Tandri picked up one of the sheets and quietly read it over. “This is an equal partnership. When did you have this done?”
“A week ago,” said Viv, rubbing at the back of her neck. “I mean… the ad I posted mentioned ‘advancement opportunities,’ so….”
“Ain’t right for me to sign it,” said Cal.
“Of course it is!” said Viv in surprise. “What in the hells do you mean?”
“Don’t work here,” he continued. “Just don’t make sense. Ain’t fair to the rest.”
“Cal,” said Viv, sliding a sheet across to him. “When I say that you all built this place, in your case, youliterallydid. There’s nobody who deserves it more.”
“Sign it,” said Tandri. “And if you want to be persnickety about it, I know who to bother when things break.”
“Or when Thimble decidesthiskitchen is too small, too,” added Viv.
Thimble squeaked supportively.
And with much grumbling on Cal’s part, and much chivvying from the rest… eventually, he made his mark.
* * *
“One last thing,”said Viv, and from the pantry she retrieved a small brandy bottle and four fine glasses. She set them in a line and poured a careful measure from the bottle into each.
“A toast. To all of you.”
“To what the flames could not consume,” murmured Tandri, and they all nodded solemnly.
They drank… and Thimble coughed and had to be patted on the back several times.
Then they quietly gathered their things to leave.
“Tandri,” said Viv, quietly. “Stay a minute?”
Cal gave them a glance, then nodded to himself, and left behind Thimble.
* * *
The two ofthem stood together in the warm center of the shop, with winter stealing in around it, the brandy glowing like coals inside them.
“There’s… something I wanted to show you,” said Viv, almost too low to hear. Then she quickly turned and went to the stairs, beckoning for Tandri to follow.
At the top of the stairs, a hallway split the upper story, with a door to the left, and one to the right. Viv strode to the one on the left and opened it, stepping inside.
Tandri peered in after her and gasped. “You bought a bed!”
“I did,” said Viv.
The room was also furnished with a small dresser and table and a wardrobe.
“Even a rug!” said Tandri, nodding appreciatively. “Well, it’s bound to be an improvement over my floor.”
Viv closed her eyes and took a slow breath. “There’s one other thing I want to show you,” said Viv, with a cold flush of terror.
Tandri gave her a wry smile. “You didn’t make a room for the cat, did you?” she asked, which did nothing to quell Viv’s nerves. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Viv didn’t trust herself to reply, so she went to the door across the hall and opened it, as well. Tandri’s brow creased as she stepped inside. This room, too, was furnished with a bed, a vanity, and a wardrobe. A set of art supplies—ink and chalk and stencils and parchment—sat atop the vanity.
Tandri drifted to the center of the room, where she stood very still.
