A House of Snakes and Emeralds

Chapter 10:

I walked out of the office with my head held high, pretending that my mother hadn't just reminded me that befriending the wrong people could get me killed, or worse. I pretended that I was calm and collected like everyone expected Patricia Valtos to be, as I walked past my mother towards the front of house.

"Patricia."

"Yes, mother?"

"Since you're off this week, would you be able to help here? Jilly's interview didn't go well so she is exploring other options." Once again, my mother was buried in her work while meddling in my life.

At least she had confirmed that Mrs. Demarcus was the one who told her about the basilisk. I hoped that meant that word was not spreading through The Woods about a renegade vet tech who betrayed the Righteous. That hope was instantly quashed as I recalled how quickly word of my dinner last night had spread.

"I can help in the mornings this week," I did not give her the opportunity to question my schedule. "And I'm bringing Rya by on Tuesday afternoon. Probably around 2. Would you like me to bring her to the back so that you can say hello?"

Her eyes flicked up to meet mine. "And the male?"

"I do not know his schedule."

"Rya may come to the back. It would be nice to see her again. The male," she paused to give me a sinister grin, "I trust you to make the right decision."

"Thank you, mother," I left to see my dad and Jilly in the front.

"Hey, pumpkin," the comfort of his embrace steadied me.

"Hey, dad. How are things?"

He handed me a cookie that had broken when he went to package it. "When your mom came in to open the store, she had over a dozen custom orders already waiting. Didn't she tell you?"

I shook my head, "she was lecturing me about my new friends. Speaking of which, Jilly," I summoned her when the customer left. "I'm bring at least one of the people that I met last night to the bakery on Tuesday. Please, please, do me a favor and stop the Pumpkin Patch comments while she's here?" I tried to cut them with a stern expression, but they were the softies of the family so I couldn't help but smile.

"Of course, pumpkin," dad kissed me on the top of my head and went to help the couple who just walked in.

"I'm walking Patches out!" Jilly called to our dad as she whisked me through the kitchen and out the back door, barely letting me grab my things.

Once we were outside, Jilly spun and gripped my shoulders. "Friends?"

"Oh, for the love of The Elixir, Jilly. I'm an adult. I am allowed to have friends." I did not try to hide my exasperation.

"I pray Calliope disagrees, sister," she winked at me. "I, on the other hand, do not need anyone praying to Calliope on my behalf."

I was almost thankful for my younger sister's self-absorption, "date went well?"

"What, no. He was a total bore. But I met someone at the club we went to."

I scoffed and kissed Jilly's cheek, "that is my cue to leave. Glad you had fun, Jilly."

And just like that, I was headed home.

When I got back, I didn't know what to do with myself. Frankie had some ideas which would have been better left to herself.

It was 2:30 in the afternoon on a Sunday, and I found myself completely stupefied by the question of what I wanted to do for fun. In very typical Tricia fashion, I picked up my novel and made tea.