Page 16 of Roses and Skulls

I bite my lip.I think I was the one that frightened you. I’m the one who should be sorry,I tell her, dropping my face to stare at my shoes.

She grabs my chin and forces me to look at her. My mom has a way of reading me through my eyes. Her gaze scavenges mine. She says my eyes are just like my dad’s. Just like a mood ring she used to say.

“Baby, please tell me where you got that bird.”

Why does everyone keep asking? I don’t know who he was. He was just releasing her after he rehabilitated the poor thing. I thought she would be happier here.

The tiny wrinkles around my mom’s eyes soften. “Okay, honey. Go on to bed.”

Why did she scare you so much?I ask.

“It’s a long story. It’s fine. I’m tired, I’ll walk with you upstairs.”

So, she’s not going to tell me. Fine, whatever. And this is why I don’t share anything with them. I’ll figure it out myself.

I help her up and together we trudge upstairs. When we get to my parent’s room, I remember I’m supposed to go to Lanie’s for supper.Can I go to Lanie’s for dinner tomorrow? She’s making my favorite.

“I suppose that would be okay. Will she pick you up at the shop?” she asks, looking bone dead tired.

Yeah.That guilty feeling creeps back into my head but I ignore it, I know I’m taking advantage of her when she’s down.

“Okay, then. Goodnight, honey.” And she closes the door quietly in my face.

I rest my head against the door. What a fucking day. And all for what? I don’t have any more answers today than I did yesterday. The only thing I have are more questions.

All I know is that whoever Crow is, he terrifies the toughest woman I know.

And that should scare the living crap out of me and make me spill my guts, but they don’t trust me with the truth, so why should I trust them?

I know who will give me answers though and once I have them, I’m going to end him.

Chapter Three

Billie Rose

Well, after last night, I thought everyone would start the day hounding me but that’s not the case. My mom started the morning off cleaning like a mad woman. She mumbled something about the party on Saturday. And dad called an early meeting with his officers, so… yeah, nothing out of the ordinary.

Seems my little escapade yesterday has been forgotten.

The day goes by quiet, and I spend my time working on my skeleton key chime. Maybe this time grandpa will talk to me through it.

Hey, can you give me a ride to Lanie’s?I ask my aunt.

She raises her eyebrows.

I already cleared it with mom,I make an x over my heart, letting her know I’m being honest.

On the drive over to Lanie’s apartment, Lily pulls over to the side of the road before we get there. Oh, man. Here we go.

“Billie Rose, I just wanted to let you know that I’m sad too. About the bar.” She runs her hand over her brow nervously before continuing. “Bill gave me a job there when I first moved here. I had no idea what I was doing.” She laughs lightly, swiping at her eyes. “Anyhow, I know change isn’t easy. Especially, when it feels like everyone is moving on and you are stuck on that day. Am I right?”

I nod and look out the windshield. Aunt Lily is the sweetest person to walk the earth. She has a quiet resilience about her.

“The club wants to help you. I know it must seem suffocating but try to look at it from outside yourself. Everyone loves you, Billie Rose. You and Jesse are all we have left of Bill besides our memories.”

My leg tingles. When I get to Lanie’s, I’m going to have to sneak off to the bathroom and release some of the pain.

Lily reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Just think about it, okay?”

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