Page 46 of The Little Shop of Curiosities Cursed Object 1, The Music Box

“While I was in the hospital and they had me on morphine, I caught a glimpse of Dusty. Although to be fair, I thought she was an hallucination at the time.”

“Drugs, you say?” Chan muses.

“No,” Tristan says flatly.

“I wasn’t going to.” She rolls her eyes. “I don’t take anything stronger than paracetamol.”

“It’s true.” Dusty nods. “Chan hates taking any kind of medication.”

“But maybe alcohol would work the same way,” Chan says thoughtfully as she taps a long, painted fingernail on the side of her mug.

“Don’t you dare,” Dusty replies.

“Dusty says don’t you dare,” Tristan repeats for Chan’s benefit.

“It was just a thought.” Chan pouts. “I want to see Dusty too.”

“And you thought being on sick leave was going to be boring,” Tristan mutters to Danny.

Dusty frowns. “I’m not quite sure what I’ve walked into the middle of here.”

“You and me both. How’s the boyfriend anyway?” Tristan replies.

“Bruce is not my boyfriend,” she says innocently as she picks at one perfectly manicured nail.

“You spend all of your time either with him or talking about him, and you’ve met his parents,” Tristan states.

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong, smarty pants.” She smirks. “I haven’t met his parents. They’re still alive, actually.”

“But you’ve met the rest of his family,” he counters.

“That’s not the point.”

“He’s totally your boyfriend.” Tristan sips his tea. “Quit being such a baby.”

“Dusty’s always had commitment issues,” Chan interjects, clearly having got the gist of the conversation.

“I don’t have commitment issues per se.” Dusty huffs. “Bruce and I just haven’t exactly defined the nature of our…dalliance.”

“Dalliance? My goodness, milady, how scandalous,” I say without thinking, and inwardly wince. I’m feeling a little out of my depth here amongst these people who are obviously very comfortable with each other. The problem is when I’m stuck in an awkward social situation, it tends to make my tongue a bit sharp and my attitude very stiff.

“Shut up, Prickles.” Dusty glares at me before turning back to Tristan. “I’m just saying we haven’t exactly had the chance to talk.”

“Must be really hard to talk with someone’s penis in your mouth twenty-four seven,” I mutter, a little louder than I intended and I want to face-palm. Why can’t I just keep my mouth shut? Dusty shoots daggers at me with her eyes and oh, right, yeah, I’m not supposed to know about her and her not boyfriend, Bruce, with his meaty thighs and tiny shorts.

Why am I even here? It’s not like I can ask Tristan any questions about the bookshop in front of everyone.

“Alright, alright. That’s enough, you two,” Tristan interjects. “Dusty, to be fair, you do seem to have his penis in your mouth more often than not. I know this because you tell me constantly. As for you, Harrison, you’re coming across rather judgey.”

“It’s his default setting.” Dusty stares at me, her arms crossed over her chest. “Maybe if he removed that stick from his arse, he’d–”

Tristan sighs. “Do not finish that sentence, Dusty. No one has a stick in their arse.”

“I feel like I’ve missed the whole point of this conversation.” Chan sips her coffee.

“You and me both.” Danny lifts his mug and clinks it against hers in a toast. “Here’s to being in the don’t-have-a-clue club.”

“We should make badges,” Chan muses. “Maybe membership cards.”