Chapter eleven

Later that night per the national news, I learned that the charges against Aro Vouch and four others ranged from kidnapping to sexual assault of a minor and every fucking thing in between.

Vouch had been arrested in 1997 for the solicitation of a child, which he'd failed to successfully pull off.

A quick google search told me that he had, indeed, been a registered sex offender.

The shock that ran through me landed as a rock of guilt in my stomach when I saw Vouch's mug shot. Just... a saggy old white dude, looked a little bit like that Uncle Jesse from the Dukes of Hazzard reruns my dad loved. Uncle Jesse only meaner and more grizzled.

It took me a few minutes to— he looked familiar right away, but to piece it together took me a moment of staring at the computer screen, my shaking hand hovering over the keyboard.

It was the old guy in overalls from outside of the store the day Edward disappeared. I had been sitting in a truck having the time of my life, cat-calling my boyfriend while that monster had been planning this horror.

He knew.

When he spoke to Edward and glared at me, that son of a bitch knew he was going to up-end the world.

And at the time, we'd laughed.

I couldn't bear to look at anything anymore.

"I don't know," I told my mom as she stood in the doorway to my room, "if it's better not to know details and just go on...or if he needs me to know them...to understand him."

"Bella, baby, you know this gonna be so hard..." my mom started, flinging a dishtowel over her shoulder.

"I know."

"Can I say something without you flying off the handle?"

"Yes?"

"I don't know if I even want you involved in this. It's a lot. A lot that I don't want you to have to hear about or deal with." Mom took a deep breath and held a hand out to stop me, and I realized that I had taken a deep, defensive breath to retort without even noticing. "The type of pain he's going through is so intense, so volatile. I just...I'm nearly just as worried for you."

"So, yes. Let's just all abandon him," I said hotly, and I would have done so even if she'd clapped her hand over my mouth. "Let's just leave him to deal with this because he hasn't dealt with enough on his own-"

"Bella, I didn't say that. I'm saying think. Reflect, on all of this. I know you care for him, and that is wonderful. But he might not be able to deal with that. Not right now."

"I won't pressure him for anything. I haven't and I won't," I balked.

"It's so complicated, honey," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "It's such a fine line. I want you to be strong. We've raised you to stand by those you love, and seeing you so fiercely determined to be there for him makes me prouder than I can ever say out loud. But Bella. Something like this has the potential to hurt. Forever. And I want you to be sure this is the road you want for yourself."

"Edward is all I've ever wanted," I said. She sighed and closed her eyes- not in irritation, not in a patronizing way- more like in that "I was afraid you were going to bring that up" kind of way. She took a deep, chest-expanding breath before continuing, her eyes open and staring into mine.

"He was, then. But it's important to remember that this kind of thing changes someone so much," she said. Not firmly or even realistically, but gently. "He's not likely to be the only boy you fall for."

"Life happens," I snapped. "I don't just run away when it does."

She gave me a soft smile and told me to turn out the lights before bed.

When my phone buzzed, my heart leapt. My lips pursed as I looked at the screen.

It was a text from Jake.

im guessing shit got real...

I was going to text him back, but then, I kind of really wanted to talk to him about it, about everything.

He hadn't known Edward before. He was totally on the outside of this and the truth was, he was my closest friend these days. I didn't feel as free with anyone as I did with Jacob, Edward included. Edward these days, anyway.

Just seeing Jake's name was like a refreshing breath, a weird kind of solace from the emotional mayhem that had been the past seventy-two hours.

"Hey," I said when he answered.

"Heya," Jake said.

"Um. So."

"Sooooo. Don't freak. I gave your ticket to Paul."

My eyes closed and I smiled. Jacob was forever making things easy for me, letting me off the hook, understanding. It made me feel like a rat and it also made me ridiculously, stupidly, wondrously glad that someone out there saw fit to put Jake into my life. I absolutely did not deserve him as a- as my special friend, but I was way too needy and selfish to let him go.

"Thank you, Jake," I whispered. "And I'm sorry."

"Psssh. Don't be sorry." Maybe I was delusional, but I swear I heard an easy, not forced smile in his voice. "Now I can drink scotch and watch ladies dancing in Phoenix. It'll be way better than dragging you along." I knew him well by now. His laughter was genuine.

"But send me pictures," I told him. "All day long, of everything I'm missing."

"You just want pictures of me all day long?" he ribbed.

"Sure," I laughed. "And maybe you could make Paul pose like I would in front of important landmarks, because he's my sub and all."

"I'll do that. Maybe I'll kiss him in the desert, too, since he's taking your place." I laughed out loud and rolled over on my bed.

"You're kind of amazing, Jake," I told him.

"I know," he sighed. "Can I be honest for a second?"

"Please."

"I'm real happy that that guy is back. I am. But fuck, dude. He's got terrible timing."

I laughed quietly and took a breath.

"Seriously, Bella. Um. I'm gonna take this trip, so just... you hang out there and maybe...we'll just see what's up when I get back? Or...I don't know. There is no precedent or standard it's-not-you-it's-me kind of line for this. This is unchartered and weird. Not bad or unfair or whatever, just... weird."

"Definitely weird," I agreed.

"I'm...not sure if I'm being dumped or if I was a placeholder or what, but..."

"No! None of that, Jake. It's really confusing for me, too. I have no idea what I... I just need a little bit of time. Because my head is such a mess that I'd be no fun right now, anyway."

"Bah. You were never fun," he said. And just like that, the conversation veered to the beach, to cactus needles and Twizzlers. Anything we would have been discussing last week, before... before.

The next morning I woke up early and rolled out of bed. I put some sweatpants on and made my way to the kitchen, looking for juice or coffee or something, but there wasn't much.

Charlie had been so busy at the station, meeting with the DA and the media and mom had been fluttering about, keeping his clothes always ironed for random press conferences and making sure the house was always in order for the frequent drop-ins of the DA or any of his legal team. I had been surprised and a little wary that the court proceedings were going so quickly, but Charlie had mentioned that Carlisle was using every little bit of his clout and a lot bit of his money and last name to speed things along so that they could have everything over and done with, so Edward could go on like normal.

It's good in theory, right?

Grumbling something along the lines of "what good was a tidy coffee table if she couldn't offer them any coffee?," I slammed the cabinet shut and grabbed my keys, deciding to head to the grocery store in town for something of the Hostess variety and a cold OJ. The clock in the truck read 8:14, way too early for a weekend morning, but I'd given up on a good night's sleep two years ago.

I pulled into the lot and stopped short, my hands on the keys, which were still in the ignition. Edward, Jasper and Emmett were in front of the store and on bikes like when they were twelve.

I slowly got out of the truck; the three of them looked at me and said various greetings.

Edward was staring at my chest, which was pounding. I wondered if there would ever be a time when the sight of him wouldn't make my insides go batshit.

"Hey," I said, smoothing my hair back and looking down.

I was wearing his JV jersey...as I had nearly every night since he left. Since before he left. Since forever.

He'd finally finished getting that haircut, and he left some length on the top.

His clothes looked brand new and I supposed they'd have to, he'd grown so much in two years. Taller and practically right out of his skin.

"What the hell are you doing out so early, and what the hell are you wearing?" Emmett asked.

"Couldn't sleep, and my jammies, thank you very much," I said, stepping up on a speed bump.

"Jammies," he snorted, poking a straw in his Rock Star.

"Who let you get an energy drink this early?" I countered.

Emmett took a deep sip from his straw and grinned around it.

"We're going on a bike ride," Jasper said. "Ya want in?" He tapped the space on his handle bars and waggled his brows at me.

Yes.

More than anything, yes.

But Edward had yet to even really acknowledge me, and I wasn't sure that he even wanted me around.

I wasn't sure if he even liked me as a person.

I wasn't sure if we ever even broke up.

I just wasn't sure.

"Fuck, I forgot a danish," Emmett said, hopping off his bike.

"Uh. Me too," Jasper hedged, just dropping his bike between his legs and neatly swinging his leg over it as it fell. I rolled my eyes at their failed subtlety but stayed put.

Edward remained on his bike, his feet planted on the ground, those old tennis shoes still on.

I wanted to kind of ask how boys got over shit so fast, how he could just do this with Emmett and Jasper and not me.

But I didn't want to pressure him, to make him say things he didn't mean...or worse, things he did.

I hated that I expected something from him.

But I kind of couldn't help it.

For the entire time, I'd been waiting on this, and now that he was back...I just wanted more and more. There was a time then when I tried to bargain with God, saying that if he'd just bring him back home, if i could just see him once, then I'd be happy. I promised.

Well, I broke that promise.

I wanted it all back because this wasn't good enough.

"You're driving now," he said, nodding toward my mom's car.

"Yeah. I…aged."

He nodded and stood, straddling the bike, sticking his hands in the front pocket on his sweatshirt and I was struck by how much older he looked. I hadn't noticed Jasper, Emmett or Mike turning into men but then again, I saw them every day.

"Sorry about yesterday," he finally said, rolling the bike back and forth.

"Are you kidding?" I waved him off. "Don't even be sorry. About anything."

He pursed his lips, looking out at the morning sun, then looked back at me.

"Don't do that, you know?" he finally said. "Don't make me not accountable. I'm not a six-year-old or a moron."

"I know," I said, my eyes wide, my voice rushing. "I know. I just...I'm not gonna be mad at you for coping, or whatever."

He nodded and looked down, toying with the zipper of his sweatshirt.

"If things were the way they were then, you'd never let me live down puking on your feet."

I fought the urge to grin and cry; that was true. But then, nerves never would've made him puke on my feet, either.

"Oh. Um," I reached behind my neck, fingering the knot of his twine necklace. "Your mom gave me this. I've been wearing it like...an idiot. I showered with it so it got a little warped, I'm sorry-"

"No. No, keep it," Edward said, backing the bike up. "I don't want it. Looks better on you anyway."

I dropped my hands and bit my lip to keep from frowning.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"It'd be easier if...I mean. I can't tell what you want. You're not wearing any of your old stuff, but then you cut your hair...you don't want the necklace or..." I wanted to say me, you don't want me, but I just let it go.

He blew out a breath then spit over his shoulder.

"I have no idea what I want," he said simply, just as Emmett and Jasper came back out holding danishes, eggrolls, and chicken wings.

"Ready?" Edward asked them.

"Power up, punk," Emmett said. He stuck an entire eggroll in his mouth and picked up his bike by one handle.

Edward was already standing up, ass off the seat, pedaling out of the lot.

xxxxx

There was a tap at my window and I flopped off of my bed, scrambling over to open it, not giving a damn if my mom heard or not.

I slid open the window and Edward slid in. I would not let the memory of what happened last time he did this ruin this moment.

He had come to me.

He had come to me in our way, and I would not taint it with worry or tears or the ghosts of what had happened and what we know now could happen.

"Hi," I said, watching as his eyes trailed over every detail of my room, finding everything just the same.

"It still smells like you," he said, half a smile on his face.

"I'm so glad you're here," I told him, blinking back tears. "I wanted to call or come over...but I didn't want to-"

He grabbed my shirt and put his mouth on mine, something restrained and determined and kind of painful. It was lip to lip, but it wasn't a kiss. It was an act of desperation and confusion and trying.

I grasped at him, trying to return the kiss. I grappled and arched, trying to kiss back, wanting to do this, but something was...off.

Not that I was looking for familiar; I'd have been willing to start something completely new and different, but this was not that. His hands went to the tops of my arms, his hands shook and squeezed. I stayed frozen to the spot, not necessarily scared, but not exactly at ease. He pulled away with a heavy breath and looked me up and down, my face a mask of anxious confusion.

"Forget it," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, turning to go. "Just forget it."

"Edward, what-" I hated how breathless I sounded.

"This was stupid. I just thought if I- you know what? I'm sorry. Just...go to sleep. I'll see ya around."

"No, wait, stop!" I said, trailing him to the window, but he'd already taken ahold of the tree limb.

"Just fucking forget it," he said, before slipping in to the night.

I stood there, kind of, maybe more empty than I'd been before he came in.

And I just gaped like a fucking moron while he slipped out of that window again.

xxxxx

"I don't want to do this," I told Rose a couple of days later, sitting in her Honda Civic and running a hand over my tired eyes.

"Well. Some things, we just do," Rose said, flipping up the visor after applying her mascara.

We were parked at the beach in fucking La Push, of all places.

Apparently, Edward had insisted the old bonfire stomping grounds weren't off limits.

I still couldn't figure him out.

Hanging out in La Push, the meadow of all places, all that he insisted on retaining. On just acting like nothing happened.

But me? Hell no, he was having no part of me.

Baseball, apparently, was off limits as well.

Em brought him next season's Forks High Roster and he threw it away.

Hitting balls in the meadow, okay; back to the team, not okay.

Bonfire, okay.

It was the night before preliminaries for his trial were set to begin, and I only knew that because of the news and my dad, who'd have to be there to give a deposition about the missing persons case and his return, or so I think. I'm not down with the rituals of a court case, and I was way too much of a chicken to ask or even eavesdrop on purpose.

"Rose," I sighed, then trailed off, shaking my head. "It hurts."

"He hurts," she countered. "Be there for him, whether he likes it or not."

I understood that, I did, but it occurred to me that just because Edward was in pain that it shouldn't necessarily undermine mine.

"For all of us," Rose said after a few moments, her hand on the door handle.

"Rose," I sighed, wincing at her wince the moment I started to speak. "We're not the same. It's like, we keep trying to make it all the same, like we're trying to live like we were two years ago, but we can't go back-"

"Bella. I get it. Just... get out of the car."

I reluctantly did as she asked and we headed over to where a swarm of people were already there, including Jess, Jasper, Emmett and Edward.

Everyone and their brother (in three cases, literally) showed up to get a glimpse of Edward, who sat next to the fire on a log, his trusty bottle in hand, staring at the fire while people partied and milled around him, oblivious to his state.

I accepted a cup from Jess who dragged me over to their spot, saying hey to a few people we knew who were just... watching.

Watching to see if we were Edward and Bella...and we were not.

Sitting down adjacent to Edward, I pulled out my phone and sipped at my cup while Rose and Emmett took turns telling a story about some movie they went to the other night. Jess described in great detail some "ho from the fro-yo stand."

Tanya Denali, who'd graduated the year before, both from Forks High and the school of hard knocks, came sidling up with two cups and a smile.

"You want?" she asked, handing Edward a cup and taking the seat next to him. His shoulders tensed and if a guy could collapse into himself, Edward looked like he would do just that. I don't know that I've ever seen a person look quite that uncomfortable in my life.

"Thanks," he said, then proceeded to use beer to chase his whiskey. I looked up from my phone to see her light a cigarette and watch him with her black-lined, bloodshot eyes.

"Do you want me to sit someplace else?" she asked after a while.

"No, you're all right," Edward replied, turning his head so that his chin rested practically on his shoulder, his stare focused away from everyone. Tanya smiled and settled herself in comfortably, almost touching sides with him but not quite.

I rolled my eyes and my stomach did the same.

I looked at Rose who waved it off with a small sneer and grinned at me softly. Jasper got up and stood in front of me, demonstrating his version of the Dougie, spilling beer all over my feet and himself, trying to make me laugh, to distract me, to cover them from my view.

I swigged what was in my cup and held it out, asking Jasper for another.

"There's my girl," Jasper said, eagerly taking my cup.

"...No, so she gets fired from the fro-yo stand at the mall-"

"Northland?" Rose asked, interrupting Jess.

"Of course, Skanks 'r' Us. So I told Mike, I told him- look, if you absolutely have to go to the fucking Gap, we're driving out to Seattle. I don't want him near that yogurt peddling whore."

Rose snorted with laughter and Jessica hit her arm.

"Anyway. He's all, 'I swear I didn't touch her,'" Jess mocked his voice, deep and grumpy, and even I snorted into my cup. "And I'm all, that bitch would screw anything that was still long enough for her to sit on, and so he gets offended!"

"What?" I asked, wrinkling my nose.

"Like, offended that I think that he couldn't find someone un-skanky to cheat on me with!" Jess cries, incredulous, but she's drunk, and so this is very funny for her.

"You guys are like, the most dysfunctional couple ever," Rosalie scoffed. "Seriously. Get help."

"Baaah," Jessica groaned, sitting back. "I love that dumb shit."

I shook my head, still smiling. Then Jasper was back with my drink, and Tanya was whispering something into Edward's ear, but he was leaning away from her with this look on his face, one I'd never seen before. He looked like one of the opossums Charlie used to catch and release out by our shed. Before he let them go, when they were locked in the cage- so they looked paralyzed with wildness and fright. Or maybe fear of the unknown.

"Move back," I snapped at Tanya from across the fire. "God, you're like some-"

"It's okay," Edward said quietly. But everyone heard it.

"Mind your own business much?" she snapped back at me.

"Can't you see he's freaked out?" I retorted, and everything got all quiet. Over the dim light, I noticed Edward's face turn a shade of humiliated red.

"Bella. Just shut up," he breathed, his tone dull and falling around my ears like when you're having a nightmare where you're in a dark, empty room and echoing footsteps are approaching but you don't know who's coming. Edward gulped the rest of his drink and when Tanya moved in closer, he accepted the already lit cigarette she offered to him.

I looked at Rose, who was looking at me with all the apologies in the world in her eyes and Jess actually ogled.

"I'm leaving," I told Rosalie quietly. "I tried. I can't."

She stood up and had her keys in hand, tossing her beer on the beach.

"Wait. You're leaving?" Edward asked, like all that hadn't just gone down.

"Yes."

I didn't want to have petty high school feelings and emotions right then. I didn't. He'd been back from hell, and he needed patience from me. So, I smiled and gave a nod while he grabbed a fresh drink for himself.

Rose and I were halfway to the lot, my arm linked with hers. She was walking so quickly I could barely keep up, stumbling along behind her, when I heard Edward call out my name.

"Where're you going?" he asked, a slight slur catching the rasp of his voice.

"Home," I said with a shrug, looking at him over my shoulder. "Go on, Rose. I'll catch up," I told her.

Edward stopped in front of me and I rocked on my heels, my hands shoved in my pockets, not sure how to not touch him.

"I had to get lighter fluid from the car," he said, his hood now pulled up.

"Oh."

"Why're you going again?"

"I don't want to see you with Tanya," I said truthfully. He looked off to the side, not saying anything.

"Rose is waiting on me, so," I said. I turned to walk away, quickly, so he wouldn't see the tears that were gathering in the corners of my eyes. He didn't need to see that.

"Can you just not move so fast?" he asked. "Can you please just...give me a second?"

"Yeah," I said, rubbing my forehead, not willing to look at him again, because the thought of crying again made me want to fall over in exhaustion.

"I probably shouldn't have told you to shut up," he offered quietly, then he chewed the corner of his lip for a second before continuing. "But I've got enough to be humiliated about and when you... did that? When you acted like I needed a savior..."

"If you want to hang out with Tanya, it's fine," I lied. "It's just that... well, Edward. You kinda looked like you wanted to bail."

"Tanya's easy," he said.

"Yeah, no shit. The whole county knows that."

"Not like that," he said, so tired. So worn out.

"Like what, then? Because she seemed to be making you really super uncomfortable."

"Not as much as you do. With you, I feel like... like... like I want to take my skin off before I ever touch you again. Like thinking of you and me? How it was before? Makes me sick, Bella. I mean, literally sick."

"I don't look at you any differently because of that."

"Well, maybe you should!" he sort of yelled, and I was so sad for him in that moment, but I held it together because I know he needed me to be strong for the both of us. He took a deep breath before continuing and his voice was calmer, softer. "You should, because I am different. You know? I am. And me and you are like, tip-toeing around this thing like we can just be the same people, but we can't. Ever. And so I don't even know if...if..."

"If what? If we even still like each other?" I asked.

"I'm so far from even going there," he said, shaking his head. "Not even that. Just...I don't want to have to lay any of that shit on you. I've done and seen sick shit that sometimes...even now, I can't get out of my head. And I hate myself for it."

"It wasn't your fault."

"It doesn't even matter whose fault it is."

"Okay," I said, nodding slowly. "Do you want me to stay, then? Sit with you?" Because I would. I would have been there in any capacity he wanted me.

He licked his lip, which had started pulling into a frown. He backed up, just a little bit. But it was enough. I got the message.

"It's just so fucking hard to be two different people, Bella. I'm me... but then I'm that kid in the house, too. And I don't know which one... I mean, I just don't know. I want to push you away and I want you right there—it's like that with everything."

"I can be your friend," I told him, tipping my head up to find his eyes. "I can do that."

He pulled me in with one arm and held on to me, hugging me close.

"Bella?"

"What?"

"I don't want to go back to that fucking party," he laughed.

"No, we can-"

"Ready bro?" Emmett asked, approaching with Jasper.

"Yeah," Edward said over my head before turning to me. "I've got this thing to do...so."

I looked at the three of them.

"What thing?"

Emmett and Jasper exchanged a glance and Edward backed away from me, his arms extended at each side.

"Nothing," he shrugged, "I'll see ya around, okay?"

"What thing?" I demanded, walking forward. Emmett sighed and huffed at me.

"A guy thing. No vaginas," Emmett said, tapping my forehead, but something wasn't right.

"What are you doing?" I asked, dropping my voice. "What are you doing?"

"Taking care of business," Jasper said and by that point, we were at the edge of the woods.

I noticed the bat in Jasper's hands swung up over his shoulder, and he glanced behind himself before stepping in to the dense trees.

"Ya coming?" Emmett asked, resigned after Jasper and Edward went ahead.

I followed into the dark, relieved when Jasper pulled a flashlight out.

"If we get lost or turned around-"

"We won't," Emmett said, and it didn't seem like we would because Edward sure looked like he knew exactly where he was going.

We walked for what seemed like an hour, until the branches had cut up my arms and legs and my body ached all over and my mind was growing weary.

Things started to make sense.

We stood in front of a yellowing, sagging house, the perimeter taped off with caution tape.

The three of us stood just behind Edward who stood on the first step, his chest heaving as he stared at the shack of a house, rage like no other I've ever seen etched in to his face.

"Let's go," I said, touching his arm, but he shook me off sharp and fast, like my fingers were hot pokers.

Emmett grabbed my elbow and pulled me back a few steps, shaking his head at me.

Let him be.

Without taking his eyes from the house, Edward reached out and took the aluminum bat from Jasper then stepped under the tape.

He splintered the door and broke the knob off in six loud, ear-splitting cracks of the bat.

Then he kicked the door in.

I gave Emmett and Jasper a wide-eyed stare, my mouth dry, my heart pounding. I went to step, to go after him, but Jasper caught me by the waist.

I stopped counting the cracks and bashes at seven, closing my eyes and resting against Emmett, jumping with each shattering noise.

Edward finally came back out, his face white but his hair dampened with sweat. He tossed the bat on the floor and grabbed the lighter fluid from Jasper, who had somehow produced a second bottle from the pocket of his sweatshirt.

They walked the perimeter of the house, hosing it down with accelerant while I just stood and watched.

After, Edward stood back and stared at the house for what seemed like forever. His face was blank; he simply watched it, like he was etching it into his memory.

Then he took out a Zippo and lit a cigarette before tossing the still-lit lighter at the house.

He turned and walked away, the flames rising behind him.

Emmett pulled at me hard and fast while Jasper took out his cell and called the fire department. Edward just kept walking.

The woods filled with smoke, the smell of Edward's stolen years clouded around us, but on we walked.

xxxxx

It stayed quiet, even when it was obvious Edward was crying.

His boys didn't go rush to comfort him or say a word, and neither did I. We just let him keep ahead, leading us back the way we came while he cried with harsh, heavy, wet heaves, choking on his own breath, but on he went.

When we reached the edge of the property, Rosalie was there with Emmett's running car.

Edward turned and glared at him, his eyes puffy and red and pissed.

"I just texted her to be here with the car," Emmett shrugged. "She don't know shit."

We got into the car and Rosalie backed out, not saying a word.

I sat between Edward and Jasper in the back, all of us too tired, too emotionally drained, just too much to even speak. This was us as we had been for years, crammed in the back seat of a car and up to no good; yet at the same time I knew it was not us. This was a definitive turn into whole new people. Strangers with a secret.

"Big fire out there tonight," Rosalie commented. "Hope everyone is okay."

Edward leaned his head against the window and Jasper slouched back, staring out into the black.

Emmett took Rosalie's hand and held it on his lap, swallowing hard and staring straight ahead.

We all knew.

But no one was going to say it.

We drove for twenty minutes until we pulled up at my house, where I got out without a word.

I wasn't worried.

No one would say we went missing from that party.

No one would be able to blame him.

There was a ton of people who'd want to see that place burn. While Edward was obvious, who would come after him for that?

Charlie wouldn't.

And I knew it.

The response to this story continues to amaze me. You guys are so great with your reviews. I'm trying to keep up with responding to you, just bear with me! Thanks for staying with me, I know it isn't easy.

Have a great weekend, and for the Americans- have a safe Memorial Day. I'll see you all Monday!