Page 117 of Chaotic Curse
“He did today.”I sniff hard.“He must think he’s invincible.”
“Or,” she says softly, “he’s in love with you.”
I let out a caustic laugh.“We haven’t been together that long.You can’t call it love.Right now I’m not even sure I like him.”I wince.“No offense to your brother.”
Raven laughs.“I sometimes hate my brothers.But I always love them.The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”She stands, tugging me up with her.“Come over to the main house.It’s almost dinnertime.You need food.Belinda will be thrilled.Robin’s coming, too.”
I wipe my face with my sleeve.“Okay.”
We cross through the hallway door and head into the kitchen.I inhale.Butter and thyme.What has Phyllis prepared?She’s sliding something from a sheet pan.Roasted carrots.Yum.I inhale again.Roast chicken with sage.
Belinda barrels in before the plates hit the table.Her feet are bare, which is odd.She flings herself at me.“Dani!”
My heart loosens.“There you are.”I crouch to her height.“How was the sleepover?”
“Epic.”She’s already talking fast.“Gwen C.has a bunk bed with a slide.We’re kind of too big for that, but it was fun anyway.We had pillow fights and we did makeup and we watched movies and had cheese balls and?—”
“Cheese balls,” Raven says, rolling her eyes.“Bee, I think you could live on cheese balls.”
“Cheese balls are elite cuisine,” I say solemnly.
Belinda grins.“I even let Gwen play my piano app on my phone and she stinks at ‘Für Elise’ but I didn’t laugh.I was nice.”
Raven leans on the island.“I had to sit her at the real piano to get a practice in.I had to encourage her.That never happens.”
“I’m glad,” I say, meaning it so much it stings.“I mean, piano is important.You should always foster your talent.But I also want you to have friends.”
“Me too,” she says, shrugging like it’s nothing and everything.“Are you eating with us?”
“I am.”
The door opens.Vinnie’s voice from the foyer.“Smells like Phyllis’s chicken.”He inhales.“Perfection.”
Robin comes in with him, cheeks flushed from the heat, a bottle of something cold in her hand.She sees me and drops her purse to hug me tight.“You okay?”
“I will be.”I pull back.“Hi.”
We sit.The food is as good as it looks.I taste, nod, taste again.Eating is difficult when so much is nagging at me, but sustenance is sustenance.We all need it to survive.
Our conversation is mundane until dinner is finished and Belinda leaves the table to do her homework.
Vinnie waits until Phyllis serves coffee.“Okay.I have some news.”
My heart skips and my nerves jump.News.Not good news.I lay my fork down and brace myself.“What is it?”
“The chocolates.”He lifts a brow at me.“Toxicology ran them.All of them.”
My stomach tightens.“And?”
“Nothing.”He points with coffee spoon.“No toxins.No poisons.No funny business.Perfectly safe to eat.”
I blink.“But the note.It said one had ‘a special surprise.’”
“I know,” he says.“It was probably a scare tactic.”
“Then it worked.”
He nods.“Seems like it.I’m so sorry about all of this.”
