Page 89 of Brain Damage

Jamie looks at me in surprise, as if he didn’t expect me to talk to him. He nods a bit warily. “Yeah,” he says. “He came to visit me.”

“He recognized me,” I say. I still feel pleased about that.

“Of course he did. He really likes you.”

That makes me smile. “He does? Really?”

“Yeah.” Jamie grins and rolls his eyes. “He thinks you’re cool. Cooler than me.”

I laugh. “I saw that Karen was with him. So, um, I guess that’s working out, huh?”

I watch Jamie’s face, holding my breath slightly.

“Yeah,” Jamie mutters. “More or less. It’s not ideal, but it is what it is.”

“So are you getting back together with her then?” I ask.

Jamie narrows his eyes. “What’s the difference to you?”

I just look at him, unsure what to say. I’m not sure why he seems so irritated by my question. He seemed willing to talk about Karen in the past.

Finally, Jamie sighs. “We’re not getting back together. Not in this lifetime.”

Natalie comes over to us because it’s Jamie’s turn to walk. She helps him to his feet, but once he’s upright, she barely has to touch him. He only loses his balance once while walking to the other side of the gym. It’s a far cry from when he first got here, when it took her and Steve together just to keep him on his feet.

He’s made so much progress. He’s gotten so much better. Unlike me.

Jamie is at the other side of the room when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look behind me, and Clark is standing there. I don’t know what he’s doing here though, because he’s not supposed to come until after my group is over. He’s half an hour early.

“You’re early,” I say. I feel pleased. Usually, Clark is half an hour late.

“I’ve got to take off early today,” Clark explains. “Valerie said that we could start half an hour early.”

“But I’ve got Walking Group,” I protest.

Clark shakes his head. “So what?”

“So I’m supposed to be walking.”

“Charlotte,” Clark says irritably, “we’ve already been through this. You’re not going to be walking at all when we get home, so this is all completely pointless. Why don’t we work on the important stuff?”

He’s right, of course. There’s really no point in having Natalie drag me across the room. But I like doing it.

“Can’t I just walk once?” I ask. “I just want one turn.”

Clark shakes his head again. “Charlotte…”

Jamie is approaching us, still walking with his cane. I look up at Clark pleadingly. “I’m next. Please.”

“Fine,” Clark says. “One walk. But make it quick.”

“I will. I promise.”

He gives me a hard look. “Aren’t you going to thank me, Charlotte, for letting you have this extra time?”

Jamie is now within earshot. I don’t want him to hear me groveling to my husband, so I just sit there mutely.

“I don’t have to let you do this, you know.” Clark looks at his watch pointedly. “We can leave right now if you refuse to show your appreciation for all I’m doing for you.”