Before Time Runs Out

Chapter 22

"I and Matthias originally met at my debutante ball. Both of us enjoyed playing pool and became friends rather fast," Carmelita took a sip of her tea as she sat next to the fire with Ethel, leaving back into the loveseat as she spoke. "He took our friendship for granted and then he lost it. I do not know why I wrote to him about you to start with. If I had known he would be obsessed with you I would have never even mentioned you to him." Carmelita let out a sigh.

"Why did you two stop being friends?" Eryl sat across from them, his face still reddened from his previous breakdown.

"He killed my girlfriend. And I still don't know why he did it." Carmelita registered the words after she had spoken to them, looking at Ethel and giving her a forgiving smile.

"Former girlfriend."

"I understood what you meant." She stroked Lancelot's fur, leaning her head on Carmelita's shoulder.

"Something tells me though that he's going to be out of prison soon, and that he has something else planned."

"Is that why you built a gate at the entrance?"

"Yes, and because Ethel over here enjoys letting Lancelot outside then forgetting that he chases anything he sees."

"I had to climb that damn thing after running up that driveway that you have. It's too long."

"Keeps the house hidden from unwanted guests."

"I'm not the only person who's accidentally let Lancelot run off! The cooks do it all the time!"

"And they carry treats and biscuits in their pockets for fat cats that like to chase leaves and birds." She set down her teacup and furrowed her brows as she spoke.

"I wish I had wine to drink." She mumbled to herself.

"And your doctor said that you can't have any alcohol until you're fully healed up."

"And you don't get to tell me what to do." Elise let out a frustrated sigh, looking at Ethel.

"Ethel, tell your wife she isn't allowed to drink until she's fully healed." Carmelita leaned on her elbow with her head resting against her hand as she looked at Ethel waiting for her response. She gave her a smile in response.

"No drinking. You have better things to do anyway." Carmelita let out an exasperated groan as she flopped back into the sofa.

"Even my future wife has betrayed me!"

"Oh, quit it. I wouldn't be telling you that if I didn't care about you," Ethel leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "How was Matthias able to shoot you anyway?"

"Silver laced bullets. Every gun I own has them. They kill people like us, you know holy metals and all. Elise shot me one time."

"Really?"

"I was drunk and had gotten my hands on a revolver from who knows where in this house and was swinging it around. She took it and shot me in the foot, forgot it had silver rounds in it."

"I didn't forget, you just never told me," Elise sat down a tray of food in front of Ethel. "Because of your friend over there, Carmelita set your breakfast on fire, so I made some instead." Elise quickly moved Lancelot away as he tried to take some of the food off the plate, setting him on the floor.

"Carmelita, can we get another cat?" Ethel looked over at Carmelita as she picked up the bowl of oatmeal and began eating it, occasionally moving Lancelot away with her foot to keep him from stealing her food off the table.

"Why?"

"Because I want another cat. Oh! Maybe a pig or a sheep!"

"There are so many other animals that I could get you and you want a pig?"