I narrowed my gaze at Elaine’s smug, condescending smile.
She held out her hand, tapping her foot as she waited.
Miss Alice pursed her lips and set the items in her arms on the counter beside me before going to the fridge.
“What would you like?”
“Fruit, please.”
Miss Alice grabbed an apple, wiped it off, and handed it to Elaine. “There you go, miss. Enjoy your snack.”
I hated every second of the interaction. Elaine was being an ass, proving her point and using Miss Alice to rub it in my face. I seethed quietly on my stool while it played out, unsure if I should get involved.
Holding up her apple like a trophy, she smiled at me. “See, Quinn. You’re in great hands.”
I gritted my teeth, forcing my body to stay planted on the stool until she left.
Miss Alice stared between me and Elaine as she walked out, and she pinned me with her shrewd gaze the second Elaine disappeared. “What was that about?”
“Oh, just Elaine putting me in my place. Never miss an opportunity to remind someone they’re beneath you. That’s her motto.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m sorry she used you to do it.”
Miss Alice shrugged. “It is my job, dear. And most of the time, I enjoy making sure all of you are fed and full of snacks. That girl just…bothers me.”
I chuckled. “She bothers me, too.”
Turning back to the stove, Miss Alice resumed her cooking. She nodded at the items she’d set on the counter when she walked back in. “That’ll be what you need then. You’re welcome to sit there while you test it out. Tell me what Elaine meant by her last comment. If you want to share, of course.”
“She said you were in The Quest.”
Miss Alice’s back stiffened. “How?—”
“I’m sorry. I?—”
She set the spoon down and scooped up the items from the counter. “I’ll need to get to work now, dear. Take these and you do the same, alright?” All but dumping the contents in my arms, she made sure I had a hold on them before ushering me from the kitchen. “I apologize for the abruptness, but I lost track of time. Can’t have dinner running behind now, can we?”
Since we didn’t eat at a specific meal time, we certainly could, but I didn’t argue. I took what she’d given me and left the kitchen, turning back to find her head bent over the stove. As I lingered, her breath shuddered, her back shaking as she stirred the pot.
I didn’t know what had been so upsetting about my question, but I had a feeling Elaine did.
And I planned to find out what she’d dragged up, and why.
As I walked back to my room, thinking through Miss Alice’s odd reaction to Elaine’s disclosure, I fully distracted myself from myearlier focus. Eventually, I sat at a bistro table and hyper-fixated on her comments in the kitchen.
Fate intervened in the form of Morty, who plopped into the seat beside me. “Whatcha up to, little princess?”
Gesturing at the table, I figured that summed it up. “What are you still doing here, Morty?”
“Why are you so eager for me to leave?”
I arched a brow at him in return. “Because I don’t get you. I can’t figure out if you’re trying to help me, or setting me up for an epic failure, or just wreaking havoc because you like to watch the chaos you create in your wake.” When he smiled, I confirmed my suspicion. “Of course, that’s all it is.”
“Are you going to answer my question?”
“I’m procrastinating. If you’re going to stop me from doing that, can I ask you something?”
He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Ah, sorry. You just filled my quota on sitting questions for the day.” He popped up from his seat. “Walk with me.”
He took off before I responded.
