Something was going on, it was quite obvious. The question was what. Matilda's curiosity was killing her. What had Miss Honey found that had upset her so much? What was so bad that they needed to hand it over to the police?
Resisting the urge to lay down, despite the bed looking incredibly comfortable at the moment, she had crept out of the room and stood as still as a statue in an attempt to eavesdrop. From her vantage point, she could see Jennifer and Mrs. Rodger's sitting on opposite couches facing each other. The corner of Jennifer's bottom lip was bleeding from being gnawed on, her tell-tale sign of distress. Matilda crouched to the floor and silently scooted her way closer to the banister to make out what they were saying.
"Jennifer, I know this is a difficult subject, and I apologize if I'm crossing a line by asking this, but-" Mrs. Rodger's paused. "Were you, did she…?" Her voice dropped to nearly a whisper. Matilda couldn't hear what was being asked, but she could clearly see Jennifer's shoulder's stiffen before going limp. Her head fell forward.
"Yes."
"How old were you?"
"I think it started when I was around Matilda's age."
"Jesus, Jen. Didn't you tell anyone?"
"I didn't know. I'm sorry! I didn't know it was wrong! I- I- I She…She'd…" Jennifer's voice was cut off by quiet sobs. Matilda's heart ached. She could feel moisture in her own eyes. Matilda didn't know what they were talking about, but she got the distinct impression it wasn't something she should be listening in on. Whatever it was, whatever had happened, it was bad.
Matilda scooted herself back along the hallway, no longer trying to listen in, but hearing their voices just the same. The large house seemed to carry the sounds no matter how quiet they tried to be. If Matilda had wanted to eavesdrop all she had had to do was keep the bedroom door open.
"I'm sorry, Jen. Of course you wouldn't know at that age. None of it was your fault. Shh it's alright."
"But this is my fault! All of this! It's not like it only happened when I was little. If I had said something, but I'm such a coward…"
"This. Is. Not. Your. Fault. We don't even know if these kids had been. Just because she had pictures of them… And look, they're all fully dressed. It's not like we found pictures of them naked and tied to the bed."
"But they're in my room! And this boy is clearly crying. Don't you recognize him?"
"Yes," Mrs. Rodger's said with a defeated sigh, "I recognize Billy Reyes." Matilda scrunched up her face. Why did that name sound familiar? "But, Jennifer, look at me. This isn't your fault. I need you to understand. Matilda needs you to understand. Even if you had spoken up those years ago, they may not have taken your claims seriously. When people hear the words, 'sexual predator' and 'pedophile', women don't usually come to mind."
The knot of guilt in the pit of Matilda's stomach told her one thing. Jenny did not understand.
"I think… I'll go check on Matilda."
Uh-oh.
Matilda scurried back into the bedroom as the sound of creaking wooden stairs filled the air. She jumped onto the bed and pretended to be asleep as Jennifer's soft footsteps came closer. Matilda tried to slow her racing heart as the footsteps approached the bed. There was a moment of silence before she felt her shoes getting untied and one by one getting slipped off her feet. Matilda wanted to cringe. How could she have forgotten to kick her shoes off? She opened her eyes just as a figure bent down and pressed their lips to her forehead.
"I saw you in the mirror. Try and stay put this time, love. This isn't something I want you to hear. Can you do that for me?" Miss Honey whispered. Matilda could feel Jennifer's tears on her face. She sat up, all pretense of sleep gone.
" What's going on? Who's Billy Reyes?"
"Matilda, please, not this. Please don't get involved in this." Miss Honey said, a fresh wave of tears sliding down her face. "I want to preserve your innocence as long as possible."
"Mom, I know what those things were, I lied about thinking they were back massagers. I'm not that innocent. You don't need to coddle me. "
"I know you did, but if you could, can you keep lying to me for a little while longer?"
"I'm sorry," Matilda mumbled. "For listening in, but how can I support you if I don't know what's going on?" She could just see the corners of Miss Honey's lips curve upward into a painful looking smile.
"It's not your job to support me. All I need from you is to close those eyes and forget this whole thing ever happened."
"But, mom I-."
"No, Matilda, I mean it. Promise me you won't leave this room until I tell you it's alright to leave." Well, Matilda thought, Miss Honey did ask her to keep lying.
"I promise." Matilda mumbled.
"That's a good girl. Now lay back, close your eyes, and it will be time to go home before you know it." She let Miss Honey tuck her in, and watched as she walked out. Matilda frowned. There was a sudden rattling coming from the other side of the door. She lifted her head off the pillow and stared. No! She wouldn't! Matilda sprang from the bed and tried the door.
"Mom! Please! Don't lock me in! I'm sorry! I'll stay put!" Matilda yanked on the door again, but it wouldn't budge.
"I'm sorry." Came the quiet response.
Matilda sighed and pulled one more time before letting out a frustrated groan. Miss Honey knew her too well. Now what? She looked around the room taking in the odd collection of figurines and dolls, before examining the book case. Matilda frowned. They were all children's books. Wasn't this supposed to be her room until a few years ago? Then why did it look like it still belonged to a little girl?
Matilda sighed again before reaching for a copy of Anne of Green Gables from the shelf, but when she pulled it down, something rattled. She shook the book. There it was again. When Matilda opened the book and skimmed the pages she let out a small laugh. About a quarter of the way into the book, the pages had been cut out in the middle, leaving behind a secret pocket containing a lighter, two strange looking cigarettes, and an empty wrapper from a bar of chocolate. Even timid, submissive Jenny had a rebellious side it seemed. She'd have to tell Jenny she found her contraband stash. She picked up one of the cigarettes and sniffed it before wrinkling her face in disgust. Why did it smell like a run over skunk? Was it because the tobacco expired?
Now Matilda scanned the room in a new light. What else had rebellious teen Jenny been hiding? She smiled mischievously as she opened every book and turned it upside down. She was disappointed when they revealed nothing. It wasn't until Matilda shook out a copy of The Three Little Pigs did she see several pieces of paper fall to the floor. She picked them up and read them.
I hate you, Aunt Trunchbull. There I said it. I hope you slip and fall on the floors you make me polish.
One day, I'll buy a bus ticket and get as far away from you as I can, you-
Matilda's eyes nearly bugged out of her head at the use of expletives. She had only ever heard her swear once. Matilda didn't even know she knew that many swear words. Something about knowing Jennifer had at one point had the will to fight gave her comfort. She wondered what had happened to change her.
I've been in here for three days. Doesn't anyone realize I'm gone?
Three days? Had the Trunchbull really locked her away for days at a time? No wonder she had left hate filled messages in random crevices. Matilda would too if she was trapped in here for days at a time, if not to vent than purely out of boredom. She stuck the notes back in between the pages and set the book back on the shelf. If that was all just in the bookshelf then what sort of goodies was she hiding under the bed? Did she also have "back massagers"?
Matilda got on her hands and knees and peeked underneath the bed. A bucket? She used her powers to drag it out before picking it up, hoping it would be full of more contraband, but it was empty. So then why was there a bucket under her bed? It almost reminded Matilda of stories set in the 1800's where every one had chamber pots under their…
"Eww!" Matilda muttered, sending it to the far corner of the room. "I touched it." She wiped her hands on her jeans in disgust. "Please don't tell me that's what it's for." Was Jenny not even allowed out to use the bathroom? Matilda eyed the bedroom door. Miss Honey would let her out if she needed to, right? She just had to yell. Besides, it was probably just a mop bucket for cleaning the floors…even if there were no mops or washcloths to go with it.
Matilda peeked back under the bed, but found there was nothing else under there. At least she thought so until she spotted one of the floor boards sticking up an inch too high. Yes! There had to be something good under there Matilda thought as she crawled underneath the bed. She pried up the loose floor board and saw… Matilda scowled. Empty chip bags? What was this? Hortensia's old room? She stuck her hand in and pulled out food wrapper after food wrapper until there was nothing else in there. Disappointed, she crawled out from beneath the bed with her haul. Matilda stared at the pile of trash until a thought crossed her mind. Did Jenny have to hide the fact that she had eaten junk food? A worse thought. Did Jenny have to hide the fact that she had eaten at all?
Matilda stumbled her way back towards the bed and sat. She looked from the food wrappers, to the bucket, and then to the locked door. Jennifer had told her she didn't have a happy childhood, but this? Suddenly, the room was feeling a bit too small and stuffy. She went to the window and tried to open it, but that too wouldn't budge. Matilda searched for a latch to undue, but instead found nails driven through the wood. She backed away now feeling horrified and collapsed on the bed. It had been one thing to hear stories, but to see the evidence first-hand left her feeling hollow inside.
Matilda hugged her knees to her chest. Why would Jennifer ever want to keep this place? She shut her eyes tight. She had seen enough for one day. Matilda didn't want to know what the adults were doing anymore. The person she wanted to be angry at was already dead, so with nowhere to go, the anger turned to sadness, and it sat in her stomach like a weight wanting to pull her down into sleep. So Matilda let it.
"Sweetheart, we're all done." Jennifer whispered as she sat on the edge of the bed. She had expected to be greeted by a very angry little girl, but instead Matilda was fast asleep clutching Lucy to her chest. She grimaced a little as she took in the state of the room. Matilda had clearly not been sleeping the whole time.
Jennifer stood and crossed the room, picked up the bucket and began collecting the trash inside.
"I didn't know you smoked." came a mumbled response. Jennifer turned and saw Matilda sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"I don't." Jennifer said sounding a bit confused.
"Anne of Green Gables says otherwise." Jennifer cringed. She walked to the shelf and plucked the book from its spot and pocketed the contents.
"So which hiding place did you find?" Jennifer asked, motioning to all the trash.
"Floorboard under the bed."
"Ah," she crossed the room as Matilda watched, bent down and removed a piece of the baseboard before sticking her hand into the wall and removing more trash. "This was my way of acting out. I'd wait until my aunt was asleep, sneak downstairs, and steal from her stash of snacks I wasn't allowed to have."
"So she wasn't starving you?"
"No, I could eat as much as I wanted during meal times. If she starved me, I wouldn't have enough energy to cook and clean. She would however buy snacks she knew I liked and not let me have any. She'd eat them right in front of me and make me watch."
"I'm relieved you weren't up here starving, but still." Matilda said with a grimace. "Did she often lock you in here?"
"Every night."
"But you said you'd sneak downstairs after she went to bed."
"I had my ways of getting out if I really wanted to." Miss Honey said with a small smile. "When I was around 11 or 12 I'd sneak down and move the furniture just to mess with her. It used to drive her crazy. She never did figure out how I was getting out, because I'd be in my room come morning deadbolt still in place." Miss Honey laughed at the surprised look on Matilda's face.
"You would? B-but your so…so…" Matilda started to say, but stopped.
"Cowardly?" Miss Honey finished for her. Matilda scowled. "I wasn't always. While I certainly wasn't up there with you or Hortensia, I had a knack for getting myself into trouble when I was younger."
"What changed?"
"Sometimes you have to learn to pick your battles."
In truth, her aunt's escalating erratic behavior happened. Getting sent to your room was one thing, getting locked in your room was another. Then came nailing her window shut and locking the pantry at night. And there were the other things. She shut her eyes for a moment. No, she wouldn't think about those things.
"Can I leave the room now?" Matilda asked. Miss Honey looked up to find her squirming on the bed.
"Yes, go." She watched Matilda spring off the bed and dart towards the door before stopping. Matilda turned back to look at her.
"You would have let me out, right?" Miss Honey stared at her.
"To use the bathroom? Of course I would have, do you think I would have made you hold it?"
"Not exactly." Matilda mumbled. Miss Honey followed her line of sight to the bucket in her hands full of trash.
"Matilda!" Jennifer said in surprise. "Why would you think that?"
"Did she make you?"
Jennifer was nine, pounding on her bedroom door, crying, begging and pleading. Aunt Trunchbull would break her wrist again if she had another accident up here, but she couldn't hold it until morning.
"Please! I need to go!"
The heavy pounding footsteps were coming. She hurried away from the door less she got smacked in the face by it again when it swung open. Once was enough.
In flew a plastic object with such force Jennifer couldn't tell what it was. The door slammed shut again.
"I better not hear another peep out of you if you know what's good for you, brat!" Her aunt bellowed before retreating back down the hall.
Jennifer stared at the door incredulously. Wasn't she going to let her out? She stared behind her at the object that had come to rest by the foot of her bed. Jennifer blanched. She stared at the bucket. No! That was disgusting! She wouldn't! She refused! But as the minutes ticked by, so did her resolve. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Jennifer picked the object off the floor, set it down on the other side of the bed, bunched her nightgown over her hips and squatted down.
"Um, well, yes." Miss Honey admitted. Matilda wrinkled her face. "It wasn't that bad, honestly, it was vastly better than waking her up in the middle of the night. You wouldn't believe how angry she would be with me. But sweetheart, I would never do that to you, if you ever needed anything all you have to do is ask. I'm not my aunt."
Matilda seemed to think about this for a moment before unknowingly uttering the words that would send Jennifer into a downward tailspin.
"But you locked me in."
