The Burning of the Palace at Versailles (or, Butterfly) [REWRITING]

Chapter 7- Late Winter

Melody stepped back at the question. She had thought Diana had been telling the truth when she had said anyone in the house would be happy to share their story. "No," she said quickly, her tongue tripping over the short word. "Sorry, I just assumed—"

"Nah, it's cool," Puzzle said. She was grinning, as if proud of herself for her little trick. "Go ahead. I'll even do an interview with you. But there's no way in hell you're calling me by my real name, okay? I'm Puzzle." Then she turned with amazing agility and grace and walked down the hallway.

Melody stood there for a second, blinking. "Well," she muttered quickly before following, "I get why they call you Puzzle." She shook her head and chased after Puzzle. She was pulling on a jacket over her bare arms. Several others were hanging on the hooks on the wall.

"Don't bother claiming one," Puzzle said with a jerk of her head toward the coats. "They're all the same."

"Why don't we each get one?"

Puzzle shrugged. "It doesn't make any difference. Welcome home." She turned on a slippered heel and pressed a button on the wall. There was a buzzing noise, and Puzzle looked up to the ceiling. In the corner, by the door, was another camera with a blinking red light.

There was an answering buzzing noise and Puzzle yanked the door open with a harsh tug. A blast of cool, fresh air hit Melody in the face. She shivered, despite the thick jacket she was zipping up.

"Another day in paradise," Puzzle said.

"It could be worse, couldn't it?" Melody said in response as they walked out the door together. Puzzle looked angry again, her lips drawn into a tight line. The glitter on her eyelids was dull in the gray winter light.

"Yes, it could be worse," Puzzle agreed. "I wouldn't last a day in the state place."

"You mean the state prison?" Melody almost tripped as she walked off the front porch. She glared at the step. A piece of rock had fallen off before, and the jagged edge had caught on the leg of her sweatpants. "Damn," she muttered.

"No, I mean the state zoo," Puzzle said without turning around to see what Melody was cursing.

"Funny," Melody said, checking the hem on her pants. "What are we planting today?"

"Asparagus. Yay," she deadpanned.

Melody snorted into the sleeve of her coat.

The wind was cold and hit Melody's bare skin like a splash of ice water. She followed Puzzle around a corner of the burnt red building.

Melody glanced up at the building. It was a daunting, tall building, even though it was only two stories. She touched the rough brick with her fingertips and took a deep breath.

Home, she thought. That's what they had said. Melody was home. She pulled away from the building in disgust.

"Hey, you gonna help, or you gonna keep standing there?" a familiar warm voice shouted over the cold air. Melody turned to see Cypress and Colt kneeling on the edge of a tilled patch of dirt. Beyond them, Jim, the man who had driven Melody here, was kneeling and looking down at something in the dirt.

Cypress had his arms crossed over his broad chest, like an angry school principal ready to deliver a scolding. But even though there was a distance, Melody could tell he was smiling. Puzzle was over by them, stretching her arms over her shoulders.

"I dunno, standing here seems like a pretty good option," Melody said back. She made a point of smiling widely enough that the boys could see she was joking. She took a final glance at the building and still followed Puzzle, right to the boys. "What are we doing?"

When she got to the plot, Jim gave her another one of those wide, reassuring smiles. "Asparagus is a late winter crop. We'll be keeping this plot busy for the rest of the year, this is just the first one. I know it doesn't look like much now, but it'll be great soon."

"It's too early for positivity," Puzzle said.

"It's like noon," Colt said. He looked at Melody. "Hey."

"Hi. Do you plant any flowers?" Melody asked Jim.

The man's strange mustache moved as he answered. "Not really. Would you like to?"

"Yes," Melody answered faster than she should have, fast enough that Puzzle and the two boys looked at her warily. She swallowed. The cold air was going to give her a sore throat. "I, uh, I like gardening. My dad taught me."

Jim nodded thoughtfully. He clearly wanted to make a show of listening to her. Melody swallowed again. So this is what it felt like when people thought you were crazy. She knelt on the old carpet the other three were kneeling on and pulled on a pair of outdoor gloves. "What are we doing?" she asked.

"Digging holes," Puzzle said. "Boring as all hell. Wish I got out of it like the others."

"Key has asthma, Diana is seeing her family, and Jordan's in intensive therapy," Colt said.

"Still better than gardening," Puzzle grumbled.

Cypress grinned at Melody. "I was thinking that while we're here, we could talk about your book."

"Wanna be my first interviewee?" Melody asked as she picked up a small spade.

The boy's smile got even wider. "I'd love that."