Phoebe caught me out of the corner of her eye as I snuck past to the living room.
“Alina! Good morning.” She glanced at the other two girls before looking back at me. “Come sit, come sit.”
She kicked out the chair next to her, and a smile tightened across her face. I knew that look meant I was about to be lectured.
“I spared you some porridge.” Adeline gently scooted a bowl toward me.
“For the hangover.” Rebecca placed a dram of bitters and scotch before me.
“If you need anything,” Adeline fiddled with her apron and glanced nervously at Rebecca, “just let us know, all right? Make sure to rest.”
“Right.” I raised a brow at Phoebe.
“Leave us for a moment?” Phoebe asked quietly, and the girls filed into the living room.
It was a somber morning. I could hear the dying fire crackle, the dripping of melting ice creating a calming harmony between the two. The house smelled like the ghost of breakfast, as welcoming as always, although the light from the window was burning my corneas.
“If you have something to say, do it now.” I took the small glass of alcohol and tossed my head back with the glass pressed against my lips.
“How was your midnight walk?”
Just like that, sobriety crashed into me like a pile of bricks. Like someone cracked a cane over my head. I choked on the liquor, too early to clearly find an explanation.
“Excuse me?” I coughed.
“Your ears work well, Alina, despite how selectively you listen.” Phoebe shot me a disdainful glare. “Do you not remember?”
“No,” I admitted, poking the porridge with my spoon.
“Late night at the lab?”
“Just had a few more things to tie up from the day?—”
“Do not treat me like a fool, Alina.” Her voice was austere, too grating for such an hour. “Silas brought you home.”
I choked on my food. It was too early for such a name to be uttered.
Heat rose to the back of my head and neck. I did not know if I should be embarrassed or angry. It was worse hearing it from Phoebe.
“Well, maybe he will rescind his idiotic proposal now that the word is out that I am unwell!” I joked.
“Unfortunately for you, he is not easily dissuaded.”
“Persistent like a termite.”
“You must gather yourself. Don’t fall apart at the seams now; the girls are worried. They need you to be strong for them. If you are not going to take his deal, make damned sure that you show them that you can hold your own.” She took my hand and squeezed. “I know it is not what you want, but if it comes down to it, you have to have a good reason for declining. You have to convince the girls that they need not want for more, that you can protect them well enough on our own.”
I pulled my hand from hers, shoving a spoon full of porridge into my mouth as I ignored her. It was too early for talks as silly as this.
“I do not expect them to come here tonight. Silas might be inclined to let you rest after last night, if we are hopeful.”
“Emphasis onhopeful,” I laughed.
“He did bring you home, with no foul play that I could see.”
“He is only being nice because he is waiting on an answer. I am sure by the week’s end, when I reject him, he will be back to his bastard self.”
“Possibly,” Phoebe trailed off, but not another word was spoken on the subject that day.
