“I know. You’ve both said it has, but not by all three, or four, at the same time. Sure, one he can take on one no problem, but how is he going to stop all three of us? Just think about it: we can attack him and escape. This can work.” What was I saying? Two minutes ago this was impossible and now I was rallying the damn troops.
The cellar door creaking open made me jump. My heart leaped and stomach sank. “This can work if we do it together,” I whispered, begging them with wide eyes.
“No, Lily,” Rose replied. I turned away before I screamed at her again.
He was carrying three bunches of flowers and mumbling to himself. I couldn’t work out exactly what he was saying but I caught what I thought a few words were. Bodies and camel but it couldn’t have been that. Well, not the second one anyway.
Rose took a deep breath and smiled warmly. She looked confident and relaxed but her hands tapped against the side of her thighs and she held herself stiffly. “Good afternoon, Clover.”
He jumped, startled, as if he wasn’t expecting us to be here. “G-good afternoon,” he said, stuttering as if he was surprised we were right there. He never stuttered. He was so confident and smooth, unless he was freaking out about flowers. How could he have been surprised to see us? What did he think, that we had popped out to the corner store?
“Have you come for lunch?” Poppy asked, her eyes flicking to the clock. It was only twelve, so he should have been at work.
The way he was acting was so erratic—talking to himself and being completely unaware of everyone around him. His eyes darted around the room, taking everything in. I gulped and noticed Poppy took half a step back. “Flowers,” he said and held them out.
“They’re beautiful, Clover, thank you.” Rose stepped forward and took all three bunches out of his hand. So, we’re just pretending this is normal? No questions?
I followed Rose and Poppy to the kitchen area and filled the vases with water. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him. He eyes darted around the room, every few seconds flicking back to the door. Who was he expecting? The police? He was acting weirder than before. It was unlike him and I had no idea how to act. Was it best to ignore him completely?
“So, Clover, would you like some lunch?” Rose asked.
“No, thank you,” he replied quickly and smiled.
Without another word, he kissed Rose and Poppy on the cheek and looked at me. I held my breath as he closed the short distance and kissed my cheek. The palms of my hands stung, and I only realized once he moved away that I had been digging my nails into them.
“Good night, Flowers,” he said from the stairs and continued mumbling to himself. Phone and bodies.
“Good night?” Poppy repeated to Rose. Did that mean he wasn’t coming down here anymore today or did he just have no idea of the time?
Rose shrugged and took one last glance at him before he was gone through the door. “I’ll make us all a nice hot chocolate.” Oh, that’ll fix everything, Rose!
I drank my hot chocolate quickly, burning my tongue and barely tasting it. I tried to focus on something other than his lips on my skin, but I could still feel the light pressure on my cheek. I felt dirty. “I’m taking a shower.” I needed to feel clean again, if that were possible now.
Turning the shower on first so it would heat up, I stripped off my clothes. The temperature was too hot, but I forced myself to get in. No matter how hard I scrubbed my body, I still felt disgusting. It was as if he had been etched into my skin. I idly wondered how long ago Rose stopped scrubbing her body, if she ever did. She seemed to like it down here. I would never get to that point. Ever.
16
CLOVER
Wednesday, May 9th (2007)
I sat at the unbalanced table with Violet, Poppy, and Lily. There should be four flowers sitting with me. I couldn’t help my eyes flicking to the empty seat. My Rose was missing. It felt wrong and I couldn’t relax.
“Is everything okay, Clover?” Lily asked. Love and concern shone in her eyes; it made me feel a hundred feet tall. Lily was beautiful. She had been part of the family for two years now and was someone to look up to for the other girls. Poppy and Violet looked up to her.
“Everything’s fine,” I replied, smiling through my unease. I ate silently, listening to their conversations, only joining in when necessary. My foot tapped on the floor rhythmically. This is wrong. I needed to see Shannen, and I needed to find Rose.