“At least.”
“Wait—what about those comics.” Derian
pointed to a kiosk. “Can we get them?”
“Of course. Any preference?”
“Superheroes are always good. And paranormal.
I don’t suppose there’d be any Patricia Briggs?”
Emily grabbed copies and dropped them into
Derian’s bag. “There might be some of Briggs’s graphic novels over at
Dynamite.”
As she spoke, Emily scanned the huge signs
and kiosks and posters. “I think they’re down this way.” She grabbed Derian’s
hand and tugged her in that direction. “Briggs is signing this afternoon, so
they might not have anything available yet.”
At nine o’clock, a voice over the PA system
announced the doors would be opening momentarily.
“That’s our cue,” Emily said. “We should grab
some coffee, find our table, and get out of the way of the hordes.”
Derian shifted the bags into a more
comfortable position on her shoulder. She figured Emily was exaggerating, but
she was wrong. A minute later a tsunami of people poured off the escalators,
flooding the aisles, rushing everywhere, filling bags with books and pens and
bookmarks and free promotional items. “This place is a madhouse.”
Emily laughed, clearly delighted. “And
everyone thinks book people are stodgy. You don’t want to get in the way of
someone trying to get an advance copy of their favorite author in this place.
You’re likely to get run down.”
“All we need are the hot-dog vendors and the
carnival will be complete,” Derian said.
“Oh, they’ll be at the far back of the room.
And I like hot dogs, so you can get me one later.”
Derian smiled. “My pleasure.”
And it was. Being with Emily gave her the inexplicable
desire to hunt and gather and take care of her. Emily might not need her to do
any of those things, but Derian planned on doing whatever she could to be sure
Emily’s future was secure.
*
Derian made it to the hospital a few minutes
before visiting hours ended, rapped on the partially open door, and walked into
Henrietta’s room. HW was the only patient in there and was sitting up in bed
with the newspaper spread out on the bedside stand in front of her. Some of her
color had returned, but she looked thinner and, for the first time, older. Her
fragility sent fear through Derian’s chest. “Sorry it’s so late, but I just
wanted to stop by and make sure you weren’t driving the nurses crazy.”
“I’ve been behaving but they still won’t let
me have my computer.”
“Good.”
Henrietta set the paper aside. “How did the
appointments go?”
“Emily was happy. She seemed to think several
of the deals were strong ones.”