“Right!” John bolted into action. “So, this is my bedroom,” he said, as if the tour had been his own idea.

“Nice,” Charlie murmured, surveying the room. She turned in a circle, taking it all in, then went to the dresser, and turned to inspect the room again from there.

“So, hey, we should all go hang out later or something!” Jessica said suddenly, but Charlie didn’t answer. Instead, she knelt slowly and peered under the bed. Jessica and John exchanged a nervous glance.

“Not much to see. It’s just me here.” John laughed. Jessica elbowed him and made a disapproving expression. I’m being too obvious again, he realized. John could feel his pulse in his throat, immediately regretting what he’d said. Please don’t look around. Charlie went into the bathroom and glanced around it, opening the medicine cabinet and examining the contents. Jessica gave John a perplexed look, then it occurred to her. She’s looking for signs that someone’s been injured. Charlie began to close the cabinet, then caught sight of her own reflection and paused, her hand still on the cabinet door, looking at herself. She was still for a long moment, then her eyes darted to John in the mirror, and she made a face.

“I hate mirrors,” she remarked, then turned away and pulled back his shower curtain.

“I know right? They add ten pounds,” John said mildly.

“I think that’s cameras,” Jessica corrected.

“Well, mirrors add at least five,” John whispered.

“Maybe you just need to lose weight.”

“Are we really having this conversation now?”

They continued to watch Charlie. “She’s searching,” Jessica whispered. “She’s not even trying to hide it.”

John worried. Charlie paused and opened the bedroom closet, then crouched down to look in the open space under his hanging shirts and jackets. She stood and went back into the living room: Jessica followed, sprinting to get ahead of her and sitting on the couch quickly, crossing her legs. Charlie went to the kitchenette and opened the refrigerator, then closed it.

“Are you hungry?” Jessica asked. “I’m sure John has something you can eat.”

“No, thank you. How have you been, Jessica?” Charlie asked, crossing the room to the couch. John’s whole body went rigid as he willed himself not to run across the room and yank her away. Instead, he opened the fridge himself, forcing himself to breathe as, from the corner of his eye, he watched her sit down beside Jessica.

“Anybody want a water? Or a soda?” he called.

“Yes, please,” Jessica said with a strain in her voice, coughing loudly. John grabbed two cans and brought them over. Jessica took hers eagerly. “Thank you,” she said with too much emphasis, and he nodded.