Brian thought about the baggy, just as she reached into his pocket. He had only enough time to flinch before Valerie’s fingers held up the crinkly object. “Ahh… that— ” How was he going to play this? As he stood there studying Valerie’s face, he thought about the only woman in his life who’d been vested enough to comment on it. His mother hadn’t been a big fan of substance use, not in his dad, not in him. There was always a heap of guilt – ‘What if your sister saw you do this?’ – like he would ever be that stupid. Madeleine didn’t use, but she didn’t care who did.

‘Just be straight with her.’

“Right now, I’m relieved it’s not a condom,” he said, cracking a lopsided smile. “Because that would be uncomfortable.” His fingers floated through his hair and scratched lightly at his scalp. “Those are, uh… those are my pre-show ritual. Not tonight. I won’t.” He reached out his palm in case she wanted to give them back; getting arrested for carrying probably wasn’t on her to-do list for the weekend.