Free Held (Gone #2) by Stacy Claflin

wondered what she would look like with a little makeup. Probably gorgeous.
    "Do you like eggs?"
    Obviously Chester hadn't told her about Macy being vegan. Her stomach rumbled.
    "Is that a yes?" Rebekah smiled again, showing off her perfectly straight teeth.
    "Sure."
    "Oh good. Today we get to take it easy because your dad and I got married last night. We don't have to go to work or school."
    Macy nodded. "Okay."
    "Take a few minutes to wake up, and then come out for something to eat. I'm looking forward to getting to know you." Rebekah left the room, closing the door behind her.
    She sat up and stretched, smelling food. Her stomach growled again.
    Would it be okay for her to go into the rest of the house wearing the green pajamas? Rebekah hadn't put her hair up, so maybe it was okay to be lax.
    She had to go to the bathroom, which was nothing more than an outhouse in the back yard. Macy would definitely have to wear white to go out there because the fences between houses were so low that if anyone was in their own yard, they would see her.
    Smelling the breakfast, she decided to wait. She was hungrier than anything else. Besides, wearing her pajamas in the kitchen would be a good way to test what she could get away with inside the house.
    A noise outside her room startled Macy. "Is she up?" asked Chester.
    Rebekah said something, but it was too muffled for Macy to understand. "I'm up!" she called.
    "Hurry up, Heather. It's time for breakfast."
    Macy made her bed, knowing that having even the slightest mess in her room sent Chester over the edge. She held the bear from home, whispered I love you to her parents and brother, and then looked around for a good hiding spot. If she pissed him off, Macy didn't want him hiding the bear again.
    There weren't many spots, but she had brought some of Heather's stuffed animals. Maybe if she put the bear with those, he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between that one and the others. She could hope. That was all she had.
    She opened her door. Chester stood looking at her. He was wearing his white clothes.
    He stared at her pajamas. "In the future, you're to get dressed in appropriate clothes before leaving your room. Technically, we shouldn't even let you sleep in those, but I suppose no one else will know. Just like how you have your hair down."
    Macy looked at the pajamas. They had a high collar and covered her from ankles to neck. How were they inappropriate? Because they weren't white and uncomfortable?
    She nodded.
    Chester put his hand on her shoulder. "Let's see what Mom has made."
    Macy held back a cringe. How was she going to get used to calling Rebekah Mom? Not only was she not her mom, but she was so young, barely older than Macy.
    They went to the living room which was toasty warm from the fireplace. "I told Heather that she can wear these pajamas for now, but after today, she has to put on her white clothes before coming out here."
    Rebekah turned around and smiled at Macy. "I don't mind her wearing those. They look comfortable." She looked at Chester. "But if you don't want her wearing them, it's your call."
    Macy wanted to throw up. She was going along with his head of the household crap, too.
    "Are you ready to eat?" Rebekah asked her.
    "Yeah."
    Chester squeezed her shoulder, but not too hard. "No informal speech in the community, Heather."
    She looked at him, confused. What had she said wrong?
    "No 'yeah' or other slang. A simple yes will do."
    "Don't feel bad," Rebekah said. "It takes a while to get used to living here after being in the world. I still slip up once in a while, and I've received my true name. Grab a plate from the kitchen. It's almost done."

 
     
    Arguing
     
     
    Alyssa put the ferret back in its newly clean cage. She hated cleaning it, but she wanted it to be nice when Macy got back. Macy loved the little guy, and even Alyssa couldn't deny how cute he was. The irony was that she had been close to threatening to get rid of it because Macy hadn't