Chapter 3: Midnight
1980
"Eva. Psst. Wake up."
Eva sat up. "Whazzat?"
"It's me," Rena whispered.
"What do you want?" asked Eva.
"I thought you should know Daddy's breaking your refrigerator."
Groaning, Eva pulled her white robe on over her jeans and blue sweatshirt and took the stairs two at a time to get downstairs.
In the kitchen, Klinger was kicking the refrigerator. "Work for me, baby, Come on..."
"Do you usually beat up on kitchen appliances at midnight?" asked Eva.
Klinger jumped. "Oh, uh, this is nothing. I mean, just a little, uh, leakage."
"The little leakage is forming a lake in my kitchen," Eva said, lifting up her pant legs to keep them from dragging in the water that was dripping out of the refrigerator.
"Dad!" exclaimed Marilyn, who had been in the dining room. "What happened?"
"I can get it fixed before morning," Klinger said. "Give me a wrench and I'm a wizard. Did I ever tell you about the time I fixed our P.A. system in Korea?"
"No, but Mom did," said Eva. "I think she used the terms 'jackass' and 'olive-skinned idiot' to describe the incident."
"Wonderful woman." Klinger gave the refrigerator a final kick. "I think that you need a repairman."
"I'm going back to bed," said Eva. "I've got a horribe headache." She left the kitchen, almost running into Becky.
"Are you okay?" Becky asked.
NO I'm not okay! Eva screamed mentally. Mom is gone and Dad is dead!
She just cares about you, that's all, the always-logical voice retorted.
If anyone did they'd leave me the hell alone.
Don't use that type of language.
I'll use whatever language I want!
"Eva?" Becky's concerned gaze brought the woman out of her trance-like state. "Let me help you up to bed."
"No thanks. I can make it." Eva smiled at Becky and went back upstairs. She almost tripped over Carolina, who was sprawled out on the hallway carpet snoring.
Eva crawled under the covers of her parents' bed. She had absolutely no desire to get changed into a nightgown--and even if she did, it would be impossible because seven people were in her bedroom.
Now go to sleep. You need your rest.
"Shut up," Eva said.
For once, the voice cooperated.