“My whole problem,” he said to an audience of myself, Kyle, and Bobby what’s-his-face as we lolled about on the couch in their apartment, “is that I keep trying in vain to get all these old pieces recognized and it puts me into a slump. I haven’t done anything new. Your hair was brown when I did that last set of you, Al, which shows how long it’s been.”

We all murmured appreciatively at his clever new thoughts.

“So I have to look to the future!” he announced. “New horizons, fresh ideas.”

We all cheered at his enthusiasm.

“That’s why I need you,” he concluded, indicating me with a sweeping gesture. “It’s a new Spencer D’Arcy and a new Alice Pieszecki.”

We all applauded at the rousing speech.

“That’s so great, Spence,” said Kyle. “But you’re standing in front of the TV, so…”

Spencer moved aside, mumbling something about retreating into the studio.

“What studio?” I asked Kyle.

“Oh,” Kyle said. “He’s been sleeping in here lately and he’s converted his bedroom into a little studio. It’s way cute.”

“Where are you sleeping?” I asked Bobby. Bobby, who is a bit of a mute, made a vague gesture that could have meant “the sky” or “outside” for all I knew.

“My room,” Kyle supplied. “We wouldn’t disturb the great artist, you know.”

“Ah, perish the thought.”

“Al?” Spencer said, poking his head out of the bedroom-I mean, studio. “Come in, okay?”

“I…” My eyes were glued to the TV. We were watching Days of our Lives and Marlena was ***** being possessed by the devil and if Spencer thought I was missing that, he was one crazed *****. “Wait, give me a few minutes.”

He made an impatient clicking sound with his tongue. “Alice. Now.”

I sighed heavily. “It’s okay,” Kyle said without looking up. “We’ll tell you if she’s really possessed or not.”

“Ah, thanks,” I said, getting up and following Spencer.

“Come on!” he called.

“Keep your ***** on,” I said, annoyed. “I said I’d do it, didn’t I?”

“Yeah. Over there.”

I whistled appreciatively at the new lights. “Where’d you get ‘em?”