Somebody Else's Space Program
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Chapter Sixty Nine
Ricamonte poured a careful half-tumbler of liquor from the decanter. "You're going to drink this. As long as it's inside you by midnight, you'll be sober by morning,and ready to meet them when they arrive. Otherwise, you'll be up all night, winding down."
"I'm going to get sleep, believe me -- I didn't sleep at all last night."
"And you're still strung tight enough to break. Start drinking."
Ross took a sip. The straight liquor was a bit harsh, but the less mixer, the less he had to put down. A quarter of the way through, he put the glass on the counter. "Leave."
Ricamonte looked at the level of liquor, and at the determined set of Ross's jaw. "I'll come back and check on you."
"You will _not_. Not until morning."
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Not too much argument, and Ross was alone. He went to the safe and drew out the book and the two tapes. "Both sides, eh? All right..."
From under the bed, one of Envyss's shirts that hadn't gotten into the laundry. The tumbler of alcohol was on the table with the tape player, side two of the second tape ready to play, and the handwritten journal in Ross's hand. Just a reading light on -- the rest of the apartment was dark.
Ross folded the shirt into a pad, put it under his head. Deliberate slow breathing, calm down, let the alcohol work, let the body heat bring up the scent of Envyss's body... His hand slid over and pushed the button to turn on the player.
Envyss singing, at first. Ross took another sip of the alcohol. He opened the book at the bookmark, started to look through some of the entries further on...
The tape went to just a narrative, and Ross lost interest in the book.
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