbing her chest. ‘Oh I had a late night, you know. Giving a pleasant BJ to Dr BJ. We had a night of wild passion. Hence themessyhair.’
‘WHAT?’
‘I’m kidding!’ she giggles. ‘Iwish. God, do I wish. I just didn’t sleep well. Imissyou.’
‘I miss you too,’ I sigh, resting my head against the phone screen. Birdie does the same. We stay there for amoment.
I pull back and my phone screen flickers. The video image goes still so that Birdie looks like a smilingstatue.
‘Can you hear me?’ I call into the phone. ‘Birdie?’
‘Yeah… patchy… storm.’ Her voice is breaking up. The sound is allmuffled.
Shit. The weather must be affecting thesignal.
‘Birdie?’ I try again, holding my phone in the air, as if this will help. ‘I will figure this all out, okay?’ I say. ‘Birdie? Don’t worry about anything!Birdie?’
‘Love… you… time… Chuck… relax…’ Her voice comes back muffled and erratic. I can’t tell what she’s tryingtosay!
