AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’ll die before I let the crows or Coleman touch her.
All I want to do is protect Thea. She won’t slip through my grasp.
Thirty-Two
Thea
In the morning, I feel like a husk. Maisy stayed up with me half the night after we gorged our way through the cupcakes, then ate frosting directly out of the mixing bowl during three full seasons of feel-good bake off competition. She helped me through the shock of finding out I should have an aunt.
Grandma never said anything. Maybe Mom forced her to hide it from me, but my heart aches for her, losing a daughter at such a young age in a horrible way.
Groggy, I roll over in bed. Maisy is starfished, arms and legs spread to take up most of the mattress while I’m curled against the edge. It’s funny that such a kind-hearted, giving person can be such a bed hog. I somehow end up fighting her skinny butt for space every time we’ve shared a bed over the years.
With a groan, I nudge her. “Up. Or move. Whatever you want, just do something because I’m about to fall off.”
Maisy cracks one hazel eye open, squinting at me. “Demon.”
“Maise.” I laugh as she burrows further under the covers.
“The sugar coma I’m coming off of might be the end of me. We had a good run, bestie.” She shuffles over, reaching out blindly to drag me closer. “How are you feeling?”
“I’ll be okay, I think. Thank you.” I massage my forehead. “It was a lot on top of an already emotional state of mind.”
Maisy hums, hugging me. “Do you still want to go to the holiday market? Instead we could do a face mask spa day. Meditate it out? Or do I need to pull out the big guns with goat yoga?”
A sleep-tinged, husky chuckle rolls out of me. “Actually, I think I’m going to shower and head next door. I want to see if Connor is home before we go to the holiday market.”
“Mind, body, and spirit self-care bonding with a friend passed over for the power of a good dicking,” Maisy teases, pinching my sides where I’m t
icklish.
I flail in my attempt to escape. “Maise, no!” I wail, clawing my way to freedom while she tortures me with precise attacks. “God, you’re the worst! You know it’s not like that!”
Laughing, she sits back against my headboard. “I know. The vagina needs its own worship to achieve the zen of self-care, too.”
“Oh my god, you’re such a weirdo.” I flop on my back, head dangling off the bed. “Love you.”
“Love you back,” she sings. “We’ll meet up later by the entrance to the bazaar?”
“Of course.”
“Sweet. Dibs on the shower first.”
“Go ahead. I’ll take one later.
As Maisy heads for the bathroom, I try messaging Connor again.
Thea: Are you around?
No response comes by the time she’s done.
An hour later, I’m standing outside Connor’s house after lunch time. I don’t know what I expected when I knocked on the door, but it wasn’t Mrs. Bishop answering instead of him. She’s dressed down, rather than the power suits I typically see her in. Maybe she has off from city council duties today.
“Oh. Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt your day, Mrs. Bishop.”
Mrs. Bishop leans against the door frame, rather than welcoming me inside. “Vivian, please. What is it?”
“Is Connor home?”
