He tells me he is haunted by a monster. 

Sunshine streams through the kitchen window. The two mothers stand at the kitchen counter, scrambling eggs and flipping pancakes just as they have done all summer. Lu and Faris stumble in, rubbing their eyes. 

“Good morning Faris,” Lilith says when she sees them.

“Good morning, Mother-” Faris freezes, eyes on the doorway to the ballroom. A second later, he relaxes. Lilith glances sharply at him. Lu cocks her head: what was that about? 

“Faris,” Lilith inhales deeply, “where do we keep our imagination?”

“In our minds, Mother, not outside.” Faris is stiff and doesn’t make eye contact. 

Lu looks down and clasps her hands together. She would never talk to her mother that way, so why does Faris act like that? They eat, then as soon as breakfast is over Faris darts out of the kitchen. Lu doesn’t see him for the rest of the day.