Dwight had another drink in the lounge. Stephanie was back first, too quick, really, to have gone to visit Jean, so where did she go? Then Gail, Fletcher and Soren returned. Damon came in a few minutes later. Gail and Fletcher sat together, really close together he noticed. Like they were together close. Soren sat with them and their heads met in the middle of the table like a bunch of conspirators in a Casa Blanca movie. That was just because of the band, he thought. A person couldn’t hear themselves think.

The band was playing ‘80’s music and the large number of reunion attendees were enjoying the songs. He could see they were singing along and clapping. Having a good time, actually. He envied them. Damon had gone to sit with Norman. Ian was there too. They weren’t doing much talking, just watching the band, drinks on the table in front of them.

He finished his drink and decided to see if Jean was up for a visit. Dwight called her cell. She was still awake and said he could come up.  He knocked and after a moment, she answered. He went in and sat down while she got back into bed. It looked like every movement hurt and he felt like a heel for making her move more than she had to.

He asked about Gail, mentioning the love fest going on in the lounge. Jean brushed it off as a what you do in Vegas, stays in Vegas but the three of them with heads together over the table still rubbed him the wrong way. He thought about mentioning his suspicion of Stephanie but during the course of the conversation, never got around to it. Dwight checked his watch, it was time to go and let her rest.

After he left he went back to the lounge. It was after eleven and the gang was now around two tables they’d pushed together. He got a drink at the bar and joined them. “Guys.” The band was on a break so they could hear each other.

“Hey, Dwight.” Gail swung an arm around his shoulders. “You go up to see Jean?”

“Yeah.” He noticed Stephanie wasn’t with the group. Gone to bed maybe?

“How’s she doing?” Ian asked.

“In pain. She has water and her phone within reach so not much else that can be done for her.”

Ian nodded. “Glad to hear it.”

“What’s the plan for tomorrow?”

“Nothing special,” Fletcher said. “Sunday night is the going-away dinner. The last chance for everyone to see each other before we fly off to the four corners of the world. Will Jean make it?”

Dwight shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it depends on how she feels tomorrow.”

Everyone nodded. “Not much in the way of planned stuff tomorrow,” Gail said. “A free day. I’m going to cruise up and down the strip, maybe do some casino sight-seeing. I tend to stay away from this part of town normally.”

“Oh, that’s right, you’re at Nellis.” Dwight studied her. She didn’t seem like someone who would sucker punch someone else and then run and hide.

“Yeah. The strip is a whole ‘nother world. I never come over here.”

The conversation turned to other hot spots on the planet. Soren, the travel blogger, had the best stories. At one the band finished. Brandon and the others decided to call it a night. Dwight stayed, canned music coming from the lounge speakers played more 80’s music but softly. A background not an assault. He sipped the drink in front of him and tried to make sense of this whole weekend.

He gave it up as a bad job when he finished what was in the glass. It was late, he was tired and a little drunk. He headed to his room. Not as drunk as normally, though, so that was something. 

Next Chapter: Chapter Thirteen