NOVEL NEXT Chapter 146: Parting
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Harry: I hate the end of a good book. That's what this feels like, you know.
Claire: As if video calls didn't exist.
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December 2nd, 2090, about 3:45 pm MST, Montana City
"You know," Gordon admitted, "I started packing and realized I don't own anything but gym clothes. I've been using Unspool'd for eight years now, and somehow I just. . . never picked up anything new."
"That's ridiculous," Harry said. "A man should have some clothes."
"I've got gym stuff," Gordon offered with a shrug. "It'll have to do."
Harry scoffed.
Gordon gave him a flat look. "Okay. I'll go shopping. But I'm almost broke."
Harry blinked. "How are you almost broke? Claire's paying for the trip."
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"Well," Gordon said, fishing in his bag, "I meant to give you this earlier, but couldn't find the right moment." He handed Harry a slim envelope.
Inside were two tickets—first-class. A hotel reservation. A note with dates.
"Spain?" Harry asked, eyebrows rising.
"Yeah. The same city she talked about last time. I figured it mattered. Got Joe to cover for you the whole week."
Harry stared at him, then laughed. "What if we'd wanted to go to Mars?"
"She didn't," Gordon said. "She wanted Spain. And you—well, you're the groom. You don't want anything but your bride, obviously."
Harry shook his head, smiling despite himself. "All right, all right. But you are the worst at saving money."
Gordon looked away, like he wasn't sure how to hold the moment. "It means a lot what you two have done for me. So. . . this is how I thought to say thank you."
"I'd like to be the bigger man and say it was nothing, but I'll probably never be the bigger man," quipped Harry. "So instead—it's been a lot. You've been a lot. But I think you're better for it. Claire is. And we'll keep Karen streaming."
"That's for the best. Idle hands and all that. And—I'll be around. Virtually. Someone has to keep an eye on the fusion stuff."
They looked at each other silently. "See you online sometime," Harry said eventually.
They shook on it.