Electra F


I woke slowly. And warm. Wonderfully warm. Not nuclear-furnace warm like when I fell asleep next to Conrad, but… Comfy.

I discovered that I still in the pit, curled between Delli and Annie. I sat up carefully. Pet was cuddled next to Annie. That didn’t surprise me.

Amelia was nowhere in sight. Must be after sunrise, she’d be back to work already.

A couple more people were missing, but most of the sorting party was arranged around the room on pillows or bags or the floor.

And it struck me that I’d had a sleep-over. I’ve NEVER had sleepovers! Certainly never in the House of Silence, and it just never came up as a sylph.

That’s when the ‘set’ really felt like a home. I had a home. I mean, sure, Conrad and I had made ourselves a few shared sanctuaries, and he always encouraged my input… But this was mine.

I heard feet on the stairs and turned to smile. Cher popped to the top and announced, “Straight people are having sex in my make-up chair. Conrad’s going to have to clean it before I use it again.”

“Now THAT’S a successful sleepover,” I heard. I turned to find Delli smiling at me.

“Yeah,” I said. “I guess.” I wasn't sure. Like I said, I haven’t had many. I turned back to Cher.

“I’ve got nothing AGAINST straights, you know me,” he was going on. “But I’m not seating anyone in that chair until it’s been steamed.”

“Did they not know we have beds?”

“I think they’re taking advantage of the six mirrors,” he said frankly.

“Never mind why they’re there!” Delli protested. “WHO is in your chair?”

“Pipkin and Butters would be my guess,” Annie drawled.

“Oh, yeah,” Pet said, stretching and sitting up. “Did you guys see how they were always careful to be seated together but never looked at each other as if it was an accident but they kept giving each other bites of their treats and scooting a little bit closer every time Amelia, their boss, left the room? I thought it was sweet.”

“Were you and Conrad separated at birth?” I mused.

“No, Buttercup sylphed a month after The Day and I was already in her tummy by then and I came out a month after she sylphed.”

“And she’s from Georgia,” Cher said. “So while it’s not completely impossible, it’s unlikely.”

“Speaking of people hiding from their boss,” Delli said, “where’s Amelia?”

“The sun’s up, she’s back at work,” Kerri shrugged. “Bet you anything if you call the office she’ll answer.”

“No bet,” I said. I knew the hours Amelia put in. I rolled to my feet. “Okay, we have three bathrooms and two showers. No clean clothes but-“

“Oh, don’t let the bare midriff fool you,” Delli said. “I’ve got clean clothes for everyone.”

“Your bare midriff goes from your toes to your cornrows,” Annie pointed out. “I like it. I’m going to steal that for the flight back.”

“Feel free, sweetheart,” Delli said. “I’m thinking of stealing your Florida accent.”

“What?” I asked. “Why? Your New England accent is just darling!”

“Nevah,” Annie drawled, vamping her normal tone, “undah-estamate the powah of ‘y’all,’ sugar.”

“Yep,” Delli said.

“Okay,” Pet said, “but how many of the bathrooms and clothes are on the other side of the chair where Pipkin and Butters are, um, kissing each other?”

“EEP!” We turned to see the back of Pipkin’s head as she rushed down the stairs. Well, it was never exactly a secret…

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Index

115. Annie F

117. Kerri F