Yeah.

I'm going to tell my friend that it's a secret.

You don't have to. Or you could, if they're gonna freak out, I guess. I'm just having a lot of cognitive dissonance right now.

She's already kind of freaked out about something else, it's probably not a good idea. I can tell her later, if you're going to meet her or something. Or if you want me to anyway, I guess.

I don't really have opinions anyway.

I can't take it back once she knows. Better safe than sorry.

"It's a secret, sorry."

"What is? Oh, why your friend knows that? ...that's kinda worrying."

"They told me what it is, and it's not bad or anything, just personal."

"Oh, okay. Huh. And did you ask them about Bedlam?"

"Nope, I'll ask now."

Do you know anything about why Bedlam looks the way she does?

Looks? I don't think I'd describe her as properly looking like anything?

I mean, she looked like a kid to me.

Like someone on acid trying to imagine what a kid would like when seen through a kaleidoscope.

Or what my eyesight is like on a bad day, yeah. But she still had features.

"I don't think they know anything."

"Bummer."

I guess. Anyway, why do you ask?

It came up and she was curious about it. I am, too; she keeps showing up around me. And I don't know anyone else who might know.

"Yeah."

Penny gets a text and looks. "Oh, Dad's coming back home."

Most people haven't seen her, or even think she exists. You usually have to be pretty deep in the Sideways to see her. Or be a Picasso. I don't know how I know that.

"One sec."

Yeah, she keeps showing up for me - my first time in the Sideways, and then at the tower, and then today. I don't know if she shows up all the time and is just good at not letting people see her or what, but I don't like not knowing about her if this is going to keep happening.

Anyway, I have to go.

"Okay. You should probably be there when he gets there, so he doesn't think anything weird is going on."

"I left a note for him, but he'll worry, and of course we couldn't have that, oh no, I can worry all I want, but he, no, if he worries something must be wrong." She rolls her eyes. "Anyway, yeah, I'd best go."

Take care.

"I meant he might not go back out if he thinks something's up." She packs up the rest of the fries.

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense, too."

"Important to be... smart, about, this kind of thing." Her hands are full, now, she can't type. "I'll email when... news."

"Yeah, makes sense, okay. Thank you!" She has an impulse to hug Denice but checks herself and asks, "Can I hug you?"