Page 129 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

She glances at the box, then dives in, grabbing out shiny gemstones and holding them up to the light. She scurries off the bed with a handful, muttering as she starts placing them on the floor near the wall. If there’s a pattern or reason to her madness, I can’t see it, but she’s happy.

All I care about is her happiness.

She coos, and I drop into a crouch, resting my chin on my hand, and watch her like she’s the most interesting thing in the world.

Back and forth, she places the stones, goes and checks, goes back and adjusts them. She completely ignores the blankets. The pillows. But she does grab scented soaps and carve shavings off, letting them fall like snow over her crystal collection.

The mattress is bare.

I frown as the hours pass, trying to figure out what this means when she suddenly springs out of the room, moving through the house with purpose. I have to rush to keep up with her. She goes into Blaze’s room and into his wardrobe, pulling at his clothing until she finds a grey satin robe that shimmers in the light.

She rubs her face on it, purring, and then goes off again. Merle goes to all of our clothes, stealing buckles from belts, a mirror, a grey scarf, a massive grey jumper, two pairs of sunglasses, and when she gets to Rose’s room, she finds a massive knife. She picks it up, her hand hesitating over it.

“Put it down!” Merle says firmly, startling me. For a moment, I thought it was actually her.

She hesitates and whines, her whole demeanor changing, but it changes back just as quickly. Someone with more confidence, who is stronger in personality, takes over.

“No. Put that down. It’s not for you!” she says firmly.

What is she doing? I shift on silent feet, trying to see her face so I can figure out what is going on.

Her alters are arguing with her. Why doesn’t she want her to have that knife, and who doesn’t want her to have it?

Merle snarls but drops the knife and turns and leaves the room. I wander over and pick it up. It’s one of those folded kinds, but it has an engraving.

“For you, R.”

Who is R? Or is this a gift to someone else? Perhaps Roseland sent it to himself. Or maybe it was just a thank you gift.

I set it down and slip out of the room, not bothering to clean up the mess Merle has made.

Rolly is bullying her into eating again, but this time, she is a whole lot more willing; she even smiles. After she’s finished, she spends a long time spreading the grey silky material before she lies down in the middle and exhales.

I think…perhaps…she feels safe.

She half sits up and holds her hand out to me. I step lightly over to her, trying not to mess up anything that she has created. She pulls me down onto the bed and then pulls my arms around her and buries her face in my chest, breathing deeply.

I stroke her back.

“You’re okay. You have a beautiful nest. Gorgeous.”

She makes a movement that feels like she’s pleased.

“You are gorgeous.”

She purrs and then goes still. She shoves back from me, and it’s the way she touches me, like she’s not certain, that has me hesitating.

She glances up and around, taking it in, her face transforming with wonder.

“I didn’t think I’d ever have a nest and never anything this pretty.”

“You deserve to have pretty things.”

She glances at me sharply. “You don’t know me.”

“No, I don’t yet, but I’d like to. I want to stay in your life and Merle’s.”

Her eyes are flat and furious. “Who am I?”