As Chris led me onward, I realized I had no choice but to keep the events to myself. They were an abominable secret, one which felt like the very act of divulging their existence to anyone at all could damn me to the deepest level of Hell. It might have been mind control or it might have just been me, but I wasn't about to question the law, laid down by Andrew's unholy eyes.
After what seemed to be an eternity, we reached what could only be described as a room in the "earlier" part of the house. It was cluttered with what looked like hundreds of books, files, papers, and one gigantic but heavily buried hardwood table. Lydia stood attempting to clear off some space for us to eat, as I saw from the steaming cardboard pizza bow, dangerously balanced on an extensive pile of Steven King.
Lydia offered me the box and I extracted a slice of plain pizza, depositing it on a paper plate and settling in a comfy chair nearby.
She gave me a curious look and took for herself a piece of sausage pizza. Chewing thoughtfully, she finally cleared her throat and dropped the other shoe.
"So where were you?"
I swallowed, but didn't look at her. My thoughts were a million miles away, in the room with the piano.
"I took a shower."
"Chris said he found you in Andrew's room. Why were you in there? Are you alright?" Lydia seemed rather upset.
"Oh. He just…wanted to play me a piece," I returned.
"Listen," Lydia implored me. "Andrew…is a little off the deep end. He's been known to be just like Beetlejuice at times, in all his perverse glory. Don't take his more classy side to be his only personality. I'd steer clear of him if I were you."
I nodded half-heartedly, and we finished the pizza in silence.
Darkness fell early, because of the rotten weather. Suddenly smitten by drowsiness, I rose from my perch and dropped the empty plate in a trashcan nearby.
Informing Lydia of my gratitude and bidding her goodnight, I navigated a course to the tearoom, and then to my own room. I quickly changed out of the tight cargo pants and into a pair of loose, red-favoring plaid pajama pants that I found crushed at the bottom of the clothes pile. Too tired to take down my hair, I snuggled under the covers with a lone, forgotten teddy bear I had discovered in a corner.