New York: Allie's War, Early Years

It was still risky, but it was pretty unlikely they'd chase someone down just for making a realistic drawing, especially when they'd done it to be a good Samaritan. We all three agreed we had to at least try and register a complaint somehow.

We still managed to have a good day, in spite of that.

We didn't make it to the Natural History Museum, like Jon wanted, but we did get into the Met and part of the MOMA and did a decent circuit around Central Park and through most of midtown. We ended up in SOHO by the end, wandering through yet more art and art galleries, and buying street crap from vendors when we felt like it.

I promised Jon we'd hit his museums the next day, but he didn't seem to care all that much, except maybe about those sandwiches, which he mentioned at least five times.

We should have gotten the danged sandwiches. Given all the walking and our foregoing meals to eat street vendor hotdogs and pizza and a few other snack-like foods, it didn't take much alcohol to get us all borderline drunk. Even Jon had a good buzz going by the time Jaden and his band spilled into the club through from the back-alley performer's door.

They had the usual group of hangers-on, so I gave him space. I did watch, though, as Jaden talked to the sound guy again, along with the lead singer of the headlining band and their guitarist. It was a relief not to see pouty lips anywhere in sight. It had been nagging at me, the thought of her hanging on him every second I wasn't around.

But Cass was right. If he wanted to stray, he would stray.

Jaden stopped by for a kiss and a hello before they retreated into the back room to go over the set list and do all of that other pre-show stuff. When he came over, I realized I was already a little further gone than I'd realized, when I grinned at him like a loon.

When he got close enough, I slung my arms around his neck, kissing him.

"Hi," I said, still grinning.

"Hey, baby," he said, smiling back. His hands grabbed my ass, and I pushed them off, laughing. "...Miss me?" he teased.

"Of course."

"You'd better." He wrapped his arms around my waist, glancing down at the skinny jeans and t-shirt I was wearing. His fingers traced the tattoo on my arm, one of the decorations I put right above the state-mandated barcode. "You guys have fun today?"

"Yeah. Despite our witnessing police brutality." At his puzzled look, I waved off my words. "I'll explain later. Anyway, it would have been more fun if you'd come."