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Attempting to put it all out of his mind, Finch joined the very flustered maids on their daily
cleaning of the residence. He knew, distantly, that he was getting in their way, but he didn’t let
it bother him. Finch needed, more than anything in the world, to be busy. Then he wouldn’t
have time to meet lovely Opal Disgraces or think about what the future might hold.
Finch finally allowed himself to retire to his rooms when it was near midnight. Wearily, he
undressed, put on a t-shirt and pajama pants, then made a cup of tea. While it brewed, he took
a piece of shortbread and placed it on a saucer. He also grabbed two chocolate chips from a
tightly sealed container he kept on his small counter and put them next to his biscuit.
In the living room, he put his tea and snack down on an end table and went to greet his girls.
“Hello, ladies. How are you this evening? Were you good while Daddy was working? You
were? Are you sure?”
Eleanor and Elizabeth hopped about, both clamoring for Finch’s attention.
“Come on, then. You can both come out.”
With the usual pleasantries out of the way, Finch opened the door to their cage. Elizabeth
launched herself up his arm with Eleanor right behind her. Elizabeth settled on his left shoulder
and Eleanor on his right. He smiled at them both, then asked, “Would you like a chocolate
chip?”
That was, of course, a rhetorical question.
Finch settled down in his favorite chair, then gave each of the rats her treat. While they
munched contentedly, he picked up his tea and took the first sip. It was perfect. Soothed by it,
he loosened his shoulders and sighed contentedly. It’d been a hell of a day, but it was over,
and after a good night’s sleep he’d be much improved.
Finch had relaxed for perhaps ten minutes when he was startled by frantic pounding on his
door. It spooked the girls, who ran to the back of his neck and tried to hide in his shirt. He
fished them out, put each in a separate pocket of his sleep pants, and answered the door.
Hugh was on the other side. He was wearing his favorite banyan, which was embroidered with
thousands of tiny purple dragons, over silk pajamas. The sight of him on Finch’s doorstep took
him by surprise, but only for the briefest moment. Of course it was Hugh. Who else could it
possibly be? No one else would be witless enough to bang on his door at such a late hour. But
what kind of emergency would drive him out of his room in the middle of the night? Especially
