†Chapter 3: Beast Blood Zelaide†
EUPHEMIA got plenty of sleep after she crawled into bed.
Suffering assault at early dawn had inflicted a great deal of damage to her psyche and only added to the mental and physical exhaustion she had built up over the past several days vigilantly observing the Night Blooms.
When she woke up in the late-afternoon, she became painfully aware of how famished she was. Her housekeeper Mrs. Mayo would arrive anytime now. While Euphemia was always grateful for the food Mrs. Mayo brought, she still much preferred starvation to dealing with the overbearing woman’s impassioned nagging.
Mrs. Mayo had already treated her to an inquisition more appropriate for a preteen granddaughter than a grown woman the other day, when Euphemia had sent a D-com message about staying at the lab for three days. Mrs. Mayo gave her an earful, going on about how she wouldn’t allow it if Euphemia’s older sister Erica didn’t sign off on it—permission which Euphemia did succeed in obtaining—and then she had demanded Euphemia send her a D-com every night at the exact same hour.
I can’t handle her! I absolutely, positively, can’t take her crap right now!
But she still needed food, even if she didn’t feel like fighting for it.
Thinking about it now, she’d barely eaten anything in over twenty-four hours. She no longer experienced an urge to puke at the thought of food, indicating her much needed rest had helped pacify the feelings of utter disgust and revulsion roiling inside her. She had recovered much faster than she thought she would.
Maybe this shirt helped the healing process? I’ve turned it into my pajamas for the day. Euphemia buried her fingers into the shirt she’d borrowed from Zelaide. I’ll deal with the immediate problem by eating out.
Being away from home for three days paired with the fact that she rarely cooked for herself had left her refrigerator empty of all but drinks. Plus, her thoughts spiraled down into a dark, depressing place when she was alone. Euphemia didn’t want anyone coddling her out of sympathy, but she also didn’t want to be by herself.
She reached over and snatched up her Interactive Handheld Terminal, referred to more often as an IHT, and tapped Mrs. Mayo’s picture in her contacts.
“Hello? Mrs. Mayo?”
“Euphemia?! Are you back? I was worried sick when you didn’t contact me last night. I was just getting ready to leave for your place,” Mrs. Mayo’s voice said through the IHT.
“Ah, I was just calling you about that. I’m stuffed for the day, so can I take a rain check until tomorrow?”
“Pardon? Did you eat out?”
“You can say that. I’m sorry I forgot to D-com you last night… I’ll be sure to have you come over tomorrow. I’ll go ahead and let my sister know.”
“Oh my. I don’t mind, but are you all right? Make sure you let Miss Erica know you stayed out for three whole days. You know what, maybe I should just head on over there and confirm you’re okay for myself.”
“No! Don’t go through the trouble! I’m heading out to meet up with a friend, so it will be a waste of your time to come right now. I’ll be sure to send a D-com to my sister afterward. I better get going. Thanks for everything and really, sorry for worrying you. I’m looking forward to what you make me tomorrow. Bye!” Euphemia ended the call in the friendliest manner she could manage through her guilt.
Sleeping for so long made her feel sweaty. Euphemia tossed her IHT onto the couch and sluggishly plodded over to her full-length mirror.
The horrifying marks left on her fragile skin had almost completely faded away. Her knees peeked out from under the hem of the giant black shirt. She twirled in front of the mirror for no particular reason, then stuck out her red tongue for no particular reason either, before stripping off the baggy shirt and lobbing it into the washing machine with the gusto of a pro basketball player.
It’s not a lie if I actually go out to eat with a friend! Okay, now I know what to do!
Euphemia was the type to immediately take action once her mind was made up. She took another shower and was toweling off when she realized her specs were missing, and rummaged through her purse to find the case empty inside.
They were my favorite pair, and they were expensive too! She was upset over the loss, but it wasn’t a huge inconvenience because they weren’t prescription lenses. She only wore them as a kind of prop, to make her appear more intellectual, since everyone tended to take her appearance to mean she was some sort of frivolous, ditzy blonde.
Euphemia remembered seeing the specs on top of the end table beside the bed when she woke up in Zelaide’s house. She had positively forgot them there altogether.
Now I’ve done it. I was in such a shock at the time, it slipped my mind. Will he think I’m a stupid girl again? Then again, this could be my chance! Now I’ve got two excuses to see him—his shirt and my specs.
No longer concerned with her specs, Euphemia quickly set about planning her outfit. Putting her hair up didn’t look good without specs on. That said, she hated how much she stood out in a crowd with the waist-length hair she couldn’t cut short because of her older sister’s nagging. Euphemia contemplated what to do for a few moments before deciding to part her hair and braid it down both sides of her face like she used to do during her university days. Throwing a hat on and going for a casual look would be enough to disguise what she didn’t like about her appearance.
She considered contacting one of her girlfriends until she remembered that one of her university friends worked as a police officer.
Wei Lin-jie is trustworthy. I’m positive he’d be willing to look into Zel for me if I ask him to, Euphemia concluded, satisfied with her stroke of genius. I’ll send him a D-com now. I hope he worked the early shift today.
Euphemia threw off her towel and set about picking out the clothes she was going to wear.