I put in my notice at the apartment, and started to reach out to modeling agencies elsewhere. Kanesha’s suggestion was a good one.

 

I felt as if I was tearing her away from everything she was and everything she wanted to be. I knew how much teaching mattered to her. I’d taken her and turned her into something else for what?

 

Because I loved her? Was it real? Could it be…and I knew that for self pity and headed it off before I descended any further down that path. I could waste hours on that.

 

Of course, Baltimore was close enough that I could still work for this agency. But…I couldn’t help but think it wasn’t far enough away.

 

Leave it.

 

My mother knew, though, what it was to be loyal to a lover. She knew about that obstacle. Maybe I should have asked her for advice.

 

Then I found the opportunity. On the west coast. And maybe if we went there the slow way…a road trip.

 

We both had our license. We could buy an old junker, get minimal insurance, I didn’t have much I was attached to and neither did she, not since the fire.

 

We were both kind of sort of adults. I pulled out my cell phone, shook my head. Then sent off the application.

 

I’d talk to her, of course, but I didn’t want her to plan for something which might not happen. Then I kept looking through things, but my mind went back to that agency.

 

Not Hollywood, per se, but close. Would it be too obvious for me? Was anything I did not too obvious, short of asking if I could flee back to Asgard.

 

Where I couldn’t take Kanesha.

 

Where I clearly wasn’t meant to be right now. No. Besides, I wasn’t running. I was tactically retreating so that…

 

…so that he didn’t think I had attachment to any particular place. Of course, I did. I had attachment to Seb and Clara and Will.

 

None of whom were going to come with me. They could manage, though. Derek would stop being my problem.

 

Other things would take his place. I didn’t want to do this, and I knew that was the weapon Surtur had.

 

I had to let go of the place. Not so much the people. People could move, people could run and survive. Places were more vulnerable.

 

I got an email back almost right away. They wanted to fly me out for an interview. In Los Angeles.

 

I did not want to go to Los Angeles in particular, from what I’d heard of the place.

 

But I knew I had to do what my mother said. For once.