Sharon did her best to remember. There seemed to be a fleeting memory. So long ago. When was it?

Jimmy Soldari's 9th birthday party where Jaye puked loudly during a song, in Italian, that Jimmy's great grandfather had commissioned just for the occasion?

No.

Maybe it was the time Jaye knocked over the vast domino structure Sharon and their father had spent an entire Sunday building when Sharon was recovering from having her tonsils removed?

No, not then.

Of course, yes. The time Jaye was merely six when she punched little Davy Mitchell on the nose because she thought he was touching her rear, but it turned out only to be the rough lace hem of her own dress.

That was the last time she'd heard Jaye openly and freely apologize. Of course, Sharon still believed the apology stemmed more from Jaye's hurt hand than from the false accusation, but you took civil niceties from Jaye whenever offered.

But taking them without question? Well….

She stared at her sister, and only closed her mouth when her teeth started to dry out.

Linny, almost amazed but lacking the decades of history to be truly floored, looked confused by Jaye's sudden admission of guilt and her willingness to offer reparations. "Yeah, okay. Maybe at a different bar though." Glancing at her damaged BMW, she added, "This place doesn't seem too lucky for me."

Jaye slapped the pocket of her jacket and smiled. "Sure. Since you and Sharon seem to know each other, just let her know when, and, hey, the three of us can get together some evening. Make it an event."

Linny turned to Sharon, who, still looking bewildered, shrugged and nodded.

"Okay, I'll do that, uh, Jaye, wasn't it?"

Jaye nodded and slapped the pocket of her jacket harder than before. She stepped forward and put a hand out. The two women shook hands

333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333

"What the hell was that?"

Jaye almost seemed to cringe at the tone of Sharon's voice. The older sister did have to admit to herself she sounded harsh after the long silence as they drove off in the SUV.

"What was what?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Jesus, if you had decided to go into law, I'd sure hate to oppose you in court. That was a classic performance. Personally, I expected tears of regret, but that isn't really your style, is it?"

"Can't a person have a change of heart, Sharon? Does this whole family think I'm some sort of emotionless chameleon, just changing to be what everyone wants?"

"Well, I'm sure Dad still turns a blind eye to everything, but, yeah, pretty much."

Jaye gasped.

"What? You want me to lie?"

Jaye crossed her arms and scrunched further down in her seat. "Just take me home. I've had all the familial interaction I care to have."

"Fine. I'm feeling more than a bit run down myself. But I'd like to know one thing if you're still talking to me."

"What?" grunted Jaye.

"Why did you spray Linny?"

Jaye cut her eyes toward her sister. "Didn't she tell you in the bar?"

"What's to tell? She said you yelled and then sprayed her." Sharon paused for a beat. "Too bad Mom's therapist still has a restraining order against you."

"Thanks. Now Dad really is the only one who doesn't think I'm a whack-job."

"Really? Aaron's expressed concern as well?"

"I think he sees me as more of a case study in altered belief systems, but yeah, we've had this same chat. Kinda."

"Well, Jaye, do you think maybe there really is cause for concern if you have three-quarters of your family worried?"

Jaye sat for a moment, staring straight ahead. Sharon could almost feel the thoughts bouncing inside her sister's head. She waited for a snarky retort, but all she got was a very subdued "Probably."

Jaye cleared her throat. "So, you and this Linny. She's new?"

"Not really, but don't change the subject."

"She seems to care about you, in her own way. That's good."

"Jaye. We can discuss my personal life some other time. Right now my concern is you. And not because Dad asked me to check up on you. Tomorrow, we need to talk, and I don't want to spend the whole afternoon tracking you down." She reached over and squeezed her sister's shoulder. "Okay?"

She got a nod in response. Sharon waited, expecting something, anything sarcastic or snippy. Nothing. Her chest felt heavy with the realization that Jaye might actually have a problem deeper than a need for Ritalin and a stable personal life.

33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333

Jaye watched Sharon's SUV drive away. The trailer park showed no other signs of life. In fact, the only trailer with an outside light on was hers. Soon, even the small wisps of road dust had settled.

Putting her hand to her throbbing head, she moved towards her door. Just a sandwich or some lunchmeat and then to bed, she assured herself.

"You're awfully quiet," she said, glancing down at her jacket pocket. "Don't tell me I finally beat you into submission."

No response.

Jaye mentally shrugged. She was more concerned with not passing out before getting inside her trailer than the silence of the wax lion. Still, in spite of the fatigue, she felt odd, as if she had forgotten something, needed to take of…oh, whatever. Nothing came to mind and trying to focus her mind on anything felt very much like sitting on a pile of mashed potatoes, uncomfortable and unproductive.

She stepped inside, closed the door, and flipped on the lights.

The lion squirmed inside of her pocket. She looked down as she turned, and saw its orange head pop out. It whistled and motioned with its head. Jaye turned her head in that direction.

All around her, from every corner of the trailer, little inanimate critter heads turned to face her. Their eyes, dozens of them, connected with hers.

Jaye felt herself inhale sharply. What the hell?

Before she could vocalize anything, the trailer seemed to shake with the sound of multitudes of voices all shouting, "Get rid of the bitch!"