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“Are you shopping for a special occasion?” she asks, voice pitched entirely too high and plaintive. “I can help you find something befitting the event.”
Without hesitation, I turn to her. “As a matter of fact, I am. What would you recommend for the first time meeting your demon horde? I want it to say sexy, but not too sexy. Feminine but not frilly. Oh, and between the four of them, they’ll likely rip it off me in under ten seconds, so it’d be nice if it weren’t too expensive.”
The associate’s eyes grow so wide I fear she might lose them
But, to her credit, she does pick out something devilishly appropriate.
“Thanks,” I say as she hands me the bag. “If it goes well, I’ll be back. You can pick out more clothes for them to tear off me.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you,” she says as I leave. Gods, is she going to have a story to tell her friends.
I hang the dress in the back of the car and head to my next destination.
Can’t jump into another plane of existence without telling your mom first. I’m not certain how much I’m going to tell her. But if there’s a chance I don’t make it, the least she deserves is a hug goodbye.
I drive to the outskirts of the city, to my parents house, only to find they aren’t home. “Maybe she decided to start her world tour early,” I muse as I call her.
“Lily,” she answers on the first ring, but her voice is strange. Strained somehow.
“Hey, mom, you OK? You sound weird.”
“Oh. I’m just so embarrassed.”
“Embarrassed? About what?”
“Well, your father and I decided to drive into the city to have a quick visit before we leave for Venice next week. But I should have called because you’re not here.”
“Nope. Not there. I’m actually at your place. Stay put. I’ll be there in twenty.”
“OK, sweetie. See you soon.”
That was strange. My mom and dad have never stopped by unannounced before. But I guess getting a new lease on life changes some things.
I pull into my parking spot, and sure enough, there’s my dad’s car. They aren’t in it, though. Stranger still, one car over—and definitely not where we left it yesterday—sits Michelle’s car.
As if she’d gotten a ride here to get it and then come back and parked in a new spot.
What’s going on?
I retrieve my dress from the back and head to the building. My mom and dad are right inside the atrium, waiting for me with nervous smiles and an even more nervous Michelle.
“Hey, everyone. What’s going on?”
The three of them exchange a look I’m not the least bit comfortable with.
“Sweetie, why don’t we go inside and talk about it.”
Barbas ramps up the flow of nice warm emotions, as does Malphas, but I find it distracting. I’m anxious for a reason. Something is definitely off and I don’t want to dull that instinct with fuzzy demon feelings.
Knock it off, you two. This is the helpful brand of anxiety, not the pointless kind.
The sensations recede, and I unlock my condo for Michelle and my parents.
“Don’t mind the lily explosion. I was just doing some redecorating,” I say, stepping over the mess. I turn to face them and they’re giving each other that same gods-awful look.
“OK, what the hell is going on here?”
Mom presses her lips together the way she always does when she’s worried. “Lily, why don’t you sit down?”
