Lia had stayed in the apartment, safely away from any kind of snake or whatever that was in the pool. She hadn’t been expecting anyone to follow her up there, figuring she would have eventually gathered the courage to leave herself, but it wasn’t until she heard knocking that she jumped.
In her panic, she hadn’t even realized she actually locked the door, doing so entirely unaware. She slunk back over to the door, but hesitated for several several minutes before she opened the door to see both Rowdy and Sadie standing there. Shyly, she eventually pulled it open, and stood aside for them to enter. When Rowdy walked up to her, holding out his hands for the keys, she blinked once as hot shame filled her.
“I’m sorry.” She said quietly as she handed them back, rocking once on her heels as she initially turned to leave. But she was stopped on that front, and invited to stay, where since she knew the beer wouldn’t do anything, she ate a couple more tacos with the sour cream and got to know her new friends.
In her panic, she hadn’t even realized she actually locked the door, doing so entirely unaware. She slunk back over to the door, but hesitated for several several minutes before she opened the door to see both Rowdy and Sadie standing there. Shyly, she eventually pulled it open, and stood aside for them to enter. When Rowdy walked up to her, holding out his hands for the keys, she blinked once as hot shame filled her.
“I’m sorry.” She said quietly as she handed them back, rocking once on her heels as she initially turned to leave. But she was stopped on that front, and invited to stay, where since she knew the beer wouldn’t do anything, she ate a couple more tacos with the sour cream and got to know her new friends.
A chipped, dented utility van pulled up to the curb bordering the Paradise Apartment complex. The goateed man in the driver’s seat rolled down his window and watched his passenger, a bleached-blonde woman, exit and cross around the front of the vehicle to enter the apartment parking lot. Her hair was untoned yellow and unceremoniously finger-combed behind her ears, her skin ashy-pale in color with a few scabs here and there on her arms. She was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt with ‘Saint Alberts Institute’ embroidered over the left breast, and the only things she held were a pair of cheap sunglasses and her release paperwork copies.
“Gimme a call later,” the man in the van instructed, without verbally adding the implied, ’when you’ve got the cash to make a buy’. Rowen made some sort of wave-type hand gesture, then smashed the sunglasses onto her face and departed from her ride. As she leisurely meandered into the apartment complex lot, she picked and tore at the papery hospital bracelet around her thin, right wrist.
Her pace slowed further when she realized the amount of folks loitering around outside the apartments. So many faces, some she vaguely recognized, and others she had no recollection of. Damn, how long had she been gone? She thought she remembered the judge ordering a six-week inpatient stay, but the fighting and contraband had added time, she was sure... She just wasn’t sure how much. Time didn’t exist inside white, sterile walls. Nothing did.
Continuing closer, she took to biting at the hospital band in attempts to rip it off. Stubborn, stupid thing.
“They fumigating the place again? What's with the evacuation?” Rowen half-joked to no one in particular as she approached the people lounging about by the murky pool. She took note of the grill and the cooler, how some of the dwellers were holding beverages or plates of food. “That thing works?” She muttered, in reference to the grill. She didn’t think she’d seen it in use before, she swiftly stuck the papers she’d held into the coals and watched them shrivel into dust. Then her attention zoned in on the cooler, which she shamelessly helped herself to.
The sound of the beer cracking open was delightful, and a large, horrible grin spread across her plump, chapped lips.
“Gimme a call later,” the man in the van instructed, without verbally adding the implied, ’when you’ve got the cash to make a buy’. Rowen made some sort of wave-type hand gesture, then smashed the sunglasses onto her face and departed from her ride. As she leisurely meandered into the apartment complex lot, she picked and tore at the papery hospital bracelet around her thin, right wrist.
Her pace slowed further when she realized the amount of folks loitering around outside the apartments. So many faces, some she vaguely recognized, and others she had no recollection of. Damn, how long had she been gone? She thought she remembered the judge ordering a six-week inpatient stay, but the fighting and contraband had added time, she was sure... She just wasn’t sure how much. Time didn’t exist inside white, sterile walls. Nothing did.
Continuing closer, she took to biting at the hospital band in attempts to rip it off. Stubborn, stupid thing.
“They fumigating the place again? What's with the evacuation?” Rowen half-joked to no one in particular as she approached the people lounging about by the murky pool. She took note of the grill and the cooler, how some of the dwellers were holding beverages or plates of food. “That thing works?” She muttered, in reference to the grill. She didn’t think she’d seen it in use before, she swiftly stuck the papers she’d held into the coals and watched them shrivel into dust. Then her attention zoned in on the cooler, which she shamelessly helped herself to.
The sound of the beer cracking open was delightful, and a large, horrible grin spread across her plump, chapped lips.
After the others had made their departure, Leo and Elmo remained near the pool to finish their food and make sure the grill burnt itself out fully, talking quietly between themselves. Both fell quiet when they heard the sound of the van pulling up; Elmo narrated softly to Leo to describe the newcomer, before dropping to silence as she drew close enough to hear, watching her with his big eyes.
"No evacuation today, thankfully," Leo said warmly, looking somewhere close to Rowan's direction. "We were having a gathering to welcome some of the new arrivals to the apartments. I think we've seen you around before, but I'm not actually certain we've ever made introductions. I'm Leonardo Giovanni, and this is my brother Elmo."
"There was so much grief," Elmo said, distantly, in lieu of a greeting. "It clings to you. Like snow. All of those people suffering. And time slipping away. The snow melts when you try to catch it. Drip. Drip. Drip. All those lonely ghosts."
"Elmo," Leo murmured. Recognising, from Leo's prompt, that he'd said something inappropriate, Elmo returned to his quiet staring.
"Are you alright?" Leo continued, expression a little concerned as he turned his attention back to Rowan. "Are you hungry, or anything of the sort?"
"No evacuation today, thankfully," Leo said warmly, looking somewhere close to Rowan's direction. "We were having a gathering to welcome some of the new arrivals to the apartments. I think we've seen you around before, but I'm not actually certain we've ever made introductions. I'm Leonardo Giovanni, and this is my brother Elmo."
"There was so much grief," Elmo said, distantly, in lieu of a greeting. "It clings to you. Like snow. All of those people suffering. And time slipping away. The snow melts when you try to catch it. Drip. Drip. Drip. All those lonely ghosts."
"Elmo," Leo murmured. Recognising, from Leo's prompt, that he'd said something inappropriate, Elmo returned to his quiet staring.
"Are you alright?" Leo continued, expression a little concerned as he turned his attention back to Rowan. "Are you hungry, or anything of the sort?"
Rowen drank the beer like she was parched, finished it with a hiss of satisfaction, then tossed the can into the soup of a pool. Her eyes settled on the brothers, who she wandered closer to, because one made the mistake of engaging.
“Tony is still scamming new people into renting here?” Rowen taunted mildly, glancing past the two brothers to the chipping-pink building they all resided in. She snorted a sound of amusement from her nose, then flicked her dark eyes back to Leo.
“I’m Rowen,” she introduced, taking a moment to look at the two closely, trying to determine if she remembered ever seeing them around before. Her eyes narrowed at the one called Elmo, a slight crease of frown dipping between her eyebrows. Rowen felt like she’d become accustomed to recognizing the ramblings of the insane, and subconsciously she wiped a hand over the embroidery on her left breast.
In place of an answer to Leo’s inquiry, she picked another beer from the cooler and cracked it. She nodded her chin to Elmo and nonchalantly asked Leo, “what’s his deal?”
“Tony is still scamming new people into renting here?” Rowen taunted mildly, glancing past the two brothers to the chipping-pink building they all resided in. She snorted a sound of amusement from her nose, then flicked her dark eyes back to Leo.
“I’m Rowen,” she introduced, taking a moment to look at the two closely, trying to determine if she remembered ever seeing them around before. Her eyes narrowed at the one called Elmo, a slight crease of frown dipping between her eyebrows. Rowen felt like she’d become accustomed to recognizing the ramblings of the insane, and subconsciously she wiped a hand over the embroidery on her left breast.
In place of an answer to Leo’s inquiry, she picked another beer from the cooler and cracked it. She nodded her chin to Elmo and nonchalantly asked Leo, “what’s his deal?”
"It certainly seems like it," Leo said, with just a hint of something like bitterness; scam might not, legally speaking, have been an accurate description of their landlord's practices, but Leo certainly didn't much like them. Elmo was watching the can with interesting, watching as it bobbed along the surface until it filled with enough of the murky water to slowly sink down into the unseen depths.
Leo ducked his head to Rowen's introduction, offering a quick, friendly enough smile. "Good to meet you. I hope we can be friendly neighbours. If you ever need anything, we live in Apartment 3. Come and knock." Leo's legal expertise might go some way to helping a few people around here, and he figured he should make it known that he and his siblings were willing to help - although he was going to encourage people to knock on the door of his and Elmo's apartment, and not Felicita's next door.
As Rowen indicated Elmo - or so Leo guessed from her question, unable to see her chin nod - he opened his mouth, but Elmo answered first, in his usual mild, cheerful way.
"I see ghosts," he said. "And other things other people don't. There are a lot of ghosts here, and not many of them are happy, but they're glad we're here. It's worse when they're alone." He smiled at her brightly. "I'm glad you're here, too. It's better than where you were. More pink. And the snow doesn't melt so fast. But I think there's something under the water." He looked to the pool again, eyes watching the clouded shapes of rubbish, or perhaps something lurking.
Leo let Elmo speak without interruption, but he did tighten his hold around his little brother's shoulder, gentle but clearly protective.
Leo ducked his head to Rowen's introduction, offering a quick, friendly enough smile. "Good to meet you. I hope we can be friendly neighbours. If you ever need anything, we live in Apartment 3. Come and knock." Leo's legal expertise might go some way to helping a few people around here, and he figured he should make it known that he and his siblings were willing to help - although he was going to encourage people to knock on the door of his and Elmo's apartment, and not Felicita's next door.
As Rowen indicated Elmo - or so Leo guessed from her question, unable to see her chin nod - he opened his mouth, but Elmo answered first, in his usual mild, cheerful way.
"I see ghosts," he said. "And other things other people don't. There are a lot of ghosts here, and not many of them are happy, but they're glad we're here. It's worse when they're alone." He smiled at her brightly. "I'm glad you're here, too. It's better than where you were. More pink. And the snow doesn't melt so fast. But I think there's something under the water." He looked to the pool again, eyes watching the clouded shapes of rubbish, or perhaps something lurking.
Leo let Elmo speak without interruption, but he did tighten his hold around his little brother's shoulder, gentle but clearly protective.
“Like if I need to borrow some sugar, or something?” Rowen teased incredulously, over the rim of the fresh beer can. She couldn’t imagine this guy opening his door for her at two in the morning, when she needed anything.
She narrowed her eyes, looking closer at Leo after taking late notice of his lack of focus. Before she could determine too much further, the other brother spoke up. Her gaze flicked back to Elmo, quietly slurping her beer in otherwise silence as he explained.
Then, a short, dry burst of laughter escaped and echoed lightly inside the can at her mouth. She lowered it, looking between the two now. “What’re you guys? The off-brand Dumb and Dumber - Weird and Weirder?” A grin peeled her lips over her teeth as she lifted the can hand again, to point a finger from it’s rim at two men. “This guy sees ghosts and what, what’re you even looking at?” Rowen cocked an eyebrow.
“You know, I just left a place where the conversations were pretty much exactly like this. At least out here there’s beer, and it doesn’t smell like lysol.” Rowen shrugged with a what the hell feel to the action. “
She narrowed her eyes, looking closer at Leo after taking late notice of his lack of focus. Before she could determine too much further, the other brother spoke up. Her gaze flicked back to Elmo, quietly slurping her beer in otherwise silence as he explained.
Then, a short, dry burst of laughter escaped and echoed lightly inside the can at her mouth. She lowered it, looking between the two now. “What’re you guys? The off-brand Dumb and Dumber - Weird and Weirder?” A grin peeled her lips over her teeth as she lifted the can hand again, to point a finger from it’s rim at two men. “This guy sees ghosts and what, what’re you even looking at?” Rowen cocked an eyebrow.
“You know, I just left a place where the conversations were pretty much exactly like this. At least out here there’s beer, and it doesn’t smell like lysol.” Rowen shrugged with a what the hell feel to the action. “
Leo laughed lightly, nodding. "Sure. Or if you're in any kind of legal trouble, I might be able to offer some advice. I'm a lawyer," he explained. "And I know how the cops like to target people in this kind of area."
His arm tightened around Elmo's shoulders again at Rowen's teasing, but the boy didn't seem to have taken much notice, still gazing into the water as if he thought he might see something move again, if he watched long enough. He'd been called far worse, anyway. Leo's fingers stroked soothing circles into Elmo's shoulder anyway.
"I'm blind," he said, with great patience, as if very used to answering that particular question - albeit usually phrased a little more tactfully. "You were just in hospital? Well, my offer for help goes double, then."
He was guessing, based on context, that it was probably for mental health or addiction, based on her experiencing conversations like Elmo's, rather than a broken bone or the like, and Elmo hadn't described any visible injuries when she arrived, so perhaps his help would be limited to just getting her professional aid if she needed it, but they couldn't abandon one another. Not around here.
His arm tightened around Elmo's shoulders again at Rowen's teasing, but the boy didn't seem to have taken much notice, still gazing into the water as if he thought he might see something move again, if he watched long enough. He'd been called far worse, anyway. Leo's fingers stroked soothing circles into Elmo's shoulder anyway.
"I'm blind," he said, with great patience, as if very used to answering that particular question - albeit usually phrased a little more tactfully. "You were just in hospital? Well, my offer for help goes double, then."
He was guessing, based on context, that it was probably for mental health or addiction, based on her experiencing conversations like Elmo's, rather than a broken bone or the like, and Elmo hadn't described any visible injuries when she arrived, so perhaps his help would be limited to just getting her professional aid if she needed it, but they couldn't abandon one another. Not around here.
An array of emotions swept across Rowen’s facial features, mostly within the realms of intrigue, suspicion and amusement. It settled on a mix of each; a crease between her brows, narrowed eyes and a smirk on her lips. She lifted a hand to tap her index finger against the corner of her mouth like she was pondering on something.
Before continuing, she pulled the cooler over. It dragged noisily over the small bits of gravel peppering the parking lot. Then she sat atop it, facing the two brothers.
After taking another swig of the beer, Rowen wondered aloud, “how does a lawyer find himself living in the type of area cops would target, hm?” Her voice had lowered a degree, as if they were suddenly having a conversation that was no longer meant for the group setting. Though, it seemed most of their other neighbors had fucked off back to their own business anyways.
“You must be a shit lawyer if you can’t afford something better than this,” she gestured with the beer to the apartment complex behind them. Her murky green eyes watched Leo closely for any reaction.
Before continuing, she pulled the cooler over. It dragged noisily over the small bits of gravel peppering the parking lot. Then she sat atop it, facing the two brothers.
After taking another swig of the beer, Rowen wondered aloud, “how does a lawyer find himself living in the type of area cops would target, hm?” Her voice had lowered a degree, as if they were suddenly having a conversation that was no longer meant for the group setting. Though, it seemed most of their other neighbors had fucked off back to their own business anyways.
“You must be a shit lawyer if you can’t afford something better than this,” she gestured with the beer to the apartment complex behind them. Her murky green eyes watched Leo closely for any reaction.
Leo could hear the sound of something heavy being dragged across the ground; he tilted his head, before realising it must be the cooler. Elmo wandered off for a moment, before returning a moment later with two rickety lawn chairs he'd pulled over for them to sit down, too. He guided Leo to his seat and then took his own, wordless the whole time, and seeming barely aware of his actions, as if hypnotised. Once they were seated, Elmo returned his gaze to the pool.
Rowen seemed to be attempting to rile him up, and Leo just offered a slight quirk of his lips. "I'm afraid not all lawyers make quite so much as you might like to think - and I take on rather a lot of pro-bono work. But we're working on finding somewhere more permanent. Our relocation here was a little... hasty."
"Leo's a really good lawyer," Elmo said, a bit distantly. "I saw him in court. He's like... a bird. A fiery bird." His gaze wandered to Rowen, and he considered her for a long moment. "You're usually flying. You don't normally let yourself land. Sometimes I forget what the ground feels like, too."
Leo reached out a hand to Elmo, finding his arm. As if it was instinct, an unconscious movement, Elmo accepted his hand, fingers gripping it tightly, as if using Leo to pull himself back down to earth.
"Besides," Leo said, to distract from Elmo's meandering thoughts. "Perhaps there should be more lawyers living in the type of areas cops frequent. Perhaps it would be motivation for the police to turn their efforts to more productive pursuits."
Rowen seemed to be attempting to rile him up, and Leo just offered a slight quirk of his lips. "I'm afraid not all lawyers make quite so much as you might like to think - and I take on rather a lot of pro-bono work. But we're working on finding somewhere more permanent. Our relocation here was a little... hasty."
"Leo's a really good lawyer," Elmo said, a bit distantly. "I saw him in court. He's like... a bird. A fiery bird." His gaze wandered to Rowen, and he considered her for a long moment. "You're usually flying. You don't normally let yourself land. Sometimes I forget what the ground feels like, too."
Leo reached out a hand to Elmo, finding his arm. As if it was instinct, an unconscious movement, Elmo accepted his hand, fingers gripping it tightly, as if using Leo to pull himself back down to earth.
"Besides," Leo said, to distract from Elmo's meandering thoughts. "Perhaps there should be more lawyers living in the type of areas cops frequent. Perhaps it would be motivation for the police to turn their efforts to more productive pursuits."
Rowen had pounced on the word ‘hasty’, had been about to tear into that one little word when the weirder brother piped back in. He derailed her with his stupid nonsense words, his crazy person noise. Heat flushed her cheeks, a peculiar drop and lift rollercoaster affect rushing her core.
Elmo gazed at her, Rowen glared back at him. Her face was hot, and she thought about the sensation of soaring up, up, up into oblivion. One of her large, prominent eyes twitched. The deliciously sharp prick in soft skin, then being flung up to the heavens at break-neck speed. Flying… High.
Her mouth watered, like she was starving in front of bountiful feasts, or about to vomit. She swallowed, and wiped a hand over her mouth.
She thought, ‘don’t remind me and fuck what the ground feels like anyway,’ but said, “fuck off with that poetry bullshit.”
Rowen rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. Her knee bounced restlessly. She closed her eyes behind fluttering lids while she collected herself. Why wasn’t she getting high right now? Why was she dragging her ass here on the ground?
The woman finished her beer and tossed the can, once again, into the pool with a muted splash. She scratched her scalp and cracked her eyes back open, focusing in on Leo. “Hasty, huh? One of those pro-bono cases piss off the wrong people? People come here to lay low a lot, I dunno if it works real well. How practiced are you at winning insanity pleadings?”
Elmo gazed at her, Rowen glared back at him. Her face was hot, and she thought about the sensation of soaring up, up, up into oblivion. One of her large, prominent eyes twitched. The deliciously sharp prick in soft skin, then being flung up to the heavens at break-neck speed. Flying… High.
Her mouth watered, like she was starving in front of bountiful feasts, or about to vomit. She swallowed, and wiped a hand over her mouth.
She thought, ‘don’t remind me and fuck what the ground feels like anyway,’ but said, “fuck off with that poetry bullshit.”
Rowen rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. Her knee bounced restlessly. She closed her eyes behind fluttering lids while she collected herself. Why wasn’t she getting high right now? Why was she dragging her ass here on the ground?
The woman finished her beer and tossed the can, once again, into the pool with a muted splash. She scratched her scalp and cracked her eyes back open, focusing in on Leo. “Hasty, huh? One of those pro-bono cases piss off the wrong people? People come here to lay low a lot, I dunno if it works real well. How practiced are you at winning insanity pleadings?”
Elmo didn't seem offended to be told to fuck off; he just nodded, sagely, and let his gaze wander again - this time, up to the apartment building, where he stared at one of the balconies. Leo could feel the tension, though; he gripped Elmo's hand just a little tighter, and shifted his position in his chair, ready to jump to his feet in an instant if need be.
He was relieved when her attention returned to him instead, even if it didn't exactly seem the friendliest of attention.
"Mm, no. The result of family drama, I'm afraid, hardly anything so exciting as a case gone wrong." He didn't miss the jab at Elmo's mental state, or what he presumed to be one, anyway; she certainly wasn't the first to speculate Elmo might not be entirely sane - but he wasn't terribly interested in getting into that with her, so he decided to take the question at face value.
"I've won a few," he said, with a small shrug. "But they're not so common, in the grand scheme of things. Say, is there anything we can help with, now that you're back from hospital? Any groceries we can go and get for you, or you can come over for a meal tonight...? I imagine some of your food from before might have gone bad, and we'd be happy to help."
"We can help!" Elmo chimed in, enthused at that idea. "We're making cannelloni tonight. Leo and I make the pasta and Fel makes the sauce. It's really good!"
He was relieved when her attention returned to him instead, even if it didn't exactly seem the friendliest of attention.
"Mm, no. The result of family drama, I'm afraid, hardly anything so exciting as a case gone wrong." He didn't miss the jab at Elmo's mental state, or what he presumed to be one, anyway; she certainly wasn't the first to speculate Elmo might not be entirely sane - but he wasn't terribly interested in getting into that with her, so he decided to take the question at face value.
"I've won a few," he said, with a small shrug. "But they're not so common, in the grand scheme of things. Say, is there anything we can help with, now that you're back from hospital? Any groceries we can go and get for you, or you can come over for a meal tonight...? I imagine some of your food from before might have gone bad, and we'd be happy to help."
"We can help!" Elmo chimed in, enthused at that idea. "We're making cannelloni tonight. Leo and I make the pasta and Fel makes the sauce. It's really good!"
Rowen was caught somewhere between feeling pitied, and wanting a free meal. Her knee continued to bounce relentlessly. She didn’t want help, she wanted money. And she’d learned that folks ‘round this place don’t usually have exactly that. It’d be pointless and stupid to rob them in their own home, however many doors down from her’s, anyways.
Food that wasn’t canned vegetables or badly thawed meat was… somewhat appealing. She pursed her lips, looking at Elmo again.
“Why the hell not? Sure, I’ll come have dinner,” Rowen accepted with a nonchalant shrug. He was right, if there was food in her cupboards, it would be stale or rotting by now.
A sharp whistle from across the parking lot struck Rowen’s attention immediately, she whipped around to face the source. There was a rather large woman standing on the sidewalk outside of the parking lot, with a shaved head and a bikini top instead of a proper shirt. She apparently knew Rowen, as when they made eye contact, the bald woman made a gesture for Rowen to come over. Large hoop earrings dangled from her lobes and glistened in the sunlight.
“You guys don’t have any cash on hand, do ya?” The blonde asked, glancing back towards the pair of brothers. “That’d sure help me a lot.”
Food that wasn’t canned vegetables or badly thawed meat was… somewhat appealing. She pursed her lips, looking at Elmo again.
“Why the hell not? Sure, I’ll come have dinner,” Rowen accepted with a nonchalant shrug. He was right, if there was food in her cupboards, it would be stale or rotting by now.
A sharp whistle from across the parking lot struck Rowen’s attention immediately, she whipped around to face the source. There was a rather large woman standing on the sidewalk outside of the parking lot, with a shaved head and a bikini top instead of a proper shirt. She apparently knew Rowen, as when they made eye contact, the bald woman made a gesture for Rowen to come over. Large hoop earrings dangled from her lobes and glistened in the sunlight.
“You guys don’t have any cash on hand, do ya?” The blonde asked, glancing back towards the pair of brothers. “That’d sure help me a lot.”
Elmo lit up, seemingly with genuine delight, at her agreement. "We'll make the very best cannelloni ever to have been made," he promised. "It always tastes best when you have people to share it with." He declared it as if a deep and meaningful philosophy. Leo smiled at him, proud, before they were both distracted by the sudden loud whistle.
"Is everything alright?" Leo asked, concerned. Elmo leant in to describe in a low voice the woman who'd appeared, and Leo frowned, trying to recall if she'd been around before, but surely he'd remember such a description from Elmo or Fel. "I don't have much, but I think I have a five. Elmo, please can you check in my wallet?" He passed it to Elmo. It wasn't too hard to identify notes himself, but it was easier to just ask Elmo to do it, and anyway, his brother liked feeling helpful.
"Here it is!" Elmo chirped, after a second or so looking into the wallet. He offered the note to Rowen. "Is she your friend?"
"Is everything alright?" Leo asked, concerned. Elmo leant in to describe in a low voice the woman who'd appeared, and Leo frowned, trying to recall if she'd been around before, but surely he'd remember such a description from Elmo or Fel. "I don't have much, but I think I have a five. Elmo, please can you check in my wallet?" He passed it to Elmo. It wasn't too hard to identify notes himself, but it was easier to just ask Elmo to do it, and anyway, his brother liked feeling helpful.
"Here it is!" Elmo chirped, after a second or so looking into the wallet. He offered the note to Rowen. "Is she your friend?"