CHAPTER FOUR

A couple of days later Rosemary and Amadeus were watching a movie on television when there was a knock on the door. Rosemary ignored it but Amadeus was unable to, and so got up and answered it. Rosemary did not pay attention until she heard the voices and realized who they came from.

Jules and Bernie.

Amadeus came back looking a bit reluctant. "They've invited us over for supper."

"And you said no, right?"

"Of course not. That wouldn't be polite."

"Damn it, Amadeus!" said Rosemary, sitting up straight and clenching her fists. "Why do you have to be so damn polite all the time!"

"I'm sorry," said Amadeus. "I honestly was going to say no, but I couldn't think of a good reason to refuse."

Rosemary got up angrily and went into the bedroom. "You know I don't like those people, Amadeus. You know they make me uncomfortable. Why did you have to say yes?"

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't even go near me right now. I don't want to talk to you. For once you couldn't have been rude?"

"Rosemary-"

Rosemary went into the bedroom and closed the door. She sat in the window box and stared out of the window, folded her arms, and put her head down. Damn Amadeus. Damn Jules and damn Bernie. Damn everything that led up to this. Rosemary had no idea why she was so averse to the two hedgehogs, but she just could not submit herself to the idea that they actually were good people. After a few minutes though she felt bad for being so angry with her husband. She knew his nature and that was part of why she had married him. And she knew that this part of his affect would not allow him to go and drag out of her why she was upset, like parents did when children went and closed themselves in their rooms, so she got up and opened the door.

He was sitting on the couch again, on the edge, and he had folded his hands together and brought them to his face. He looked very uncomfortable and was obviously trying to think of some way to fix the problem but was coming up short.

"Amadeus?"

"Mm," he said, not changing positions.

"Don't be upset, alright? I'm sorry for being so angry...I know you can't help it."

He rubbed his hands over his face once, slowly, and then looked at her. "I suppose I should be able to by now."

"No...honey, I don't want that. I just...I don't like those people, that's all."

"I know."

"Maybe I just need to be more open," said Rosemary. "We'll go to supper and I'll try to take my cue from you."

"I'm sorry?" said Amadeus, frowning.

"I'll be polite," said Rosemary, and he smiled and got up.

"You silly woman," he said, and he pulled her close and kissed her. Instantly Rosemary felt better.

"Besides," said Rosemary, "we wouldn't be where we are today if you weren't so damn polite."

"Mm," said Amadeus. "That's true."

After a minute Rosemary let go and went back into the bedroom to change. She wasn't horrendously dressed or anything but it wasn't really a 'go out to dinner' sort of outfit.

When she was ready Amadeus took her hand and brought her next door. She didn't want to let his hand go but she had to because Bernie and Jules had set their places on the opposite sides of the table.

"So how are you holding up?" said Amadeus after they had all helped themselves to meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

"Oh, all right," said Bernie, who, Rosemary realized, usually did most of the talking. "We are very sad of course, but we can't let that get in the way of living."

"That's an interesting view to take," said Rosemary, looking at Amadeus to see if he agreed with her, but he was nodding not to her statement but to Bernie's.

"I agree," he said. "You can't let the dead overly affect the living."

Of course, thought Rosemary. Of course he would think that way.

So Rosemary mostly sat there passively, not really paying attention, wishing that Amadeus would have a bit more sympathy for her situation.

When Jules offered them an alcoholic drink she expected him to say no, seeing as he never drank and indeed thought badly of people who did,but he accepted and did not even give Rosemary an exasperated look when Jules overfilled the glass by mistake like he usually did when something happened he didn't like. She was even more surprised when he actually drank some of it.

Thankfully after a while dinner ended and Rosemary was able to get out of the oppressive room. She went into the bathroom to wash her face and hopefully clear her head a bit.

"Anyone! Anyone! It didn't have to be a no-good slut straight from the gutter. Just as long as she is young, healthy and not a virgin!"
Rosemary froze.

"Ssh, Bernie, they'll hear you."

"What does it matter, really, Jules, isn't it-"

"Bernie!"

Rosemary tried to leave the bathroom quietly and discreetly, and although the two hedgehogs appeared not to have noticed, she was sure she could feel their eyes on her after her back was turned.

"Amadeus, can we leave now?"

"All right," said Amadeus, and he took her hand and called a farewell to the two hedgehogs in the kitchen. They called the same back merrily,but Rosemary was not convinced. She was angry, and upset, and afraid. After they had returned to their apartment and she had firmly locked the door she told Amadeus what she had heard them saying.

"Hm," said Amadeus. "It does appear that they may have been speaking about you."

"They definitely were!" said Rosemary angrily. "And not only that, but they didn't give a shit about Amy! They wanted to use her for something, I know it!"

"That sounds reasonable, but to what ends?" asked Amadeus.

"I don't know," said Rosemary, suddenly exhausted. "I...I don't want to see them anymore."

"All right."

"And I don't want you seeing them either."

Amadeus hesitated.

"Don't tell me it's not polite! I don't care! They're creepy and they're disturbing and they're-they're-"

"I think you may need to sit down, Rosemary, you seem to be in considerable distress."

"That might be a good idea," she said, and sat down on the arm of the couch. She was still enormously uncomfortable.

"Let's go to bed," said Amadeus. "We'll be better able to solve this problem in the morning, I think."

"That sounds good," said Rosemary.

Again Amadeus fell asleep quickly, but again Rosemary became afraid. She couldn't get over the feeling that the hedgehogs wanted her for something, but she didn't know what.

She hoped she was just being paranoid.