“Don’t start,” Scarlett’s dad said. “Okay? This isn’t the time.”

Spencer shook his head, picked up his food, and left the room without another word.

“The two of them,” her dad said tiredly. “What is it with the two of them? Always going after each other. I thought they’d stop doing that when they grew up.”

“They still have a little ways to go on the growing up thing,” her mom said. “Give them time.”

“They’re both technically adults now, scary as that is.” He shook his head and looked over at Scarlett. “When do you think they’ll stop fighting?”

“I’d give it until they’re forty,” Scarlett said.

The three Martin sisters were all in the Orchid Suite a half hour later—Scarlett attempting to do her homework while Lola tried to braid Marlene’s hair. Marlene was speculating a mile a minute about the freaks and psychos that were theoretically coming for them now, and all the things they might do to the hotel. They would try to burn it down. They would leave poisonous chemicals in the lobby. They would check in under assumed names and sneak around the hotel at night, killing them all, one by one. On the non-lethal side, she also thought they would release rats or pigeons into the hotel (or, as Scarlett thought, more rats and pigeons), they would leave bad reviews online (more bad reviews), and they would destroy the furniture (again, a redundant gesture). Lola listened, tight-lipped and silent. She would work the braids halfway, give up, and undo them and start over. Scarlett read the same passage from The Sun Also Rises six times, but it never sunk in.

Spencer waited about an hour before he knocked on the door and let himself in. Scarlett knew he would come eventually. He could never leave an argument with Lola hanging. He dropped himself down on Scarlett’s bed, next to her. He gave Lola a defiant look.

“You think this is my fault,” he said. This was a more tempered response than he normally gave, which made Scarlett think that he probably was blaming himself.

“This is your fault.”

“You can’t blame me for getting a job,” he replied.

“Yes, a normal job. But everything you do makes things crazy here. Crazy people wandering the fifth floor are bad. Your little sister getting hurt is bad.”

“No one hurt me,” Scarlett said. “Notice how I’m fine?”

“You think I’m okay with people hurting you guys?” Spencer asked, ignoring this.

“No. I just don’t think you think about consequences.”

“I don’t know what you want from me, Lo,” he said.

“I want something to be simple,” Lola said. “I want there not to be a problem. Your face is everywhere now. People know you live here.”

“Want me to move?” he said with a wry smile.