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"I need to ask you a question," Blue said

"And it’s a question that sounds better next to a trash can? Hold this" Calla wrestled one of her bags off her arm and onto Blue’s She smelled of jasmine and chili peppers, which meant she’d had a bad day at work Blue wasn’t entirely certain what Calla did for a living, but she knew it had so at students, often on weekends Whatever her job description was, it involved rewarding herself with burritos on bad days

Calla began to stomp up the walk toward the front door

Blue trailed helplessly after her, lugging the bag It felt like it had books or bodies in it "The house is full"

Only one of Calla’s eyebroas paying any attention "It’s always full"

They were nearly at the front door Inside, every room was occupied with aunts and cousins and ry PhD music was already audible The only chance for privacy was outside

Blue said, "I want to knohy Neeve’s here"

Calla stopped She looked at Blue over her shoulder

"Well, excuse you," she replied, not very pleasantly "I’d like to know the cause of cli Calla’s bag like a hostage, Blue insisted, "I’m not six anymore Maybe everyone else can see what they need to see in a pack of cards, but I’ left in the dark"

Now she had both of Calla’s eyebrows’ interest

"Da to go all rebellious on us Why aren’t you asking yourWhat is it you propose?"

Blue accepted another bag; this one was dark brown, and ed to have corners There see one of her newly freed hands, Calla tapped a finger on her lip Both her lips and the nail she used to tap were deeply indigo, the color of octopus ink, the color of the deepest shadows in the rocky front yard "The only thing is, I’m not sure that e’ve been told is the truth"

Blue felt a little lurch at that The idea of lying to Calla or Maura or Persephone seemed ludicrous Even if they didn’t know the truth, they’d hear a lie But there did see after hours, where she thought it likely no one would see her

Calla said, "She was supposed to be here looking for souessed

Calla didn’t say yes but she didn’t say no, either Instead, she replied, "But I think it’s beco else for her, now that she’s been here in Henrietta for a while"

They regarded each other for a moment, co-conspirators

"My proposition is different, then," Blue said, finally She tried to arch her eyebrow to h Neeve’s stuff You hold it, and I’ll stand next to you"

Calla’s mouth becaue, but with Blue beside her, er? It had certainly been dramatic when she’d touched Ronan’s tattoo If she handled Neeve’s things, they ," Calla said, handing Blue the last of them This one was the smallest of all, made of blood-red leather It was impossibly heavy While Blue worked out how to hold it with the others, Calla crossed her arers on her upper arms

"She’d have to be out of her room for at least an hour," Calla said "And Maura would have to be otherwise occupied"

Calla had once observed that Maura had no pets because her principles took toobeliever in s, one of them personal privacy

"But you will do it?"

"I’ll find out more today," Calla said "About their schedules What’s this?" Her attention had shifted to a car pulling up at the end of the walk Both Calla and Blue tilted their heads to read the er door: FLOWERS BY ANDI! The driver rued in the backseat of her car for a full twoup the ith the world’s ser than the flowers

"It’s hard to find this place!" the woman said

Calla pursed her lips She had a pure and fiery hatred for anything that could be classified as small talk

"What’s all this?" Calla asked She made it sound as if the floere an unwanted kitten

"This is for …" The wouessed Blue

Orla was always getting sent flowers by various lovelorn men from Henrietta and beyond It wasn’t just flowers they sent Soes Others sent fruit baskets One, memorably, sent an oil portrait of Orla He’d painted her in profile, so that the viewer could fully see Orla’s long, elegant neck; her classic cheekbones; her romantic, heavy-lidded eyes; and her massive nose -- her least favorite feature Orla had broken up with hient?"

At first, Blue didn’t understand that she meant that the floere for her The woman had to thrust thes in order for Blue to be able to accept theement in her hand It was just a spray of baby’s breath around a white carnation; they smelled prettier than they looked

Calla commented, "The deliveryaround the wiry stems, Blue found a little card Inside, a woe:

I hope you still want me to call -- Adam