Page 37 of Roses Are Dead
“I named myself.” I swallowed, preparing the sanitary version as to why.
“That’s so cool! Mom, can I name myself?”
“Not until you’re out of this house.”
“Mom!”
“Don’t ‘Mom’ me. I brought you into this world and nearly died doing it, so show some respect.’
I couldn’t help but smile. While their argument seemed harmful, it was completely normal. Someday they’d look back on this time and laugh.
“So, Roishin? How did you meet Bear?” Zoe asked.
“How?”
“Yeah, were you at the club?”
The motorcycle club, a building like in the shows? “No.”
“Cool. That’s different. I wanna hear all about it.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” Literally nothing. Unless… A devious thought entered my head. “He saw me dancing naked.”
“Oh, you’re a stripper. I didn’t guess that.”
What?
My question must have been on my face. Because Zoe rambled on. “Your hair would kind of get in the way of the pole, if you do that, and a lot of the clubs?—”
“Zoe Regina Nist, finish that sentence and I’ll…” Kate leaned over the balcony. “I apologize for my daughter. I’ll be right down to set her straight.”
“It’s okay. I’m not a stripper,” I called up.
Kate froze.
“You mean, he really saw you dance naked and it wasn’t at a strip club?” Zoe climbed higher so her arms could rest on top of the fence. “When was this?”
“A few nights ago. I was casting a spell in the rain.” Her smile encouraged me.
“One of Mom’s friends does that. She’s Wiccan. Dad says she walks around skyclad all the time.”
“She doesn’t.” Kate’s head popped up next to Zoe’s.
“I don’t either. I’m a witch, but not Wiccan. Hi.” I held my hand out to Kate and then Zoe.
“That’s how Bear knows her. He’s Pagan, too.” Zoe was a font of information. I wondered if her mother ever told her not to tell strangers other’s secrets.
“I guessed that from the altar and his hammer.”
Kate took in my lack of clothing. My feet were bare and grass-stained.
When she met my eyes, she spoke sincerely, “I’m so glad he finally found someone like him. Those other girls…” She clammed up, trying not to speak ill, but I could tell by the guilty way she looked away that she didn’t think much of the women in Bear’s life.
With that reminder, my insecurity made me nervous. “How many girls?”
Kate’s eyes went wide.
Zoe, on the other hand, snorted. “You put your foot in it, Mom. I’m not helping you get it unstuck.”
