After lunch, Mila was still withdrawn. She ate just half of her chicken sandwich, and a few sips of Coke.
"Mila..." Kyle said calmly. "You're making me go soft. What's bothering you?"
"I think I made a mistake." She admitted quickly.
"What? When?"
"Coming with you. I think...I think I make you mad..." Her eyes started to tear up.
"Ahh for fuck's sake, girl." Kyle burried his head in his hands. Mumbling, he said, "You don't make me mad."
"But...at the field...you were so angry."
"No, I wasn't. Just a little frustraighted." He got out of his hands and leaned back against the booth. "We've both had some pretty crazy days lately."
"Yeah."
"Let's just start fresh, okay? Nobody's mad or sad about anything." Kyle proposed. "We're two new people. The past is all behind us now. We got new lives in front of us. Neh?"
The past is all behind us now. No going back. New lives...
Mila nodded and showed Kyle the smile he was delighted to see.
"There ya go!" Kyle said. "Good girl. Alright. Ready to go? We'll find something cool to go look at."
"Okay!"
"Give me a second. I'll pay the tab. Go ahead and get back in the car." Kyle handed Mila the car keys, then walked around to the restrooms. He went up to a pay phone and dropped in a coin.
"Yeah Operator, put me throught to 'Hotel Dusk' please." He said quietly.
After a few moments, Kyle said,
"I need to speak with a Mr DeNonno."
"Yeah?" Dunning said on the other line. "You ain't the cops, are ya?"
"No sir. And even if I was, I wouldn't tell you."
"Uh...HUH? Alright alright. Gimme a sec."
...
"H...hello?" Louis breathed into the phone.
"Louie!"
"...Hyde? Seriously? Hah! I thought maybe you was some chup looking for me! I got a million questions for ya, man!"
"Shhhh...is Dunning there?"
"Nah man. He gone ta' some other place. So what's the deal, man? You run off with the dame?"
"Yeah you could say that."
"Ah what the hell! Are you for real?"
"She wanted to go. She came out and asked me; I didn't invite her."
"Oh maaaan. Why'd you do that?"
Kyle couldn't help but smirk at the disappointment Louis was facing now.
"Calm down Louie. It's no big deal. You know she wasn't gonna stay there forever anyway."
"I was gonna try to work this DeNonno magic an her, alright? Then she'd stay forever."
"Shut up Louie. Here. Listen. I need you to do a favor for me."
"You kidding? Why?"
"Come on."
Louie laughed. "Aahhh man just pulling your leg. What'cha need?"
"I need you to erase all evidence of me being at the Hotel."
"For sure, man?"
"Yes. I need you to get my name, both times, out of that Guest Register."
"Aaahh that's tough. But alright, my man. Anything for you."
"And I need you to promise something."
"Lay it on me."
"You must never try to contact me, ever again. What happened at the hotel never did. Got it?"
"Ah...okay...if you're sure." Louie sounded a little dismayed. "After all that, we gotta disappear?"
"Yeah. It's a dangerous world. You know..."
"This about Bradley?"
"I'm..." Kyle looked around, then sighed. "I'm throwing my hat in. I'm giving up. I want to start all over again."
"I know the feeling, man. Alright alright. So I guess this is our last goodbye?"
"I guess so. Louie, stay good."
"You too, Officer Hyde. I uh...hey, if...if you can, maybe tell Mila I said bye. Okay?"
"Ughhh...alright."
"So...I guess uh...Ciao, brother! Thanks for everything."
"Bye Louie."
Kyle hung up the receiver and looked at the ground for a few moments.
That's life I guess...
When Kyle came back to his car, Mila was sitting in the passenger's seat with the door open. There was a cricket on the ground that she watching like a cat.
"Hey." Kyle said to get her attention. "You ready to go?"
Mila looked up at nodded.
"Mr Hyde?" She asked.
"Please. Just call me Kyle. Mr Hyde is getting a little weird. What is it?"
Mila pointed at the front of her dress. There was a streak where she must have spilled some ketchup.
"Oh come on. You've gotta be kidding!" Kyle said, planting his head in his palm. "You don't have anything else to wear, huh?"
Mila shook her head.
"I'm gonna be all outta dough soon, girl."