Rosehead

Chapter 16. The Risky Plan

Ed waited for the commotion to die, then carefully pried open the petals of their enclosure. It flattened itself back to the wooden floor and the underside of the mattress. Preceded by a puff of dust, Lilith climbed out first. Panther followed, yawning and stretching. From below came distant sobs and the tinkling of bottles. Lilith threw a mortified look at the door.

SHE'S DRINKING. Ed's hands shook as he wrote. SHE WON'T HEAR US. He watched Lilith digest the information.

"Oh. I forgot. I'm sorry," she said.

Ed shrugged.

Panther sneezed loudly, startling Lilith. Her nerves sang from tension. She didn't know what to say. Too many things had happened too fast. Ed said he's her friend. She kissed him. His bed behaved like a flower. Lilith's parents were probably calling the police this very moment, or the doctor, or both. Ed's step-mom got sacked and now he had to move. Alfred threatened him, and it was all Lilith's fault. She got him involved in this investigation. On top of everything else, Rosehead seemed to be more restless. They had to do something about it. The crows alone signified an onset of a terrible feast. Plus one more thing. Lilith bit her lip, waiting for Ed to ask about her sickness. In school, at the ballet lessons, everywhere, everyone always did.

"Where did you buy it?" Panther growled nonchalantly.

Ed stared. Panther's talking had a freezing effect on him.

"What?" said Lilith.

"The bed." Panther wagged his tail. "I'm asking where Ed bought his bed. I enjoyed it immensely. If I could upgrade my request from the doggy bed to, you know, this one, it would make me work that much harder."

"Really? Did you really just ask that?" Lilith glared.

"What can I say, I enjoy my comfort. I imagine chasing flowery monstrosities across the garden will be very uncomfortable."

Ed smiled.

"That's Panther for you," said Lilith with exasperation, although secretly she was grateful to him for pulling her out of her stupor. "Ed, I'm...look, I apologize I was afraid to trust you."

Ed shook his head no.

"Thank you for covering for us. You have the wickedest hiding place ever." She bit her lip. "And I'm sorry your step- mom got sacked. It's my fault. I should've never—"

Ed put up a hand to silence her.

"Are you mad at me?"

Ed waved his arms so hard he knocked a pile of papers from his desk and sent them flying.

"You're not? Oh, okay. I thought you were. It's hard to tell...well." Lilith sighed. Words deserted her, causing her usual polite demeanor to crumble and her logic to backfire. "My parents are worse, if that makes you feel any better," she said quickly, pondering a second too late why she said it in the first place. "My dad only cares for his dog racing, and my mom...she knits. Day and night. She's obsessed with knitting." And with feeding me pills, Lilith wanted to add. "I don't think it's healthy. At least drinking makes you get out of your skin. I mean...oh, that came out wrong. Excuse me. I'm so sorry." She covered her mouth in horror. Her face flushed. She positively didn't feel like herself around Ed.

IT'S OKAY. I'M GLAD YOU DON'T KNOW. LIVING WITH A DRUNK IS HELL.

"I can't imagine. Please excuse my temporary lack of manners," Lilith whispered, thinking that in another moment her face would simply boil off her skull.

"I think chasing squirrels is a much better alternative to getting out of your skin. If my humble opinion matters here, of course," came from below.