Ivy pointed to another comforter which was hot pink with yellow flowers. “That’s so bright it would keep me awake at night.”
“But that one is cool.” Bryn walked over to check out an aqua comforter with random width white stripes.
“And it’s happier than the navy one,” Ivy said. “Although the inconsistent stripes might make me crazy after awhile.”
“It would probably make my grandmother crazy, too, but I kind of like that it’s not symmetrical.” The perfection of everything at her grandparents’ estate sometimes gave her a headache. There was too much pressure for everything to be just right. Bryn grabbed the matching sheets and then investigated the bathroom accessories.
“Look at this.” Ivy held out a smiling green frog with long eyelashes and some sort of lotion pump on its head.
“What is it?” Bryn asked.
“It’s a soap dispenser. And even though it doesn’t fit my kick-ass tattooed image, it makes me smile.”
“Then you should get it.” Bryn followed Ivy over to the other soap dispensers displayed with a sign that said: Find one that makes you happy. “Great marketing campaign,” Bryn said. After all the fighting and bloodshed, finding little things that made you smile was a good idea.
She debated over several cute animals and then picked a plump blue bird. “This one works for me.”
After paying for their items, they went outside to find Clint arguing with a Red Guard.
“What’s going on?” Bryn asked.
“Loitering is not allowed,” the guard said.
“He wasn’t loitering,” Bryn said. “He was waiting for us.”
“No one is allowed to stand around in the street or on the sidewalk. When you come here you shop, or eat, and then leave.”
“Okay.” Bryn wanted to argue, but the guard looked like he was minutes from exploding. She could play the do-you-know-who-my-grandparents-are card, and if the guard had tried to arrest Clint she would have, but right now it was easier to make peace and then figure out what was going on later. “We’re going to eat now.”
The guard loomed over Clint. “Do not let me catch you disobeying the rules again.”
Clint held up a piece of paper. “Maybe someone should hand these out to people as they come into town. It’s hard to obey rules when you don’t know they exist.”
The guard opened his mouth to counter Clint’s argument. Ivy grabbed Clint’s arm and tugged him down the sidewalk. “Time to eat.”
“What was that about?” Bryn asked as they walked at a brisk pace toward the Snack Shack.
“Let’s wait until we’re inside before we talk,” Clint said, “because something about that didn’t feel right.”
Bryn inhaled the scent of caramel corn as they entered the restaurant. “That smells amazing.”
After they were seated and had placed their order for burgers and fries, Clint said, “I was standing there, minding my own business, when the large, angry guard came over and started lecturing me about loitering. When I acted clueless, he pulled out this list. I swear he was ten seconds from arresting me. And this list is ridiculous.
Anyone in Dragon’s Bluff who is not shopping shall be detained for loitering.
Anyone in Dragon’s Bluff who is not dining shall be detained for loitering.
Loitering or congregating without purpose is not allowed.
“So the moral of the story is, don’t-stop-to-tie-your-shoe-between-shops-or-you-could-be-arrested?” Bryn asked. “What’s this about?”
Their waitress delivered their drinks and a bucket of caramel corn. “Be careful,” she said. “They aren’t kidding about arresting people. My boyfriend was waiting for my shift to end, and they took him in. I had to go identify him before they’d let him leave.”
“Where did they take him?” Ivy asked.
“Those huts at the parking lots aren’t just places for the guards to hang out. There are cells inside.”
After the waitress left, Bryn said, “What’s the purpose of this? Why pass laws to detain people who aren’t doing anything?”
“No good reason comes to mind,” Clint said.
Ivy frowned and examined the list again. “They escort us here in armed cars, and then harass us? That doesn’t make sense.”
Bryn leaned in and spoke in a quiet voice. “I’d bet money that the Women’s League did not sponsor the anti-loitering campaign. That sounds more like Ferrin.”
“You’re probably right,” Ivy said.
“I hate that we feel like we have to whisper these conversations when we’re in public,” Bryn said. “Like we don’t have the right to discuss things in the open anymore.”
“That’s not on the list,” Clint said.
“No, but common sense tells me that whoever is behind the list is looking to make an example of someone,” Ivy said.
Chapter Four
Bryn’s phone rang half an hour before curfew. Who could that be? She had a sneaking suspicion but hoped she was wrong.
Crossing her fingers for luck, she answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Hello, Bryn,” her grandmother’s voice coming through the phone was a relief. “I know it’s late, but I wanted to stop by for a visit.”
That was strange. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. I’ll be at your door in five minutes.”
“I moved down the hall,” Bryn said, in case her grandmother didn’t know.
“I’m aware,” her grandmother said. “How do you think I knew which room to call?”
“Right.” She hung up, feeling sort of stupid. Whatever.
Her grandmother knocked exactly five minutes later. Bryn opened the door and was surprised to see Lillith by her grandmother’s side. Jaxon’s mom was due to give birth any day now.
Bryn stepped back to let them in and then gave her grandmother a hug. “It’s nice to see you, but what’s going on?”
“We’ve heard rumors that students aren’t being made to feel welcome in Dragon’s Bluff,” her grandmother said.
“And we wanted to make sure that students weren’t intimidated at Orientation tomorrow,” Lillith said. “So we thought you and Jaxon could act as a hospitality committee to show everyone they are truly welcome at school.”
Bryn had learned to keep her sighs of frustration on the inside. Outwardly, she smiled and nodded. “Sure. We can do that.”
Lillith looked at the couch and then chose to sit in a chair at the table. “I’m afraid if I sit on the couch I won’t be able to get up without assistance.” She stroked her belly. “I keep telling Asher that he can make his appearance any time now.”
“I thought you had another two weeks until your due date,” Bryn said.
“I do,” Lillith said. “But I swear there isn’t any more room for him to grow.”
Someone knocked on the door. “Are we expecting someone else?” Bryn asked.
“That will be Jaxon,” her grandmother said.
Great. Bryn walked over and swung the door wide. Jaxon stood there looking as happy as she felt. “What fun new event are we attending now?” he asked in a tone that sounded like he was mentally rolling his eyes.
“We’re hosting student orientation,” Bryn said with obviously fake enthusiasm.
“How wonderful.” Jaxon entered the room and nodded at her grandmother. “Mrs. Sinclair, Mother…how nice to see you both.”
“Young man, I doubt your sincerity,” her grandmother said.
“As you should.” Jaxon walked over and sat on the couch. “It’s been a trying day. Please explain what you’d like me to do so I can return to my room.”
“Coming back to school must have stirred up so many memories,” his mom said. “Are you all right?”
Jaxon glanced at his mother and then reached up to rub his forehead. “Which answer would you like…the truth or the socially acceptable response?”
“The truth,” Lillith said.
Jaxon stared down at his hands. “Everything reminds me of Rhianna. I’d literally rather be anywhere other than here.”
“I’m sorry,” Lillith said. “But I’m not sure what I can do to help.”
“The only thing that helps with this type of loss is time and distraction,” Bryn’s grandmother said. Her tone was more kind than Bryn would have expected.