80

80
ELLA
“Why didn’t anyone tell me about the preparations? I wouldn’t have gone for a walk, and I’d have been happy to help in whatever capacity I could.”
“I’m surprised Eve didn’t mention it. Well, I think it’s because May would have her head if she found you working with the others.”
“Why wouldn’t she want me to work?” I asked, the memory of our earlier conversation surfacing.
“Who? May? You’re her guest, Ella. She takes hospitality seriously—wants her guests to feel as comfortable as possible. She thinks she’d be a terrible host if you were doing dishes or helping out in the kitchen before or after dinner.”
“But I’d be more comfortable if I was contributing something to the house rather than being the one waited on. It makes me feel like a burden. I’m used to doing everything by myself. Now, I do nothing but eat, sleep, and take walks.”
“Being waited on isn’t such a terrible thing, it—”
“I know that, Quincy,” I interrupted. I was getting impatient, and his reply was starting to remind me of how I felt when I first told him about my ability. I didn’t want a repeat of that dismissal. “What I’m saying is, I think a week is long enough to be pampered. I’d like to do something around the house too—even if it’s just taking out the trash.”
“I understand, but you’d have to take that up with May yourself. Knowing how she gets about things like this, no one wants to bring it up. Even I can’t help you,” he replied, raising his hands in mock surrender.
I chuckled and nodded. I’d find time to talk to May about it. Maybe I could bring it up at the bonfire, but I wasn’t sure if that would be appropriate—it seemed more like something to bring up in a personal conversation. I decided to put the thought aside and deal with it later.
We sat in comfortable silence, staring at the night sky as the stars shone brightly. A few minutes later, we heard some commotion inside the house. We went in to find out what was going on and saw that Eve and some of the others had arrived.
“Hi, Ella,” she said, playfully nudging me. “What have you two been up to?”
“Whatever happened to minding your business?” Quincy said before I could come up with a response, and Eve laughed.
“You say that like I’ve ever been able to keep my nose out of anything,” she replied and started unpacking items from the grocery bags they’d brought in. “I’m a wolf, Quincy—sniffing around is what I do best.”
I tried to help with one of the bags, but she playfully slapped my hand away. “You’re not planning to get me in trouble with May, are you?” she asked in feigned annoyance.
I shook my head. “I can’t stand around doing nothing.”
“Well, you’re not touching anything in here on my watch. Take it up with the boss,” she said, squinting at Quincy, who gave me a knowing look.
I smiled and walked out of the kitchen. If I couldn’t make myself useful around the house, I might as well spend time staring at the stars and counting down until the bonfire began—or until the next day, when I’d be able to see the seer.
“Ella,” I heard someone whisper, followed by a light tap on my shoulder. “Ella, wake up.”
I opened my eyes to see Quincy sitting at the edge of the bed. I rubbed my eyes, which had started to itch. “What time is it?” I asked as my vision blurred for a few seconds.
“Six. Early enough to get to the seer’s office,” he replied, and my face twisted into a frown.
“Isn’t that too early?” I asked, blinking as the itch worsened and tears gathered at the corners of my eyes.
“She doubles as the town’s vet. If you want to get the meeting over with before people start trooping in with their hamsters and bunnies, now’s the perfect time.”
“Alright, give… give me a few minutes to wash my face and change into something more appropriate.”
“I’ll be waiting outside,” he said before leaving the room.
After he was gone, I sat up in bed and tried to collect my thoughts. The bonfire had ended about an hour ago. Like Quincy said, it was a good time for everyone, and I’d made sure to keep my thoughts about helping around the house to myself so I wouldn’t ruin the group’s great energy.
Before the activities were done, I’d gone straight to my room once I felt no one was watching. I’d been feeling sleepy and had no intentions of sacrificing sleep for games and roasted s’mores.
I’d barely slept for an hour before Quincy came to wake me up, and I wondered if visiting the seer while my thoughts were still scattered was a good idea.
But I didn’t have a lot of options. If I didn’t go today, I’d probably have to reschedule—and that wasn’t something I wanted to consider.
“It’s now or never,” I said and forced myself out of bed.
A few minutes later, we were on our way to the office. We’d taken May’s car, which she seemed reluctant to let go of when she heard where we were headed. Quincy said it was because she was skeptical about involving seers in personal business.
Soon, we’d put a reasonable distance between us and the house, then veered into a part of town I hadn’t explored during my walks.
While I had seen the marketplace, shopping centers, and had been close to the town square, this area was filled with office buildings and what looked like high-end shops.
The car slowed to a halt in front of a pale blue building, and Quincy pointed at a window on the third floor.
“We’re going to use the stairs. The elevator isn’t trustworthy—it occasionally breaks down, and we don’t want to be caught inside when it does.”
“Stairs all the way to the third floor?” I asked, grateful I’d worn sweatpants and a tee, which were perfect for walking, though I wasn’t thrilled about an impromptu morning workout.
“It’s the best option—unless you’re willing to risk getting stuck in the elevator.”
“That sounds like the stuff nightmares are made of,” I remarked as he turned off the ignition and we got out of the vehicle.
“That’s what I thought,” he said, chuckling.
“How do the pet owners manage the stress of going all the way up there?” I asked as we walked into the building.
The reception area was painted white, and the receptionist, who had been reading a magazine, immediately sat up as the doors slid open.