The Addington's house was expensive. They had money. More money than Oscar is even allowed to think about. Houston was rich too, although she didn't look it. And that's what Dr. Oscar Connolly liked about her. They had sent her off to boarding school two years ago. She got kicked within two weeks. There some suspicious behavior surrounding her and her friends. Suspicions a good Catholic school wouldn't tolerate. That and the fact that she had burned down a building on accident, but that was Houston for you. The only Addington child. Oscar glided down the stairs, his thin knuckles white on the case. She was mad, sick. Consumption was what her family thought at first, but there was no blood, no coughing. The other doctors gave her a simple herb mix and called it done. "It's a simple fever. Giver her space and fluids, she'll be better in no time." But Doctor Oscar Connolly knew better. His father was the Addington's tailor. He and Houston went to the same schoolhouse, seeing that she would somehow ruin anything that came with being rich. They had grown up together. In separate friend groups, sure, but anyone who knew anything about Houston at all knew that if a fever had kept her down at all, then something surely was wrong. "How is she?" Mr. Addington asked. The young man shrugged. "Well, she was normal. And then she woke up, insulted me, and jumped out the window." Most families would be running around, fetching for a preacher, but her parents just sighed. Yep, that's Houston. Mr. Addington handed Oscar a wad of cash and nodded. "Thank you for coming on such short notice." "Do call if you need me again." And then he left.
