It was the early 1970's and the hippie days were over for the group of 6. Sadie hadn't performed in weeks and everyone noticed. She hadn't been able to think of anything to write. Jojo had. Lucy was still a waitress, Jude an artist though he hadn't sold much art. Max was home from the war and living with them, as was Prudence's girlfriend Rita. Prudence and Rita'd grown tired of being in circus.
That morning Jude walked into the room Sadie and Jojo shared. Jojo was out buying groceries.
Sadie was still asleep.
"Sadie, you've got to get up," he told her.
"Uh why?" she asked.
"Because I'm tired of making breakfast for everyone."
She rolled over and moaned.
"I can't I'm sick."
"What?" he asked.
"I'm sick," she repeated.
Her long slender hand fell against the white plastic trash can set on the floor. Jude didn't need to look inside to know it was vomit.
"Oh god," Jude sighed.
He bent and picked up the empty glass liquor bottles littering the floor.
"And just how long has this, been going on?" he asked.
"Hey Jojo drinks too man," Sadie muttered.
Jude wondered if she was sick from the drinking or if it was something else.
"Sadie," he said, going around the room and picking up the bottles; "if you don't get up you won't be able to play in the shows which means you won't be able to make as money. The least you can do is have some tea."
"I don't want tea."
"You need to have something."
Upon hearing this Lucy walked into the room.
"Hey what's goin on?" she asked.
Jude stood, paused.
"She's sick," he informed her.
"Again? That's the 3rd time this week."
"And, she's been drinkin."
Lucy sighed; "she'll end up like Janis."
Janis Joplin had died a week or so earlier.
Jude looked at Lucy; "now will ya go make her some tea?"
"Don't tell me what to do."
"Lucy."
"What."
His eyes flicked down to the cuts lining her arms; "I know you're upset about Daniel but that doesn't mean you..."
"Upset? Upset! Of course I'm upset!"
"Alrite and I understand that but-"
"You have no idea what it's like."
She left the room.
"That's where you're wrong," he said lowly to her back.
"Hey did I hear someone say something about tea?" Prudence asked from the doorway.
Jude turned to her; "yeah Sadie's sick, again. So if you would...?"
"Yeah I'll make her some."
He sighed with relief; "oh thank you. So much."
"Mmmhmm."
She smiled and left, going into the kitchen.
Jude collected the liquor bottles and place them against the wall. He settled down by Sadie.
His dark brown eyes wandered over her thin arms on which there were light blue bruises.
"Did Jojo do this to you?" he asked.
"Uh?" she managed.
"The bruises! Did Jojo hurt you?"
"Oh. No."
"Oh. Did someone at one of your shows?"
"No."
"Oh."
Meanwhile in Max's room...
"Max. Max!" Lucy yelled at her sleeping brother.
"Huh?"
"Wake up I need to talk to you."
"Uh. Happiness is a warm gun."
"Yes we know you want sex. You always want sex. But this is important."
The song was about sex which is why lucy said that. That was one of the few things max ever said about his time in the war.
"Honey what's wrong?" came Rita from the doorway.
Lucy turned to her.
"What's wrong? What's wrong. You want to know what's wrong?"
Rita smiled; "well yes."
Lucy sighed.
At that moment Jojo walked in the kitchen carrying 2 paper grocery bags.
"Hey I'll help," Prudence said, going over to him and taking one from him.
"Hey thanks," he said.
"Mmmhmm."
They went into the kitchen where she set it on the small round wooden table and began taking items out of it.
"Hey I need to talk to you," Jude said, coming into the kitchen.
"Alrite what about?" Jojo asked, setting his bag on the table.
They stepped a ways out of the kitchen.
"Did you hurt Sadie?" Jude asked, sitting.
"No."
"She has bruises on-"
"Yeah I know. She says they don't hurt. Sometimes she's arbitrarily bleeding. I've been up with her nights while she's been sick."
"Oh. We don't know how the bruises got there."
"No one does man. No one."
"She needs to see a doctor," Jude said.
"We don't have the money right now," Jojo told him.
"Maybe we could ask Lucy's parents to help out."
"Mm, maybe. But she has enough going on. She's gotten thinner."
"She has."
"We don't exactly have money to buy food right now. I don't think Sadie's got health insurance."
Meaning they don't have the money to buy food for sadie or lucy and asking lucys parents would only put more on her.
"It's not my fault I haven't been able to-"
Jojo held his hands up; "that's not what I'm saying."
"Oh."
"Maggie I really don't have time right now. I have to get to work," Lucy said to the redhaired prostitute.
She left as Maggie came in.
At work...
"Hey how are you?" Lucy's friend Eleanor asked when Lucy arrived at work.
"Oh fine," Lucy replied.
"Lucy I know something's going on," Eleanor said.
"Oh. I. Yeah I kindof need to talk."
"Ok."
They went into the womens restroom.
"The bathroom?" Lucy asked.
"It's the place where we have the most privacy," Eleanor pointed out.
"Oh. Um. I think I;m depressed. You know Daniel died."
Eleanor nodded; "mmmhmm and he was your first love."
"Yeah. I mean I love Jude it's just..."
"Yeah. I know."
"And. I think I'm pregnant."
"Oh god. Is it Jude's?"
"Yeah I think so. It's not my first child though."
"So you and Daniel...?"
"Mmmhmm."
"Before...?"
"Yeah."
"Wow. You've gotten thinner."
"Yeah I really haven't been hungry," Lucy replied.
"Are you sick?"
"We have work."
Lucy didn't want to talk about it anymore.
