Tiny Raven

Sparrow came up the stairs as I was getting ready to go, a new novel in hand to purchase.

“Hey, Beau?” she asked, sounding apologetic. “I know it’s near your break, but Lottie’s here and I could use some help.”

The rabbit heaved an exaggerated sigh. “I’ll be right down. You need to learn ASL, Spare. It’s not the same as Hands but-”

“But it’s close enough to be useful,” the girl said as she turned to descend the stairs again. “I know, I know. I’ve got a class starting in January!”

Beau chuckled as he locked the till and flipped the “open” sign to one that said “Closed. Be back soon.”

“You remember my cousin, Charlotte, right?” he asked Sans.

The skeleton nodded, and I trailed behind the two monsters as we all made our way downstairs, not-so-subtly eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Her human is a real piece of work,” Beau said. “She sends Lots on errands to pick stuff up – but she’s forbidden to speak! Then she – the human – gets upset when nobody knows what Lottie is there for. She’s pretty cruel to Lottie, too. But … well, you know her. She always tries to hold onto hope, no matter how bad things get. Even though every time I see her she’s got some new injury … ”

Beau trailed off and I felt sick, useless anger curdling in my stomach with disgust. How many people in Ebbot were like Apollo? Like my mother?

I wasn’t sure whether to feel relief or frustration when I saw who Lottie was.

She looked almost the same as she had Halloween night, dark circles under her eyes and ears drooping with fatigue.

Lottie and Beau exchanged a quick hug, my mother’s slave only using her left arm. She began signing as soon as they separated.

“She says Karen Miller placed an order online, and sent Lottie to pick it up,” Beau said.

The human girl tapped at a tablet with a frown.

“I don’t see anything from her in the last month … ” Sparrow said. “Nothing since her last binge – which I definitely remember you picking up.”

Lottie’s paws became a flurry of movement again, too fast for me to read with my rusty memory of ASL.

“She’s wondering if – ”

“If there’s anything in the back?” Sparrow asked, cutting Beau off. “Yeah, I’ll go check. I don’t think she actually placed an order, though. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Thanks,” Beau said as Lottie signed, “Thank you.”

Once Sparrow was out of view Lottie sighed, her shoulders and ears slumping further in resigned exhaustion.

“Come on upstairs, Lots,” Beau said in a gentle tone. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

Which is when Lottie noticed Sans.

Then she noticed me.

And she obviously put together that Sans was with me.

I began to stammer an explanation, only to stop when I saw the heavy bandaging on Lottie’s arm.

I saw red.

“Did she do that to you?!” I hissed, approaching Lottie and pointing angrily at the cast. My thoughts turned toward the last time I had seen my mother.

Halloween.

She hadn’t been happy when Abby and I had left.

Lottie stepped away from me, eyes wide with fear, and Beau was quick to step between us. I stopped, trying to calm my breathing and holding my hands up in what I hoped was placating rather than threatening.

I was regretting eating the panini, delicious as it had been.

Sans was staring at me like I’d lost my mind.

He wasn’t exactly wrong.

“Y’know her?” Sans asked, breaking the tense silence.

I nodded, refusing to look at any of them as guilt, shame, and worry warred in my stomach.

“She lives … “ I swallowed hard, clenching my eyes closed. “Karen Miller is my mother.”

My mother, who must have been furious after that stunt we’d pulled on Halloween. Especially since we left before she got a chance to get a photo of Chloe to plaster across social media.

My memory echoed her enraged screams as we walked away.

I hadn’t even considered that she would turn on the rabbit woman.

Charlotte.

“Did she do that to you?” I asked again, voice cracking.

“Yes.”

The simple sign felt like a punch to my gut.

“It wasn’t your fault. Or your sister’s.”

I clenched my fists at my sides, feeling my nails bite into my calloused palms. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from challenging Lottie’s assurances.

My mouth filled with the taste of iron.

“Sorry Lottie,” Sparrow said as she returned from the back. “There’s nothing there. I checked all the invoices and – uh … am I interrupting something?”

“Seems our guest is related to Karen Miller,” Beau said. He didn’t move from his protective position between his cousin and me. “She was asking about Lottie’s arm.”

Sparrow looked at me curiously, before returning her attention to the rabbit woman.

“Is this your last errand, or do you have more to do?”

“This is it,” Lottie signed.

“Where is she?”

“Eva’s Café.” Lottie said. She glanced at me before adding, “She’s drinking mimosas with a friend.”

I groaned in frustration.

It wasn’t a surprise. My mother was no stranger to day drinking, although she usually did it at home. Unfortunately, she was far too proud to call for a cab, though, and she already had at least two DUIs on her license.

“Fuck,” I muttered as I considered my options. My conscience wouldn’t let me just walk away, not when I knew she would be putting others at risk. I should call the police – or at least text Abby so she or Xander could come deal with the situation.

I traced the outline of my cellphone in my jeans.

“I take it you’re not Karen’s biggest fan,” Sparrow said.

“You could say that.” I muttered. “She’s my mother. We don’t have the best relationship.” I glanced at Sans as I pulled my phone from my pocket. “What happens when a monster’s human is arrested? To the monster, I mean.”

It wouldn’t hurt my mother to have to face the consequences of her actions for once.

Sans shrugged, “It depends. If there’s another responsible adult around with a claim – like a partner or next of kin – the monster can be taken in by them. But if there isn’t, or if the human disallows it, the monster gets booked alongside the human.”

Which meant calling the cops on my mother would put Lottie in jail right along with her. I glanced at the cast on her arm, torn.

“Oh!” Sparrow said, interrupting my internal debate. “Don’t worry about that. Third Place is a halfway house for monsters – I made certain of it as soon as I learned the option was available.”

“Third Place?” I asked, completely lost. “Halfway house?”

“Sparrow is legally allowed to take in monsters whose humans can’t care for them for whatever reason,” he shifted to sit on the stairs. “The monsters have to work at least ten hours a week, but they don’t have to be locked up.”

“And ‘Third Place’ is this store,” Sparrow explained. “Or … all three stores together, really.”

“Three stores?” I asked. “I only knew about the bookstore and the café.”

“My partner runs the game store in the other building,” Sparrow explained. “The ‘Rook’. Anyway, cops usually hate booking monsters – it’s extra paperwork with no benefit. It’s like … hours of extra work, since monsters have to be booked differently than humans. So most of the time they’ll gladly release monsters into the custody of halfway houses if the option is available.”

“Is that why you’re here?” I asked Beau. “Because it’s a halfway house?”

“Beau is my best employee,” Sparrow said brightly. “I’m gonna miss him when he quits for bigger and better things.”

“I’m not quitting,” Beau said with a roll of his eyes. He turned to me. “I just work here. But Lottie will be able to stay until Karen is released, especially if Sparrow is the one to call the cops on her.”

“Yep!” Sparrow said. “So, is she coming here to get you, or are you supposed to go to the café and meet her. I know the owner over there, and can work something out, but it’ll be a hell of a lot easier if I can call the cops because she’s on my property.”

“She is coming here,” Lottie signed. “… Eventually.”

Sparrow snorted.

“Awesome. Go rest up in the café. Beau can get you anything you want – just charge it to the store. I’ll deal with Karen when she gets here. Oh, and Beau? Once you get Lottie settled, it’s your break. You’d better not so much as think about working during it. Take some time to catch up with your cousin. Relax. That’s an order.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Beau responded, his words light and friendly. He stood up and twitched his head toward Lottie before beginning his ascent.

“Thank you,” Lottie signed before she turned to follow him.

“Oh, and Beau?” Sparrow called up after them. “Make sure Lottie gets something for her arm.”

“Will do,” Beau called back.

“As for you,” Sparrow said as she turned toward me. “I could use any advice you have in dealing with your mother until the cops get here. You don’t have to stay, of course, but anything you’re willing to share would absolutely make my day. Your mother is … well … she’s certainly a person.”

“Is she, though?” I asked before I could think better of it.

Sparrow laughed hard enough that she snorted.

“True enough,” she said as her giggles died down. “Anyway, I know she’s not gonna respect me – it’s not like she’s ever treated me like I’m sentient before, I see no reason that would change. But is there anything I should keep in mind?”