Shade scrambles to his feet as Rachel starts to laugh. He rights the chair and sits back down in it. I look at Rachel and we both roll our eyes.

“Still as clumsy as ever, ain’t ya?” Rachel asks.

“ AND still as strong,” he retorts.

“Strength is nothing if you can’t use it with grace,” I chime in.

“You leave Grace out of this!” Shade says, apparently thinking I was talking about an old friend of ours. I chuckle and roll my eyes again. I sip my drink and sigh, trying to see if Rachel really had changed. She fits herself with that trademarked Rachel smile and then I can’t tell for crap. I look at her.

“I left something outside,” I say, “I just hope nobody has taken it.” I walk outside, followed by Shade.

“Can you tell anything?” he asks.

“No,” I reply, my eyes scouring the ground for my keys.