Edie glanced at me. I realized she wasn’t going to say anything.You’ll come up against people all the time who don’t understand the rules about service animals,she told me during training.You’ll have to learn to stand up for yourself.
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. “This is a service animal. You’re required by law to allow us inside.”
“I don’t think so. You can sit outside, if youmust, but my customers won’t be happy. I’m sorry.” He didn’t sound sorry at all.
“You will be. I’ll complain to your manager. This dog isn’t a choice. He’s myeyes.” I meant the words to sound foreboding, like I had the power to crush him under the soles of my Docs. But my voice wavered.
The server put his arms against the doorframe, blocking us with his body. He narrowed his eyes at Oscar. “You can’t come in.”
I stepped back, feeling the sting of his words against my cheeks as if he’d slapped me. All around us, people looked up from their tables, watching but not saying anything. I gave Oscar the command to turn and spun around to get to fuck out of there—
And ran straight into the wall of Heathcliff.
I slumped against him, and the tears flowed down my cheeks. I railed against myself inside my head –this is stupid. He’s just a dumb man, and it doesn’t matter. You were in the right– but the tears wouldn’t stop. My whole body shook as the shock of being denied entry hit me full force.
“Mina, hey.” Heathcliff used the tip of his finger to blot away my tear. “You want me to go crush him like the dung beetle he is?”
I shook my head, sniffling. On his shoulder, Quoth peered down at me with those eyes ringed in fire.
Just say the word, and I’ll fly over there and defecate on him.
Heathcliff crushed me against his chest. “I know you’re upset, but you handled that well. The Mina I knew five months ago never would have stood up for herself like that.”
“I didn’t… hic… stand up for… hic… myself.” Great, I’d dissolved into the kind of soul-wrenching sobs that absolutely no one could pull off with their dignity intact.
“You did. You stated your case calmly and firmly. You tried to talk to someone in authority. You didn’t punch him in his stupid nose, which is more than I might say for myself.”
I nodded, leaning against Heathcliff as the four of us shuffled toward the train station. And even though I knew Heathcliff spoke the truth, I couldn’t help the dark thoughts that spiraled in my mind.
If I can’t even walk into a cafe with Oscar, if people are going to stare, how will I ever be able to have a normal life?
Chapter Twelve
We arrived home to find, once again, the shop was in perfect condition, a stack of books sold, packaged, and ready to ship out, a fishy scent in the air, and a very smug Grimalkin luxuriating on the couch under the window. As soon as Mum left, I went up to my grandmother and shook her awake.
“Human form, now.”
Grimalkin shot me a filthy look, but she obliged. Her whiskers retracted into her face, her ears moved down her head and became round and dainty, and her limbs cracked and buckled into new shapes. A few moments later, my very naked and very attractive nymph grandmother stood in front of me.
I glared at her. “What’s going on with my mother?”
“Whatever do you mean?” Grimalkin was all wide-eyed innocence, which only made me more suspicious.
“Imean,the shop is immaculate, and how has she sold all these books?”
“Your mother is an exceptional saleswoman, and there have been many visitors to the shop. Your friend Mrs. Ellis has called in no less than three times.”
“Yes, because she wants the gossip on Morrie’s disappearance! And why are you so friendly with Mum all of a sudden?”
“She gave me an extra piece of fish for lunch.” Grimalkin rubbed her stomach.
“Right. Well…” I didn’t know what to say to that. “Just keep an eye on her. Let me know if she does anything strange or scares away customers.”
Grimalkin’s lips curled back into a smile. “I assure you, if your mother does something I disapprove of, you’ll be the first to know.”
Wild Oats emailed over a packing list for the weekend – according to Sam, we were to dress for ‘typical British weather’ – aka, cold and wet and miserable – and the only non-clothing items we were supposed to bring were a small, personal first aid kit, water purification tablets, a drink bottle, a lighter or waterproof matches, a small coil of wire, a pocketknife, a selection of fishhooks, and a solar blanket.
“Solar blanket? Water purification tablets? What is this crap? I thought we were supposed to pack the bare essentials.” Heathcliff opened his rucksack on his desk and shoved a bottle of whisky inside, then dropped a battered copy of Jack London’sCall of the Wildon top.
