All Together Dead

family…and now she had.
    I made my way over to the happy couple and gave each of them a kiss on the cheek. Now Crystal was family, after all, and I would have to accept her as such and leave the two to work out their own life together. I gave Calvin a hug, too, and he held me for a second before releasing me and giving me a reassuring pat on the back. Catfish danced me around in a circle, and a drunken Hoyt took up where he’d left off. I had a hard time convincing the two that I really meant to leave, but finally Quinn and I began to make our way back to my car.
    As we wended through the edges of the crowd, I spotted Amelia dancing with one of her Hotshot beaux. They were both in high spirits, both literally and libation-wise. I called to Amelia that we were leaving, and she yelled, “I’ll get a ride with someone later!”
    Though I enjoyed seeing Amelia happy, it must have been Misgiving Night, because I worried about her a little. However, if anyone could take care of herself, it was Amelia.
    We were moving slow when we let ourselves into the house. I didn’t check out Quinn’s head, but mine was muzzy from the noise, the clamor of all the brains around me, and the extra surges of emotion. It had been a long day. Some of it had been excellent, though. As I recalled the very best parts, I caught myself smiling down at Bob. The big cat rubbed himself against my ankles, meowing in an inquiring kind of way.
    Oh, geez.
    I felt like I had to explain Amelia’s absence to the cat. I squatted down and scratched Bob’s head, and (feeling incredibly foolish) I said, “Hey, Bob. She’s going to be real late tonight; she’s still dancing at the party. But don’t you worry, she’ll be home!” The cat turned his back on me and stalked out of the room. I was never sure how much human was lurking in Bob’s little feline brain, but I hoped he’d just fall asleep and forget all about our strange conversation.
    Just at that moment, I heard Quinn call to me from my bedroom, and I put thoughts about Bob on hold. After all, it was our last night together for maybe weeks.
    While I brushed my teeth and washed my face, I had one last flare of worry about Jason. My brother had made his bed. I hoped he could lie comfortably in it for some time. He’s a grown-up , I told myself over and over as I went into the bedroom in my nicest nightgown.
    Quinn pulled me to him, said, “Don’t worry, babe, don’t worry….”
    I banished my brother and Bob from my thoughts and this bedroom. I brought a hand up to trace the curve of Quinn’s scalp, kept those fingers going down his spine, loved it when he shivered.

Chapter 5
    I was walking in my sleep. it was a good thing I knew every inch of Merlotte’s like I knew my own house, or I’d have bumped into every table and chair. I yawned widely as I took Selah Pumphrey’s order. Ordinarily Selah irritated the hell out of me. She’d been dating Nameless Ex-Lover for several weeks—well, months now. No matter how invisible Ex had become, she’d never be my favorite person.
    “Not getting enough rest, Sookie?” she asked, her voice sharp.
    “Excuse me,” I apologized. “I guess not. I was at my brother’s wedding last night. What kind of dressing did you want on that salad?”
    “Ranch.” Selah’s big dark eyes were examining me like she was thinking of etching my portrait. She really wanted to know all about Jason’s wedding, but asking me would be like surrendering ground to the enemy. Silly Selah.
    Come to think of it, what was Selah doing here? She’d never come in without Bill. She lived in Clarice. Not that Clarice was far; you could get there in fifteen or twenty minutes. But why would a real estate saleswoman from Clarice be…oh. She must be showing a house here. Yes, the brain was moving slowly today.
    “Okeydokey. Coming right up,” I said, and turned to go.
    “Listen,” Selah said. “Let me be frank.”
    Oh, boy. In my experience, that meant, “Let me be openly mean.”
    I swung around, trying to look anything but massively irritated, which was what I actually was. This was not the day to screw with me. Among my many worries, Amelia hadn’t come home the night before, and when I’d gone upstairs to look for Bob, I’d found that he’d thrown up in the middle of Amelia’s bed…which would have been okay by me, but it had been covered with my great-grandmother’s quilt. It had fallen to me to clean up the mess and get the quilt to soaking in the