30. June
JUNE
The thing about kids is they never shut down. Not at this age, anyway. Hattie’s a ball of energy and if I don’t try to exercise some of it out of her, she’ll be bouncing around her room all night and the next day will be miserable.
“Keep on marching, pony warrior,” I say as we stomp through the grass down near the wall. “The queen wants her best warriors to be ready for battle.”
“We’re going to fight unicorns,” she says gravely. “Their technology is no match for our magic.”
I laugh and tug her against me. “Where did you even hear that?”
“In a video. Glory to the ponylords!”
The yard is strangely empty. This is the first time since the assault on the house that we’ve been able to get this close to the wall.
At first, I figured it was because Rafe trusts me now.
Our relationship has changed a lot in the last week and for the better.
He knows I don’t want to escape anymore.
Where would I rather be? Than here with my husband and the father of my daughter?
But the more we walk, the stranger it feels.
Nobody’s approaching. There are no guards in the trees, no eyes from the bushes. It’s eerily quiet like there’s a predator lurking around the next corner and everyone in the forest knows but me.
“Mommy? What’s the matter?” Hattie takes my hand and squeezes my fingers.
“Hm? Oh, nothing.”
“You’re not listening.”
“No, I wasn’t. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’ll start over.” Hattie begins to talk about the various attributes of the main pony army when there’s a noise up ahead.
I grab Hattie’s arm to steady her.
“Mommy?”
She stares at me in confusion.
A squirrel races from between the trees and darts into the underbrush.
I’m being paranoid. I release Hattie and apologize again. “Let’s go back to the house. I haven’t heard from Auntie Marnie yet this morning.”
Which is odd, actually.
Hattie complains but she doesn’t fight when I start marching along the path toward the back garden. I slow near the rose bush and consider telling Hattie about Leanna, but decide against it. There should be at least one guard nearby, only there’s nobody.
It’s bizarre.
And it’s all wrong.
I hurry Hattie to the back door. We step into the house and I feel better the second I click the lock shut.
I’m not sure why, because there are still no guards nearby.
“Let’s take you to Priya,” I say and lead Hattie through the house.
Nobody stops us. It feels strange, like the halls are abandoned. The mansion is massive and the majority of the space isn’t being used, so it’s not like this place is always bustling, but still. Most days, I see men lurking around at all times.
Today, it’s like they all went home.
Priya’s in the kitchen chatting with Byron. She happily takes Hattie off my hands when we arrive. “Shall we make some sculptures today? I brought Model Magic.”
“Yes!” Hattie claps her hands. She loves that fake clay stuff.
Priya and Hattie disappear into the other room. I turn down Byron’s offer of food for myself, but accept some for Marnie. He gives me a tray with tea and some sandwiches.
“Enough for both of you,” he says with a wink. “You sure you don’t want help getting it up there?”
“No, I’m fine, thank you.” I carry the tray into the hall and head to the stairs.
The quiet is oppressive. I consider calling Rafe but don’t. He left early this morning for the city. He said he had an important meeting and I don’t want to distract him. But I don’t like the way this feels, and maybe he’d know what’s going on.
Only I can’t go scampering to Rafe every time there’s an issue.
It’s time for me to stop being so useless and afraid all the time.
I reach Marnie’s door and rebalance the tray. I turn the knob?—
But it’s locked.
“That’s weird.” I try it again, tugging harder. Then I knock. “Marnie? You in there?”
Her door is never closed, but maybe she’s got something going on with Birdie.
She’s been doing much, much better, even starting to get around more on her own, but the healing process isn’t perfect.
Birdie keeps reminding us that bodies adjust and change and fix themselves in fits and starts. Nothing’s linear.
“Marnie! Are you okay in there?”
Dead silence.
Until there’s a creak in the hall.
I yelp and turn. The tray teeters and it’s about to fall.
When Nunzio darts forward and catches the side.
It’s odd. I’ve never been this close to him before. He’s big and tall and broad. He smells like faint cologne. It’s nice, actually.
And I never noticed the mole near his ear. It’s round and black.
“Uh, thanks,” I say as he rights me. “Hey, what’s going on? It’s been really quiet today and Marnie’s door is locked.”
“I sent everyone home.”
“Really? Why?”
“They weren’t needed today.”
I glance over his shoulder. He’s staring at me hard. An ugly feeling rolls down my spine. “Okay… I mean… Does Rafe know?”
“I used to like my job.” He ignores my question like he didn’t even hear it. “But then Pops got sick… shit went downhill fast…”
“What are you talking about?” I take a step back.
“Pops was my everything. But the job demands a lot. Rafe isn’t an easy boss. He wants your heart and soul… but that’s not fucking easy to give when your old man’s dying.”
“Nunzio, I’m sorry about your dad, but I’m not sure what’s going on right now. Is Marnie okay? Are you okay?”
“Nothing’s ever fucking simple.” He finally looks at me and his expression is hard.
It sends a jolt of terror down my spine.
“I get it, I really do, but?—“
“No, you don’t.” He steps closer and knocks the tray from my hand. It goes spinning, the tea spilling down my chest, the food scattering on the floor. “But you will.”