Caitie winced and frowned. Part of her wanted to find out who this was, just so they'd stop picking on Maddie. But she didn't even know where to start. “So, like, people ripping their arms off and picking letters and sewing them back on?” It was a gross joke, and a bad one, probably, but she'd said it now. She hoped it was funnier to Maddie than it was to her.
She gave Maddie a comforting smile. It was okay. She didn't mind people talking about her mom. Honestly, it was harder talking about Everett and Christina now, but she still managed somehow. She knew that Maddie's brothers didn't like her hanging around Ossining, or doing anything outside of the compound, but it was dumb to be stuck in the walls all the time, too. If anything happened and they were forced to leave, anyone who wasn't used to it would be screwed. “We'll have a sock for every hair color we try,” she joked.
Maddie's question took Caitie by surprise, and she looked up from her one-blanket cocoon on the floor, blinking twice and worrying her lip between her teeth. Had Maddie forgotten who she was talking to? Caitie was quiet for a couple of seconds, giving her a chance to take it back, but when she didn't, Caitie spoke up.
“Are you... I mean, are you sure?” she asked. It was code for you remember what you're asking, right? The rumor played in her head, about her sneaking into Maddie's bed at night, and smoothed a hand through her hair, trying to shake off the weird cobwebs the question had brought on. “I mean... if you don't mind, then, like...” she shrugged. “We could try doing that thing kids do where my head's down by your feet. That way it's not like... whatever, you know?”
All of a sudden, she felt like she sounded like a moron.