The Witching Hour

23
 3.
Sky on fire

Interviews are harder now. Simple and truthful denial of the girls’
intimate relationship was now off the cards, for they only told tall tales out
of amusement, not for mysterious or cryptic effect. They did not wish to
obscure the truth; however, Clarette was unsure as to how the situation
should be approached in the press. She ran through it with Tristan.
“Scandalous? Plus. Sexy? Plus. Romantic? Plus. Those who don’t appreciate
a lesbian relationship probably would not be listening to The Witching Hour
anyways. On the other hand, it could be viewed as contrived. They could
lose credibility.”
“It’s not contrived,” Tristan cuts in.
“Well we know that, but their fans could see it as fake. It wouldn’t
be the first time someone faked it for attention.”
“Have you ever read our messageboard? Knowledge of their
relationship has always been speculative. They are already under a
microscope, and if this gets any more attention people are going to figure it
out. People already thought they had it figured out.”
“I guess the general public figured it out before our girls did.”
“Not quite, the girls were fully aware of the conjecture. I’m
guessing that didn’t exactly hinder their feelings.”
“No, I suppose not. I just won’t say anything. They can do what
they want.”
“They can do what they want?” Tristan laughs a bit too hard.
Clarette whacks him upside the head. “I’m sorry, sorry. Just, you know, out
of character,” he finishes.

It is the end of March. At the moment the girls are playing on a

playground in Twickenham as a frazzled journalist, working for Dire
Reputation magazine, attempts to get them to slow down long enough to get
something besides a concocted story or an abrupt answer. He gives up and
sets up his camera. He adjusts the lens and clicks. He photographs them on

24
The Witching Hour

the swings, on the monkey bars, and on the merry-go-round. Theda pushes
the rusting merry-go-round and jumps on, sitting perilously on the edge. She
wipes the seafoam-green paint flecks off her hand that had been imbedded
in her palm while pushing. They spin and squeal. The camera freeze-frames
the giant smiles on their faces and their hair flying straight out behind them.
The merry-go-round slows gradually.
“Urgh.” Evelina drags her foot on the ground to bring it to a stop. “I
feel a bit nauseas.”
“Not me, I’ve got a strong constitution!” Theda boasts to the
reporter. “In fact, I was just thinking that we should eat.” Theda produces
sandwiches from her bag.
“It’s getting a bit cold to eat out here. Don’t you think?” the
reporter asks.
“Tell him he can have my sandwich!” Evelina shouts from across the
playground, still sitting on the edge of the merry-go-round.
“Do you want her sandwich? I think it’s tuna.” She turns back to
the merry-go-round and screams, “Hey! Is your sandwich tuna?!”
The journalist tries to answer, but is cut off again.
“Yeah! With extra mayo!!” Evelina shouts back.
“It’s tuna with extra mayo.” Theda holds out the sandwich. She
cuts a tiny wedge out of her own chicken sandwich and sets it down for
Avalon.
“That’s very nice of you, it’s just, the sun is setting and it’s quite
cold,” the reporter explains.
“We’re just staying at a friend’s house, up the street. Thought it’d
be rude to invite strange journalists into his flat, sorry. Do you want my
scarf? A cigarette?” Theda begins untying her polka-dot scarf.
“You’re homeless?”
“Well, technically, yes. But there’s always someone who will have
us. We don’t mind imposing.”
“No, I don’t suppose you do,” he laughs. “Any plans for a flat of
your own?” Evelina toddles over and into the conversation.
“We’ve not got any money mister. Just some piddly royalties and
gig money, but it’s always spent before it is saved innit?” Evelina says while
scratching at the seal on her juice.
“What would you do if you had money?” the reporter asks. Initially
proud of this question, his heart sinks when all he gets are blank expressions
and glazed eyes in response. “Ok then… so what’s next? When are we going
to see an album?”

25
 “Well, we haven’t recorded anything new yet. We know someone
whose dad used to be famous. We’re finagling to use his equipment so we
don’t have to get someone to pay for studio time. Tristan will be trying his
hand at mixing, I suppose.” Evelina explains.
“I’d spend it! Or give it all away!” Theda near-shouts.
“What?” Evelina and the reporter look at her.
“If I had money.”
“What would you spend it on, though?” the reporter asks.
“You know all those you buy that add up without actually ever
getting you anything?”
“So you’d have nothing to show for your money?”
“Well, I’d give the rest away. To charities. I’m sure they could find
more useful things to do with my money.”
“What charities?”
Theda ponders this. “Medical charities. I hate pain, so I’d support
eradicating anything painful, really.” Evelina strokes Theda’s hair.
“I’d give it to my mum, she’s got crazy-debt,” Evelina offers. She
zones out and watches the tape spin around in journalist’s old-school tape
recorder.
“The sky looks like it’s on fire.” Theda is distracted by the sky,
painted a lively-orange as far as they can see above the buildings and trees.
“I know, the clouds even tuft out at the top, graying, like smoke.
We should live out here, where you can actually see a bit of the sky
sometimes.”
Theda springs onto her knees, excitedly. “We should move to the
countryside! Ooo, Avalon would love that!”
“I thought you didn’t have any money,” the reporter interjects.
“Oh, we will.”
The group dine in the park and watch the sun set. They answer the
reporter’s innocuous questions while Theda wrestles with a packet of crisps,
eventually sitting on the bastard packet, popping it open and leaving crisps
on the ground.
“Motherfucker!” she exclaims.
After they are done eating, Evelina and Theda force their new friend
onto the merry-go-round for a ride. Theda hops on as Evelina pushes.
Evelina watches them spin around and takes a photo with the journalist’s
camera. The flash lights up the darkening sky.
“I should be off,” he says as the merry-go-round slows to a near
stand-still. He steps off, steadying himself on the uneven earth beside the

26
The Witching Hour

giant toy. He packs up his things and starts off. “Wait, which way am I
meant to be headed?” he asks.
“The nearest bus stop is across there, and to the right,” Evelina
replies.
“Thanks. Bye girls!”
“Again! Again!” Theda shouts at Evelina, encouraging another spin.
She lies down in the middle splaying herself out as though she fell, splat,
from the heavens. She softly pinches Avalon’s hand between her thumb and
index finger so she is not flung off the ride (for reasons of physics). Evelina
pushes, running so fast she nearly falls underneath. Theda blissfully stares
up at the sky, scanning it for any sign of the moon or stars as the sunset
fades.
Theda climbs off after the merry-go-round has slowed. She
stumbles to the bench where Evelina is perched, sitting on the backrest.
Avalon follows, flying in an indirect circular pattern, she flutters into Theda’s
lap.
“We should go home before the night demons show their
sepulchral faces,” Theda suggests.
“It’s only 7:30!”
“They’re coming, I hear them in the distance.”
“You hear the rugby stadium.”
“They will become goblins when they leave.”
“Alright, c’mon nan, I’ll fetch us some tea.” Evelina takes Theda’s
hand and pretends to guide her back to the flat.

The girls have been staying with their friend, Adam, for over a week
now. They appreciate the privacy and comfort of his spare room. Such
luxury is not supplied in Tristan and Liam’s flat. They had only met Adam a
month ago; he played a magical acoustic support slot for two of their shows.
His biggest mistake was mentioning his spare room to them, really. Hoping
for another person to sublet, what he actually ended up with was two
freeloaders. The girls really liked him though, and they all got along well.
There were only a few problems, just typical, ‘who finished the milk?’
business.
Adam is a sensitive soul. In fact, Theda informs him regularly that
he is a ‘giant pussy.’ In contrast, his parents were brash, horrible, characters.
Because of this, he wanted a serene existence and sought to take the edge
off Theda (whenever possible). Adam projects little romantic interest in
either girl, something they both appreciate. He tells the girls he is gay, but
this is a half-truth. The girls have had a calming effect on Adam as well.

27
Usually promiscuous, and hitting on anything that moves at indie clubs and
house parties, he hasn’t brought anyone home since they started staying
with him. He doesn’t mind. In fact, he’s starting to wonder where his two
friends have run off to.
Theda and Evelina bang their fists against Adam’s door. “Let us in!
It’s da cops!” Theda shouts.
“Then I best not open the door,” a tiny voice replies from the other
side of the barrier.
“We’ll keel yur motha and fadda! Open the door!” Evelina shouts
back.
Adam opens the door. “What was that supposed to be? Now
you’re in some sort of Brooklyn-based mafia?”
“We need a key, Adam,” Theda requests.
“I’ve only got one, deal with it.”
“We’ll settle for chocolate?” Evelina rummages through the
cupboards.
Theda skirts left and into the front room. “What the fuck are you
watching?!” She stares at the TV, observing a greased up muscle-bound freak
aggressively air-humping a crowd of thousands as he plays saxophone.
Adam enters the room and looks at the TV. “Oh him. I want to
bone him. He’s well fit, yeah?” Adam manages a deadpan expression.
“Well, he is your type,” Theda responds.
“I was watching the Simpsons, you twat!” He limp-wristedly slaps at
her shoulder.
“May I change the channel over from your sex god then?”
“Please.”
“Actually, I dunno, I’ve never seen such a sexed-up sax player
before. This is kind of amusing.” Theda ponders her options, and eventually
decides to change the channel.
Evelina enters the room. “Wallace and Gromit!” she shouts.
“Alright.” Theda settles on the claymation classic and sinks to the
floor. Evelina breaks off a bit of some chocolate she found and sticks a piece
in Theda’s mouth.
“Want a piece?” she extends the bar to Adam.
“I was just about to make tea. Don’t you want something proper to
eat?”
“This is as proper as it gets. I can’t cook,” Evelina responds.
“What if I showed you what to do? I’m just making spaghetti
Bolognese. We could make enough for you, and Theda too.”

28
The Witching Hour

“Ok, just…” Evelina stands up and tilts the television to face the
doorway. She walks into the kitchen area. “Alright then!”
Theda crawls up onto the couch and rests her legs on the coffee
table. Avalon stretches out alongside her. They listen to pots and pans
getting pushed around in the kitchen. Adam takes down the pasta and pulls
out a jar of spaghetti sauce. Evelina sets a giant pot on the stove’s burner.
“This should be big enough!” She moves to put the pasta in.
“It needs water, and you have to let the water boil first.”
“Why can’t you put the water and pasta in at the same time?”
“That’s a good point, I’m not actually sure!” Adam laughs.
“Anyways, can you take the mushrooms out of the fridge and chop them up
a bit?” Adam takes a knife out of the drawer and holds it up, causing the
light to reflect off of it. Evelina watches in horror as he makes stabbing
motions with it. “Mwa ha ha ha!” he shouts. Evelina freezes, her eyes
watering. She runs into the bathroom and dry heaves over the toilet. Adam
puts the knife down and chases after her. “What? What!? Are you okay?!”
he asks, panicking.
Theda runs down the hall and into the bathroom. “What did you
do?!”
“Nothing! I was just kidding around with the knife and she freaked
out!”
“Motherfucker,” Theda swears under her breath. “Just go, she’ll be
fine. Theda holds Evelina’s hair and rubs her friend’s back, just incase.
“You’re okay, everything is safe!” she says, soothingly.
Evelina falls back against the wall, breathing heavily. “I’m sorry,”
she mumbles and gags one last time.
“I know. It’s no big deal. Adam doesn’t know, don’t be cross.”
“I’m not cross,” she sighs. Theda pulls her into her lap and they sit
on the bathroom floor for a while longer.
Adam appears at the door some twenty minutes later. “Are you
okay? Do you want me to fix dinner?”
“I can still help.” Evelina braces herself against Theda and pulls
herself up. She, in turn, helps Theda up. Evelina walks back into the kitchen.
Adam watches her leave and turns back to Theda. “What the fuck
was that about?!” he asks with intense concern and confusion.
“That would be childhood trauma,” Theda states, matter-o-factly,
and walks into the kitchen. She kisses Evelina on the cheek. “I’ll be in the
front room, okay?”
“Okay,” she replies, and kisses her back. Adam enters the room.
“I’m so sorry,” she says.

29
 “Don’t worry about it,” he replies and hands her a large pot. “Fill it
up?”
Evelina fills the pot with water and turns the stove to high. She
opens the fridge and takes the mushrooms out, setting them on the small
counter space. She takes a butter knife out of the drawer as well as a plate,
setting them on the table. She faces the TV and begins chopping at the
mushrooms in a random fashion.
Adam smiles to himself as he breaks apart the meat, browning it for
the sauce. “Do you want to add the noodles to the pot now? The water is
boiling.” Evelina complies, glancing at the TV over her shoulder.
When everything is done cooking, Adam combines it all in the big
pot. He gives Evelina the task of mixing all the bits together. He then sticks
his head in the front room. “Food is finished! Come help yourself.”
Theda makes her way into the kitchen. She grabs a plate and holds
it out to Evelina. “Fill me up!” Evelina beams and drops several servings
worth of pasta on her plate. Theda laughs and places a chaste kiss on her
lips and on the top of her head. “Merci my love.” She heads back to the
front room while Adam and Evelina fix themselves their own plates.
Wallace and Gromit is over, and Top Gear has come on. “I am not
watching that!” Adam shouts to the front room.
“Keep your pants on! I’m changing the channel!”
Adam sets his plate down on the floor; he sits down and crosses his
legs. “Give me the remote?” Theda chucks it at him disdainfully. He flicks
through the channels. “We can watch this documentary on people with
Synesthesia or this travel show on Italy.” Theda shrugs in response. Adam
leaves it on the documentary. Evelina joins them in the front room and sets
a drink down on the coffee table, near Theda’s feet. Theda scooches over,
making room for Evelina, and sending Avalon fluttering up to sit on the arm
of the sofa.
Theda mindlessly twirls her pasta and watches the colors dancing
around the woman’s head as she plays piano on TV.
“I wish I could taste color,” Adam thinks out loud.
“I wish I could hear color,” Evelina says.
“Trippy,” Theda adds, “Have you got any weed?”
“Above the sink, in the medicine cabinet. Please appreciate our
cooking skills first, though?”
“I am! I mean, I do! This pasta is lovely. I just have a bit too much
of it. I’ll put it in the fridge and reheat it tomorrow.” Theda gets up, taking
her plate with her to the kitchen. She scrapes it into some tupperware and
sets it in the fridge. Theda plugs up the sink, sets her plate and fork in the

30
The Witching Hour

basin, and turns the tap on. Leaving the water on to fill the sink, she makes
her way to the bathroom. She kicks a dirty towel out of the doorway and
opens the cabinet and snatches the baggy and rolling paper. Theda hurries
back to the kitchen. She adds soap to the water in the sink and turns off the
tap.
Adam joins her in the kitchen, taking the baggy out of Theda’s
pocket and some tobacco out of a drawer in the kitchen. He sits at the
kitchen table and carefully rolls them a joint. He places it between her red
lipstick-stained lips and pulls out his lighter, holding it to the tip of the spliff.
Theda breathes in and pulls it away between two fingers. She hands it to
Adam who gently puffs on it and hands it back. The two of them return to
the living room.
“Want some?” Theda offers.
“Um, just a bit?” Evelina takes the spliff, inhales, and returns it
immediately. Theda settles on the couch again, the weight of her head being
held by the backrest. Adam turns on his heels and walks back into the
kitchen, deciding to make one for himself. Theda stares through the TV as a
woman discusses the ups and downs of being able to taste sound. Evelina is
still intrigued by these different possibilities.
“Do you think her parents did drugs, and so she was born with her
synapses all confused? Like a permanent high?” Adam asks as he re-enters
the room.
“It doesn’t work like that,” Evelina replies, adamantly.
“How does it work then?”
“Just shut up and watch!”
Adam turns off the light in the kitchen and wedges himself between
the arm of the couch and Evelina. Theda wills herself to sit up and lurches
forward, stubbing out her joint and setting the what little is left on the side
of the ash tray. She leans back against the couch and puts her arm around
Evelina. She, in turn, rests her head against Theda’s chest. “Boob pillow!”
Evelina giggles.
“Aye, the best kind of pillow,” Theda giggles as well.
“Shhh! I’m trying to watch!” Adam hushes the girls.
The documentary finishes 15 minutes later. No one has the energy
to change the channel. Some unidentifiable situation comedy from the early
1990s comes on. The bad jokes and unfortunate fashion choices are found,
perhaps, a bit funnier than usual. The room is cloudy with smoke.
“Fucking poodle hair,” Theda snorts.
“Fucking shoulder pads,” Evelina adds.

31
 “Fucking hell,” Adam sighs. He looks at the clock; it’s not as late as
he would like it to be. He has the biological clock of a grandad, already
exhausted at 10:45pm.
“Someone put me to bed? There is no reason to be awake for this.”
The girls laugh in his face. “Goodnight old man!” Theda taunts.
“Meh, I can’t get up.” Adam sinks further down into the cushions,
and rests his head against the couch. When the show finishes, the girls
realize that he has fallen asleep.
“Should we wake him up?” Evelina asks.
“Well that’s a bit rude, isn’t it? Theda responds.
“Turn down the TV?”
“You turn down the TV!”
“Fucking hell.” Evelina reaches for the remote as though it was an
exhausting task. She turns down the volume on the TV.
“Maybe we should just go to bed. I really don’t fancy reading lips.”
“I like lips.”
“Focus.”
“Ok. Did he really mean for us to put him to bed? I mean he’s thin,
but he’s quite tall. I don’t know if we can carry him…”
Evelina cuts her off, “He was kidding, I’m sure, you know he’s a
tease. Er, I think.”
“Your mum was being a tease last night! Ohhhh!” Theda produces
her own giggle-fit. Evelina rolls her eyes and gets up. “Now I’m cold. I have
a cold spot in the shape of you.” Theda manages to drag herself off the
couch. Avalon tugs at a green blanket wadded up underneath the table by
the TV. Theda crosses the room and picks it up. She drapes it over Adam
and kisses him on the cheek. “Goodnight,” she whispers.
Avalon hovers by his ear. The tiny fairy whispers “goodnight.”
Evelina kisses the top of his head and turns off the light. Avalon perches on
his shoulder and watches him sleep. Theda walks into the bedroom, ahead
of Evelina.
“Brush your teeth!” Evelina reminds Theda.
“Yes! Yes! Thanks mum!” She pops out of the bedroom and
stumbles over the dirty towel, still on the floor in the bathroom. “Fuck…
Shit…” she grumbles as she wets her toothbrush.
Evelina appears at the door. “I’m not kissing your filthy-smoky
mouth!” she justifies her reminder.
“It’shhh clean now!” Theda replies, foaming at the mouth and
trying not to drool toothpaste. Evelina pushes Theda out of the way of the

32
The Witching Hour

sink and splashes water on her face. They take turns using the toilet and the
sink before heading to the bedroom.
Theda undresses to her vest and pants as Evelina changes into a
vest and shorts with rubber duckies on them. They leave their clothes in
crumpled heaps on the floor and climb in bed. “Fuck!” Theda let’s out with a
start, “This bed is so cold!” She kicks at the covers, trying to straighten them
over herself and Evelina. The stiff sheets make a crunching noise. Theda
gives up and huddles into Evelina. “Body heat!”
“Yano we’ve gotten to bed before midnight for the past week? We
really need a gig. Why have they gone dry?” Evelina thinks outloud.
“Because we’re done promoting that bastarding single. Maybe we
should release another one so I can grow painfully tired of performing that
as well.” Theda can’t see Evelina’s face, but she can tell that she is pouting.
“Just call Clarette in the morning, okay? She’s probably just tired of us and
needs a break.”
“Alright. I love you. Goodnight?”
“Goodnight. I love you too. So so so so much,” Theda responds.
Evelina leans down and kisses her lips softly. Theda kisses back and then
cuddles in, that one possible centimeter closer, as their body heat slowly
warms the blankets. The girls drift off to sleep as Avalon sings a lullaby from
her perch on the backboard of the bed.

Evelina awakes first the next morning. She quietly creeps to the
end of the end of the bed where her suitcase is lying open, having never
been unpacked. She takes out a fitted blue dress as well as her push-up bra
and knickers. Tiptoeing, she enters the bathroom and turns the shower on.
Theda awakes slowly at the sound of the running water, just on the other
side of the wall. She notices Evelina is gone. She pulls herself out of bed and
slowly makes her way to the bathroom door, she opens it a crack.
“Soapy and naked, you are a sight!” Theda says sleepily. Startled,
Evelina whirls around and looks through the shower door to see Theda.
“Goodmorning,” she offers.
“Come back to bed and have sex with me,” Theda requests.
“Go sit on your electric toothbrush, I’m in the middle of my
shower!” she shouts sarcastically over the rushing water. Theda exits the
bathroom and wanders into the kitchen. She reaches in the bread box and
sets several pieces of bread on a pan and pops it in the oven. She turns it on
and walks away, sticking her head in the front room. Adam is still sound
asleep.

33
 Back in the kitchen, she empties a tin of beans into a saucepan and
heats them as well. When all is finished she sets out three plates and stacks
toast on each. She sets the saucepan on a hotpad in the middle of the table.
Evelina emerges from the bathroom. “Mmm, student food. Actually, I quite
fancy beans and toast. Thank you luv!” She gives Theda a kiss.
“Wake up Adam?” Theda requests. Evelina walks into the front
room and gives him a little shake.
“Wake up, Theda’s made brekkers,” Evelina informs him. Adam
groans in her face. “Urgh morning breath. Thanks for that,” Evelina groans
back and returns to the kitchen.
Some five minutes later, Adam stumbles into the kitchen and
empties a large amount of coffee into the coffee press and turns on the
kettle. He then stumbles over to the kitchen table and inhales all that is on
his plate. The girls just watch him, slightly bewildered. “How does that
bastard stay so thin?!” Evelina wonders out loud as Adam stocks back over to
his coffee. He pours himself a cup, not offering any to his friends. Theda
shrugs, using her last bite of toast to wipe her plate clean.
“You should call Clarette.”
“Why?” questions Evelina.
“Well you were whinging on about something last night.”
“How about the fact that we have nothing to do besides interview
after bloody interview?”
“How about you call her then?”
Evelina carelessly drops her plate in the sink and heads back to the
bedroom. She digs her phone out of her belongings and scrolls down to
Clarette in her address book. After several rings, Clarette picks up.
“Yo yo, its Evelina.”
“Yo yo, this is unexpected! What do you want?”
“Gigs.”
“You have one next weekend.”
“So, that’s still a rather large gap in between, don’t you think?”
“Well, I’ve just been waiting for you guys to sort of your recording,
since Theda requested I leave you guys to it. If I book you up, you can’t
record.”
Evelina puts her hand over the phone. “Theda!” she shouts to the
other end of the flat, “have you talked to Patrick about using his dad’s
studio?”
“Sort of! He said we could, but we didn’t discuss when!” Theda
shouts back.

34
The Witching Hour

Evelina takes her hand off the phone. “Can we call you back later?”
she asks Clarette.
“Yeah yeah yeah.”
Evelina ends the call. She walks back into the kitchen. “Make it
happen!” she hands her phone to Theda. Theda leaves the room. “There’s
nothing to do today,” Evelina whines at Adam.
“Read a book.”
“What time do you go in to work?”
“Not till four, why?”
“Cos now I can play with you until four!”
“It doesn’t work like that.” Adam laughs, actually loving the
attention and social contact of living with the two girls.
Evelina lists various suggestions of what they could do together
today, all of which are rejected by Adam due to their infeasibility.
“Swimming? Hiking? Punting? Kite-flying? Celebrity stalking?
Omigod can we buy a cat?!?!”
“No. No. No. No. No. And omigod no!” he replies.
“Fine. Then I’m going to go visit Tristan and Liam.”
“There, I’m glad you found something to do!”
Theda returns. “Friday the 20th of April.”
“Eh?” Evelina turns around to face Theda.
“We’re going to North Yorkshire to use Patrick’s dad’s studio… We
just have to get the train to Whitby, and they’ll pick us up next Friday!”
“Eeeeeee!” Evelina squeals.
“His dad said we could use all his equipment, so we don’t have to
drag ours around. That way we can take the train. But it gets even better…
His parents’ house is in the moors! I love the moors!” Theda jumps. Avalon
perks up and twirls about the kitchen in dizzying circles. “I’m just going to
ring Clarette and let her know. She’ll be very happy as well, I’m sure!”
Theda sits down to call her while Adam tidies the kitchen, washing the plates
from this morning and last night. Evelina makes her way back to the
bedroom to put her makeup on. She cakes on eye shadow that is nearly the
same color as her dress. She slicks on three coats of mascara. She pulls her
clear lip-gloss out of her makeup bag and paints it on her full lips.
By the time she’s done, Theda is off the phone with Clarette. “I’m
going to see Tristan and Liam, are you coming?” Evelina asks.
Theda ponders the question. “I guess not, you’re all ready to go,
and I still look like hell.” She stands up and wraps her arms around Evelina’s
waist. “You look gorgeous, as usual.” She pulls the smaller girl closer, hands

35
on her bum. “You have a good day.” Theda kisses her cheek and neck to
avoid smudging her lip-gloss. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Evelina replies, combing her fingers through the
snarls in Theda’s hair. Adam watches this display of affection attentively.
The girls pull apart. Evelina grabs her purse off the counter. “Make sure
you’re here tonight, or call me if you’re going out? I don’t want to be locked
out.”
“I’ll be here, don’t worry so much!” Theda replies.
“Okay, byebye!” Evelina waves and exits.

36