Banter!
Except that the famous Shamus luck laughed and went with option three: having the rope snap just as I was trying to get both feet on the balcony ledge. Which meant no feet on the balcony ledge, and I came close to instead trying to grab it with my face. Somehow I managed to kind of flop myself until the ledge was under both my armpits, and then I was fine. Except that it hurt, dammit. And I couldn’t move forward, because I had Dory on my back now. I figured she was basically okay, though. After all, I had broken her fall.
“Ow,” I noted.
“You all right, Tom?” Her voice did sound a little ragged. And muffled. Which made sense.
“Moonbeams and charm.”
“What’s that, Tom?”
“Never mind. Can you get on the balcony?”
“No.”
“Can you try to get on the balcony, Dory?”
“Again, no.”
“Why not, Dory?” I asked, trying my best to be cheerful about it.
“Because I hope I twisted my ankle, Tom.”
“You hope… right. Because otherwise you’ve busted it.”
“Yes. It hurts like hell, by the way.”
“Taking that into account, Dory. But they’re gonna be through that door any minute now, and this is starting to hurt, so you’re gonna need to grit it out soon…”
“I’m aware, Shamus.”
“Just keeping you informed of what’s going on in my life, Dory. I know you like that.”
“Yes, thank you, Tom…”
“Pardon me, senores?” came a voice from below. “Are you in need of help?”