Bella's Arc

Chapter 2 of 13

Bella trotted down the hall with the bunny clamped in her teeth. Its little scythe bumped her chin with every step. She found her person curled in the cream chair, a pale blue throw across her knees, a book open in her lap. Bella dropped the bunny at her feet and meowed hard. Marella looked down. Her eyebrows lifted, then settled. "Well. Hello, you." She leaned over and picked the bunny up between two fingers. She turned it once. The green eyes caught the lamp. "Huh. I don't remember buying you." A pause. A small, dry smile. "Which means I definitely bought you." Bella's tail lashed. She meowed again, louder, and patted Marella's ankle. Look at it. Look at where it came from. Look at the baseboard. But Marella was already standing, bunny in hand, walking toward the sideboard by the wall. She lifted the flap of her black purse on top of it and dropped the bunny inside without looking. "Out of sight," she murmured. "Out of mind. That's the deal." Bella froze on the carpet. Her evidence was gone. Swallowed by leather and lipstick and whatever else lived in there. From behind the baseboard came a soft, delighted giggle, then a second one, layered on top. Marella paused. Her hand stayed on the purse a moment too long. Then she shook her head, picked Bella up, and tucked her under her chin. "Silly girl," she said quietly. "It's just the building settling." Bella stared over her shoulder at the purse. The bunny was inside. The twins were laughing. And no one believed her yet.