After awhile, I heard her say, “Can we use your bathroom?”

“I’l show you,” Stevie said and his hands were light on

“I’l show you,” Stevie said and his hands were light on me as they guided me up the stairs.

Annette and Stevie helped me clean up my face in the bathroom. I pul ed myself together, holding Annette’s hand as Stevie wiped my face with a warm, wet washcloth.

“Feel better?” he asked, smiling encouragingly.

“No,” I told him, but I was trying to smile too.

He kissed my forehead. “You wil ,” he said and then looked me in the eyes again. “It may seem like you won’t, but you wil . I promise.”

I nodded, wanting to believe him, and, with a hand squeeze from Annette, we walked into the upstairs landing and heard Al y say, “I’m gonna talk to Lee. The minute they find that ass**le, I want my turn with him in the holding room.”

“Al y,” Indy said.

“Sugar, I’m talking to Marcus to-night,” Daisy broke in.

“He’s gotta step his shit up. Ain’t gonna be no holding room for Bil y f**king Flynn, not if I have anything to say about it.”

“Daisy,” Indy said.

“No f**king way. I want a shot at him first. I’m gonna kill that motherfucker,” Al y broke in.

“Al y,” Indy said.

“No, I’m gonna kil him,” Daisy declared.

“Oh for God’s sake, no one’s going to kil him!” Indy said, loudly this time.

Then Stevie, Annette and I jumped as we heard glass shatter.

After a second of loaded silence Indy said, now quietly,

“Tod.”

“Seen a lot of shit in my life,” Tod said, his voice vibrating with anger. “Lived in a closet for years, hiding who I was. My parents stil don’t know. Had friends die of AIDS, had other friends beaten up in parking lots and al eys for no other reason but because of who they are. Never has that been in my living room. Never have I seen a sweet, spirited being that f**king broken. No, I think I’m going to kil Bil y f**king Flynn.”

This announcement was met with silence from downstairs.

I swal owed and looked at Annette and Stevie.

Then I whispered, “Am I broken?”

Stevie’s hand came to my arm. “You’ve been trying so hard to cope, girlie, that you haven’t even realized you’ve been through hel . We’ve al been watching, we’ve al been worried. No one can be strong that long. It’s good this is happening, go with it. You need it.”

“But,” I said. “I’m not strong. I’m weak.” Stevie’s brows drew together. “Why would you think that?”

“I cry al the time,” I explained.

His hand went away from my arm and he waved it between us. “Oh, wel . So does Tod and he’s the strongest person I know. You would not even believe the shit he’s been through in his life.”

I blinked at him.

He linked his arm through mine. “That’s for a different bottle of champagne. Let’s get you an outfit for Daisy’s party, hmm?”

He walked me down the stairs and I threw a glance up at Annette.

She stood at the landing staring down. When she caught my eye, she blew me a kiss.

Her eyes were fil ed with tears.

* * * * *

We were al upstairs in the second bedroom, known as Burgundy’s Room, (Burgundy Rose was Tod’s drag queen alter-ego) and we were al staring in disbelief at Annette. Her hair was teased out to three times its volume (compliments of Daisy) and she was wearing a blood red, hoop-skirted formal with black marabou feathers drifting about the bodice.

“This is phat. I’m like, Scarlet-fucking-O’Hara,” she announced, admiring herself in the mirrored closet door.

I looked to Jet. Jet was obviously struggling to keep her face noncommittal.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit much?” I asked.

“No… I… do… not,” Annette said. “It’s the shit.”

“I love it,” Daisy declared. “It’s you.”

It was so not Annette that somehow, in some weird way, it worked.

The doorbel rang.

I looked at my watch. It was five after nine.

“Shit!” I yel ed, jumping off the day bed. “That’s Hank.” I was wearing a day-glo yel ow, Lycra, strapless mini-dress. It wasn’t what I was going to wear to Daisy’s, that had been the first thing I tried on (picked out and then careful y packed in a garment bag by Stevie). The mini-dress was just one of the fifteen dresses I’d tried on for the hel of it.

“I have to get out of this dress,” I was in a dither.

“I’l get the door,” Stevie said.

Indy gave him a look. “I’l come with you.” I didn’t have time to worry about their look, it was nigh on time for Hank and my “conversation” and I was not ready for it.

I pul ed off the dress, hung it on a hanger, put my clothes back on, handed out hugs, blew air kisses, apologized to Tod for not helping with clean up and ran down the stairs.

Hank, Stevie and Indy were not in the living room or the kitchen. I grabbed my bag and opened the front door to check if they were outside.

They were standing halfway down the front walk. Stevie was carrying my garment bag. Indy’s arms were wrapped around her middle. Hank had one hand at his waist, the other at the back of his neck, rubbing there with his head tilted forward as he listened to Stevie saying something I couldn’t hear.

“What’s going on?” I asked, knowing exactly what was going on and walking to them.

Stevie’s back was to me. He stopped talking and turned.

“Nothing, girlie. Get home,” he said, leaning into me and he kissed my cheek.

I stared at him, not believing him for a second.

Indy gave me a hug. Stevie handed Hank the garment bag and Indy and Stevie walked into the house.

I looked to Hank. “What’s going on?” I asked.

His arm went around my shoulders. “Nothin’. Let’s go.” I planted my feet, stubborn to the last. “What did they say?” I asked.

Hank looked at me. I could see by the outside light that his eyes were soft but unsettled. “We’l talk in the 4Runner.”

“Hank.”

He pul ed me into his side. “Please Roxie, get in the car.