“Shit,” she hisses before she falls quiet for a moment as if she’s digesting what I just told her.
“It’s an insane idea but, and don’t think I’m crazy, but I get it. Being in love with someone with Megan and Cal’s condition will take you out of character. It practically drives you insane. I did things I never thought I would. I slapped Helen for keeping Cal's conditions a secret from me, and I assaulted the woman Chris was engaged to. I haven’t made the best decisions when it came to being kept in the dark about Cal’s condition, so I know the strain of it can make you do some crazy shit,” she continued.
I think about telling her how I went after Kam with a bat, but I’m not sure if that’d be too out of character for me.
I guess I can see the reason behind putting secret cameras everywhere, but that’s only if I really try hard enough and excuse the obvious problem behind it. But I still think it’s fucked up. I’ve been going crazy about all of this, being up late into the night wondering where the fuck she is and if she’s okay. I’d give anything to know where she is and as who, but still, I would never invade Megan’s privacy in that way.
“Where’s the good in spying on her, though? It’s not like she can be stopped from leaving, whichever one of them if they wanted. I wouldn’t makeany of them stay somewhere they didn’t want to be. Alana alone would raise hell trying to set herself free, even if I was the one that did it.”
“Well, if it is what you and Cal think, Kam’s in for a hard lesson.”
“Yeah,” I say, imagining Alana giving him hell. “He is.”
Lauren opens her mouth to say something, but then she stops, and her eyes squint before she smiles.
“The girls are on their way,” she tells me.
I hear the pitter-patter of running feet getting louder and closer. Lauren looks at her phone.
“Snack time,” she says, getting up and walking over to the pantry.
Willa comes in first and finds Lauren on the way to the door, but then she stops in her tracks when she sees me. A few seconds later, Caylen comes in, bumping into Willa and falling to the floor.
A bright smile spreads across her face, and she points at me.
“It’s the knight!” Willa exclaims.
“The knight!” Caylen repeats, just as excited. “Come play with us!”
“You have to sit still when you’re eating, girls,” Lauren says, coming out of the pantry with cheez-its and dried mangoes.
“We set the table up already, but we need him to guard us while we eat,” Willa says.
I laugh as they both pull me from my seat.
“Girls, you have to ask him if he wants to guard the castle while you eat,” Lauren giggles.
“It’s fine,” I say, allowing them to pull me out the door. “I’m in the mood to throw some trolls around,” I say in an exaggerated tone I figure a knight would use.
As Lauren gets their snack ready, I pretend to toss ogres and dragons out of the kingdom. I’m caught up in their games long enough to get away from the turmoil inside of me. It’s only for a few hours, but that’s better than nothing.