Page 159 of Nothing More

“It’s lovely,” Raven assured.

Joanna looked pleased. “Here’s your towels. There’s more in the laundry room if you run out, and you can put the wet ones in the hamper in the bathroom. I put Cassie across the hall. The window in that room looks out over the goat pasture.”

“There’s goats?”

“Fifteen of them.”

“I’m sure she’ll love that.”

“She’s a sweet girl. It’s too bad my girls are on sleepovers tonight; they coulda kept her company.”

“Oh, well, Cass is used to being the only young person in the room.” And she was, but that didn’t mean Ravenlikedit.

Joanna had moved to the door and paused there, hand on the frame, expression motherly in the glow of lamplight. “You girls have had a rough time of it lately, haven’t you?”

“A bit of one, yes.” Raven attempted a smile. “But I suppose that’s just the life, isn’t it?”

Joanna frowned. “Yeah. Sometimes.” She checked over her shoulder, before whispering, “To tell the truth, there’s been some of the boys around here pissed off about howbigthings are getting. It’s like every time we turn around, there’s a new crisis. If something goes down in Tennessee, we feel it all the way up here. And same for you, in London, right? The Southern boys got into the shit up to their necks, and you had to leave home.” She shook her head, clucked. “I’m not angry about it. I get it. Knew I wasn’t signing up for a quiet life when Bennet and me got hitched. But isn’t that just like men: they wanna be all high, and mighty, and powerful…but they don’t like the consequences of that.”

Raven snorted. “They wouldn’t last a week without our good judgement to lean on.”

“Exactly!” She chuckled. “It’ll work itself out, honey. It always does.”

Raven nodded.

“The important thing to remember is that it always gets better. And loving them is worth it.”

“I know. It’s all that’s kept me from committing fratricide.”

Joanna chuckled again, and stepped out into the hall. “I’ll let you get settled. Party time is in half an hour. The girls and I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready to come down.”

“Thank you, Joanna.”

She listened to her footfalls retreat down the hall; the creak of the staircase. It was surprising how quiet it was up here. She heard a snatch of laughter from the floor below, the murmur of voices. A door opened, and greetings were called, but up here, the bedrooms around her were quiet. The air was cooler than it had been downstairs, and smelled faintly of vacuum dust, as though the room had been cleaned and then left empty for a time. Silence from across the hall told her that Cass wasn’t unpacking in her room – she was starting to be concerned about her whereabouts – and Raven had the distinct feeling she wase alone up here, which was strange for a clubhouse. The dorm rooms in London and Knoxville were always occupied by at least a few people; she knew some of the single, financially-challenged Dogs lived in dorms full time. Not so here, it would appear.

The rumble of bikes drew her to the window, and she peered out to see headlamps coming up the driveway, two by two. Dogs arriving for the party. On the lawn, someone was lighting the fire pits, ribbons of smoke curling up from the kindling.

A familiar, slender feminine shape marked Cass, the first flames revealing her face, and Raven breathed out in relief. She was dressed warmly, with her pom-pom hat, and though she was talking to a Dog Raven didn’t know, Tenny stood beside her, looking every inch the guard dog.

She smiled. “We’ll make a good brother of you yet, you little shit,” she murmured to herself.

As if he’d heard – not possible, but still impressive – Tenny glanced up toward the house, gaze narrowing as he searched its façade. Raven shot him the bird, and knew he couldn’t see her when he looked away without shooting it back.

Her gaze wandered, then, and caught once more on the shadowy figure who was lighting the fires. He leaned over the last pit, reached down into the stack of wood, and a moment later a curl of smoke wreathed his head. The first orange glow from below illuminated his face in pale fractals; not a complete picture, but enough of one for her to recognize him as Toly.

“I don’t know if any of us thought he’d ever bring someone around…And then he does, and it’syou–”

She supposed there was some wisdom in the notion that ifeveryonewas saying something, it was probably true. And not one person had reacted to the idea of her being with Toly without surprise. She wanted that to make her feel special…but it didn’t.

With a sigh, she went to freshen up.

~*~

Reese had learned that when it came to social gatherings, there were parties, and then there wereparties. This one was of the former variety: a casual, family-centric affair. A few kids running around. A few single, hopeful girls on the sidelines, giggling into their Solo cups, but no strippers or sexed-up Lean Bitches in sight. He was glad of that:partiestended to leave him feeling harried and out of control. The expectation to have a performative good time had always been challenging; now that he was married, he didn’t have to pretend to have fun, could be quiet, and boring, and comfortable.

He’d expected to spend most of the evening keeping an eye on Cass, making sure she didn’t get led off by anyone unsavory, but so far, Tenny had stepped up and seemed to have the role of big brother well in hand.

Speaking of Tenny…