“He should still check you over. Why haven’t you moved out of bed today?”
“I’m out of bed.” She was lying on top of it. She’d had to get up to pee.
“You’re still in your pajamas.”
They were so comfy, though. Worn from years of wear. They had pictures ofPinky and the Brainon them. One of the few things she’d ever bought for herself.
“Are there images of mice on your pajamas?”
“It’sPinky and the Brain.”
“Who?”
She gasped in horror, sitting up. “You’ve never heard ofPinky and the Brain?”
“I believe we’ve established that, yes. Who are they?”
“They’re . . . they’rePinky and the Brain.”
He just gave her a look. Right, that didn’t explain anything. “They’re two mice. Brain is always trying to take over the world while Pinky is, well, his scatterbrained companion. It’s kind of an older cartoon now. But when I . . . you know what, it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. It’s just a stupid cartoon.”
It didn’t matter that watching reruns of the old show had kept her spirits up when she’d been recovering from her injuries in a foster home. That her foster mom, who was one of the few people who’d ever looked out for her, had introduced her to the cartoon. That she’d sat with Keira and watched it every afternoon.
None of that mattered anymore.
“Can you please go away? I want to be on my own.”
“No, you don’t,” Zander replied. “You have a thing for mice, huh?”
She guessed it seemed that way. Even now, Squeaks was lying under her pillow. Protected but close by. She still expected one of them to try and take him from her.
“You need to get up,” Zander told her. “Eat a proper meal. Shower.”
“You saying I stink?”
“Yes.”
“I do not!” She sniffed at herself. “I showered yesterday.”
“It is important to shower every day,” he lectured.
“If I stink, will you let me go?”
“No. Come and eat. You’re not allowed to neglect your care.”
“No.”
She waited, feeling nervous about his reaction. This probably wasn’t her smartest play ever. Maybe she should pretend to be cooperative, then once they lower their guard and boom! She’d escape.
Damn it. Why hadn’t she thought about that before now? That was a much better plan than just being a pain in their asses until they kicked her out.
Zander narrowed his gaze. “Keira, get over here. Now.”
She shook her head.
“Fine.”
He moved toward her. She didn’t know what it was. The way he’d dropped his arms, the fact that he was standing and she was lying down, or something else. But she found herself scrambling back up the bed with a cry of fear. Her arms coming up to protect herself.