Page 32 of A Silence So Divine

“Well the chicken is dead and you’re doing fine, so how is my brother?”

The stove top has four knobs, and I twist the first one. The burst of the flame has me jumping back in fear. Another laugh sounds to my left, and I don’t have to look to know Cecil’s watching me. I keep my eyes straight ahead and place the lid on the pot

“He has a fever, some aches. I looked through the medicine cabinet, but wasn’t sure what to use…”I trail off, looking at the cookbook.

“I’ve been making this for years, so I can take it from here.” With the chicken cut, he washes his hands. “I’ll give him Tylenol with his dinner.”

The dismissal stings, though I can’t say why. It’s probably the nicest exchange we’ve had.

Inexplicably, I find myself hovering.

Without taking a moment to second guess myself, I stand at his hip.

“You don’t want help?”I try to keep my expression passive, but I feel like a child seeking approval.

He turns his body toward mine. I shift on my feet. The usual hard set of his jaw is missing, his posture abnormally relaxed. “Would you like to help me, Eden?” he asks simply.

I swallow hard.“It’s the least I could do,”I offer, shrugging my shoulders, though I’m anything but nonchalant.

Cecil hums in response and turns his back on me, walking to my array of ingredients.

“Alright,” he concedes. “But the moment you gag, I’m kicking you out.” He throws a glance over his shoulder, and a smirk plays along his lips. He’s teasing me, something I’ve become familiar with after weeks spent with Creed.

My lips stretch over a shy smile. His eyes zero-in on my mouth, but he’s quick to look away. The tips of his ears turn red. I self-consciously run my tongue over the crooked tooth behind my canine.

Thirty minutes later, most of the work has been done. Cecil peers over my shoulder while I cut the dough into long strips.

“Not bad.” Barely a compliment, but I preen all the same. “Once you’re finished, we’ll throw them in with everything else. They cook pretty quickly.” His closeness causes a shiver to rundown my spine. Nodding, I glance at him over my shoulder. Our faces are only inches apart, and my breath catches in my throat.

Cecil’s pupils dilate.

“You’ve got some…” He raises a hand to my face. The pad of his thumb is rough and warm, and it draws a line across my cheekbone. Subconsciously, I lean into the touch. The moment my cheek makes contact with his palm, he steps back and clears his throat.

“Flour,” he finishes, dusting his hand off on his jeans.

I wish he hadn’t pulled away from me.

I am terribly confused.

While the noodles cook, I lean against the counter and chance a look at Cecil. He’s across the kitchen now, as if he can’t get far enough away from me.

Desperate to mend the situation, I wave my hand for his attention. He rips his gaze from the window to look at me. The tension is back, hardening his features. It takes all my effort not to tuck my tail and flee.

“Thank you for Christmas,”I say, attempting to soften him back up. His cheeks twitch, gnawing from the inside. He looks back to the window.

“It was Creed,” he shrugs, tucking his hands into his pockets.

“You got them. I appreciate it. I know…”I frown, tucking my lips between my teeth and lowering my gaze. I’m not even sure if he’s watching what I sign.

“I know you don’t want me here.”There, I said it. What we’ve all been thinking for the past month.

It was clear from the start that Cecil makes all decisions, including mine. If he told me to go, who am I to argue? I’m a nameless girl that doesn’t exist outside of these walls. Not to mention, he knows people who want me dead. My life is entirely in his hands. And I don’t think that’s something he asked for.

“Is that what you think?” He sounds genuinely shocked. “Creed loves you, you know that, don’t you? You make him happier than I’ve ever seen him.”

“What about you?”The question forms before I can stop it, and I wish the ground would swallow me whole.

A grimace flattens his lips. With a tug of his hair, he averts his gaze.