The Heart's Content

Chapter 86

At the worst possible time, she heard the front door to the cabaret open and she heard Alastor's voice call:

"Rosie, are you here?"

Rosie panicked. She couldn't let Alastor see Husk or herself like this. He was too logical to adjust to these matters, at least not without proper preparation for it. If he saw them in their true forms right now, he'd probably have a mental breakdown. She had to hide Husk and re-disguise herself quick.

"One moment please!"

Using all her strength, Rosie took Husk by his arms and started dragging him across the floor toward the nearest broom closet.

"Oh God, he weighs a ton." She groaned. "I don't think even a whale could be this heavy!"

She lifted Husk's unconscious body up to his feet and then shoved him into the broom closet. Afterward, she quickly put her wig, fake ears, fake skin, and lipstick back on, straightened out her dress, and stepped out to greet Alastor.

"Hello Ally." She said with a nervous smile. "You're clocking in rather early this morning."

"Sorry for the unexpected, early arrival Rosie. But I need to talk to you about something." He said.

"Does it have to be at this exact moment?" She asked, not sure how long Husk would be unconscious.

"I'm afraid I must insist. It's about Beth."

"Oh? Is anything wrong with her?"

"No, it's just that, first of all I am very grateful to you for all that you've done for Beth. You've helped her with things I never could, you know with the whole being a girl thing. I also appreciate you looking after her when I ask you to. I know she can be a handful."

"She can be." Rosie agreed. "But it's all worth it just to have her company."

"Yes, you've become really fond of her, haven't you?"

"I have."

"How fond though?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you feel about Beth?"

"How do I feel about her?" She replied with a slight chuckle. "You know how I feel. I like her very much Alastor. She's a delightful girl. Funny, smart, kind, considerate. You're not thinking that I don't like her, are you?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what's all this questioning for?"

"Rosie I want you to be honest with me." Alastor looked her dead in the eyes. "Do you love Beth?"

He saw something spark in her eyes. A mix of shock and uncertainty. She didn't expect his question and she didn't know what answer to give him. Which was what Alastor had suspected.

"You don't know, do you?"

"I...I...I don't understand why you're asking me this." Rosie said.

"Because I've seen how you behave around Beth, how you talk to her and how you treat her. It's exactly how my mother was with me. You even give her the same look."

Rosie couldn't speak. Probably because it wasn't until now that she realized that she had been treating Beth like her own child. Giving her guidance, taking her shopping for clothes, comforting her when she's sad, teaching her how to use make up, reading her a bedtime story, kissing her goodnight. These were typical things that a mother did for her daughter. Had she really become that close to Beth?

"Now I don't exactly have a problem with how you've been treating her. In some ways it's helped her a great deal. But the thing is, Beth and I can't stay here for good. When Summer is over we have to go back to New Orleans. I have a job there and she has school, it'll probably be a long time before we see each other again and for as long as I've known Beth, she's always wanted a real family. A real mother and a real father. She's never mentioned it mind you but I can tell. Growing up, whenever she'd see her classmates getting picked up by their parents or would see families together in the park and on holidays, she'd have such a sad look in her eye."