Ashleigh stopped by Esmeralda's apartment with a few cardboard boxes to collect some more of her clothes. When she walked inside, she found Tommy sitting at the kitchen table, while Esmeralda's mother served him frijoles and rice from the stove. Esmeralda's mother looked at Ashleigh over Tommy's shoulders and mouthed help me in Spanish. Ashleigh just smiled. She hadn't been here in a couple of weeks, and she wondered what life was like back in Esmeralda's apartment.
“Tommy, when you're done eating, I need you to carry some boxes out for me.”
“That's it?” Tommy asked. “I don't hear from you for a month, and when you finally show up, that's all you have to say to me.”
“It hasn't been a month. Two weeks, maybe. I'll be packing.” Ashleigh carried the empty boxes toward Esmeralda's room.
“Damn it!” Tommy overturned his plate, and it shattered on the floor. Esmeralda's mother shrieked. Tommy stood up and followed Ashleigh. “Where have you been this time?”
“Oh, you know.” Ashleigh shrugged while she pulled clothes from Esmeralda's hangers and dropped them in a box. “Washington and Atlanta, mainly. Plus Sacramento, San Francisco...we have a whole state to cover, you know.”
“You and Eddie.”
“It's my job, Tommy.” She began packing shoes.
“Are we moving out?” Tommy asked. “I think Esmeralda's mom is finally starting to like me. I've listened to all her stories about Esmeralda.”
“We're not moving. I'm just picking up a few things.”
“You're taking all the clothes.”
“No, I'm not. I'm leaving those tube tops.”
Tommy grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face him. “I want to talk to Esmeralda.”
“Tommy, not now.” Ashleigh sighed. “We're on a tight schedule. The cab's waiting for me.”
Tommy knocked the box from her hand. “I don't care about your schedule. I want to see her.”
Ashleigh sighed. “Okay. Five minutes, no more.”
“Hurry up.”
Ashleigh closed her eyes. She slowly rolled her head around on her neck, then opened her eyes again.
“Tommy,” she said. She kissed him. “I missed you so much.”
“I miss you, too.” Tommy held her close. “Don't you think it's time we find a permanent body for Ashleigh? Then you and me can be together.”
“And I want us to be together. But we have to wait until after the election, okay? Because Ashleigh knows how to do this work for the congressman, a lot better than I do. I don't want to get stuck with all her work.”
“What do you care about any of that?” Tommy asked. “You say you love me. But you don't even try to stay with me. You let Ashleigh control you all the time.”
“I love Ashleigh.”
Tommy grimaced. “What's to love?”
Ashleigh scowled at him. “Fuck you, Tommy.” She pushed away from him and reached for the box he'd knocked to the floor.
“Do you love me or not?”
“Of course I do. We're just very busy right now.”
Tommy pulled her back to him and stared into her eyes. “You don't sound like Esmeralda.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? It's me, Tommy.”
Tommy stared at her a minute longer. “Do you remember the gold coin I gave you?”
Ashleigh had no idea what he was talking about. “Of course I do, baby. It was really sweet.”
“Do you remember the year on the coin?”
“The year?” She giggled. “What are you talking about?”
“What was on the coin? Which president?”
“Tommy, just tell me what's wrong.”
“Just answer the question.”
Ashleigh sighed. “I don't remember.”
“Try.”
“Was it...Washington?”
“There wasn't a president, Ashleigh. It was an Indian chief.”
“Oh. Hey, you called me Ashleigh. Silly boy.” She tried to kiss him again, but he pushed her back.
“You are Ashleigh, aren't you?” he said. “You're trying to trick me.”
“Tommy, no, I just couldn't remember—”
“Esmeralda would remember. Has she ever been with me, since she let you take over her body?” A snarl curled his lips. “Have you been tricking me the whole time we've been here?”
“Tommy, you're crazy.”
“I am not crazy!” He slammed her back against the wall, and grasped her throat in one hand. “You are a liar. I've seen how you tricked everyone. Darcy. Jenny. You lie to everyone. And most people are stupid enough to believe you.”
“Tommy, let me go. That hurts.”
“It's supposed to hurt.” He squeezed her throat tighter. “You don't think you've hurt me, Ashleigh? Or do you just not care?”