Joseph, you’re out of clean towels.” Lucia poked her head into the living room, the rest of her hidden behind the wall. Her red hair dripped water onto my wooden floors.

“She’s in the buff.” Jenna guffawed. Gabriella rolled her eyes, beaming.

I rose. “Go back to the bathroom. I’ll bring you a towel,” I ordered Lucia. She disappeared down the hall.

“You have naked angels running around your house,” Jenna continued through her laughter. Gabby laughed louder.

Shut the front door!” Jenna exclaimed.

Andrew disappeared into the foyer, and when he returned, his eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. “The door is shut?

How ya doing?” Gabby’s face came into view, and she grinned down at me. She’d stopped doing her healing thing, and the pain rushed in.

“I’m just peachy,” I quipped, throat scratchy. “Only hurts when I breathe or blink or exist, if I’m being honest.

It’s complicated,” I said in defense, hands going up to show surrender.

“Talk slowly,” Jenna retorted derisively.

“Okay, I deserved that,” I admitted.

I’m not your boyfriend!” I snapped, trying to gently move her hands away from my body.

“How can you say that?” Sara asked in horror.

“It’s shockingly effortless,” I replied. “My vocal chords vibrate, and my mouth and tongue articulate. I can even do it without thinking.” I had to remind myself to stay calm, and sarcasm was the best way to do that.

“When are you going to give me a key to your house so I don’t have to knock like some guest?” Sara asked, coming at me again.

I backed away. “How about never? Is never good for you?”

Sara, undeterred, said, “You’re the reason I go to therapy on Fridays.”

“The plot thickens!” Gabby exclaimed for comedic relief.

Jules lips quivered, and I feared she was about to cry. Then she asked, “He bit off more than he could chew, didn’t he?” She made a motion as if she was biting into a tough piece of steak.

Gabriella’s lips sealed shut as she tried to hide her grin, though she failed at it when Andrew asked, “Was he eating?” He turned desperately to Gabriella, confused.

Jules wasn’t about to cry, she was trying not to laugh! She giggled then, the sound tinkling and odd in the outlandish setting.

Andrew straightened and shook his head at Gabriella. “Did you see him eat?