(13) Unlucky
I was literally saved by Connie. I could have hugged her but that somehow seemed inappropriate. Connie barged in with her tattered nightgown and huge Louisville slugger ready to maim an intruder. Her eyes were wildly searching the room with Joey and Myra tagging behind.
Connie held up the bat and ran to the window. "Was someone trying to break in? That hasn't happened since I installed the security system but sometimes we get drifters."
Myra sat on the edge of my bed and Joey sat next to Lily. "Umm, no actually Bella just had a bad dream. She scared the bejeezus out of me." Lily smirked and Myra stared at me. She was making me uncomfortable with her steely eye contact. Joey brought her knees up to her chin and studied me.
Connie heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Well thank heavens that you're okay dear." She double checked the latches on the window and shook her head. "Would you feel more comfortable if you stayed with me tonight. I have a twin bed in my room." I knew Connie was trying to offer me some safe haven but I cringed at the thought of sleeping next to her.
"No I'll be alright. It's just something that reoccurs in my dreams. Honestly I'll be fine." I said earnestly hoping Connie got the message. I did not need her to accidentally swing her bat at me for screaming. That would be bad.
"Okay Bella. Goodnight girls." Connie motioned for Joey and Myra to follow her. The door shut solidly behind them rattling the daisy calendar hanging on the back.
"Okay let's chat." Lily gestured at me and curled her legs up on her bed. She had a resolved look on her face and I looked away.
"About what?" I asked stupidly.
"Umm, you had a horrifically bad dream. You know you talk in your sleep don't ya? I want to know what's going on?" Lily pursed her lips and waved her magenta nails in front of her face. "Of course, I can mention this to Connie tomorrow or Dr. Faye."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Okay, if that's how you want to play the game." Lily scrambled off her bed and hurried to the door.
"Wait." I called at her and she turned to me with a pleased look on her face. "Tomorrow I'll explain everything."
"That's better." Lily smugly walked back to her bed and climbed in the covers. "Goodnight Bella." She said cheerily and huddled into her blankets.
I didn't sleep at all.
I gnawed on my fingernails slowly decimating the skin. It was morning and I took a shower before Lily got up. I walked to the living room and plopped on the couch with my collection of poems. The bay window provided an excellent view of the courtyard. A huge oak tree blocked my view of the ocean. I went back to reading the poems when I heard the floor creak. I stiffened until I saw Joey's slight frame sit on the sofa chair.
I smiled at her and she grinned at me. She was tugging a big book with her. I squinted to read the title of her book, The origin of life. Hmm, Joey didn't strike me as the philosophical type. I went back to my poems and she read her book. We sat quietly for a while not speaking enjoying the quiet. Connie started making breakfast.
I thumbed through the next few poems and put the book on the end table. I got up and stretched and saw Lily ambling down the hallway. She looked at me and her features livened. I went to the table and Lily sat beside me.
Connie brought the food to the table and Joey slid onto the bench directly in front of me.
"Okay let's eat." Connie served herself some orange juice and Joey got oatmeal. I took a couple of pieces of toast. Lily served herself the bare minimum under Connie's watchful eyes. We ate in silence and I wondered where Myra was?
After breakfast Joey disappeared and Lily announced to Connie that we were taking a walk outside. She was so eager to hear gossip. I hope she wasn't going to be disappointed when I told her it was all made up. I shrugged my jacket on and wrapped a scarf around my neck. Lily came back with a pair of boots over her jeans and a flannel jacket.
She led me to an enormous backyard with a tire swing hanging from a tree. There were a couple of benches perched near the tree and a small fireplace set up behind the porch. We walked to the benches and sat opposite one another. It was freezing outside and I could hear the ocean waves crashing against the shore. I shivered and dug my hands deep into my pockets.
"Where was Myra?" I decided to start the conversation.
"She never eats breakfast. She usually wakes up at noon or sometimes she sleeps till night." Lily's cheeks were turning red from the wind.
"Oh." I replied and tried to close the gaps on my pockets to keep the coldness out.
"You do know that you talk in your sleep." Lily gazed at me and she licked her chapped lips.
"Yeah, I've been told." I tried not to remember who had told me that. I pushed that memory into the recesses of my mind.
"I want answers. Or I'm going to tell on you." Lily responded and I tried not to laugh at her childish threats.
"Go ahead. I'll just say you made it up. Who do you think they're going to believe? I had a bad dream and if you don't accept that explanation then that's your problem." I muttered and gave up trying to defend myself.
If we continued to be bunkmates then she was going to hear more information than I cared to tell her. I did not want for her to threaten me every single time.
Lily pouted for a couple of minutes and I studied the leaves on the ground. Everything was green even in the dead of winter. Purple, gold, and magenta leaves sprawled the grass and some were raked into huge piles near the fence. This place would not be difficult to escape if I had somewhere to go.
The leaves crunched and I saw Joey trailing Myra. Myra stopped when she reached us and stood with her hands on her hips. She was wearing black leggings and a white shirt. She had a long trench coat opened. Joey tugged on her bright pink parka and shoved her gloved hands into the pocket of her jeans. She had a pink and white ski cap with a tassel at the end.
"What's going on? You're not out here telling secrets are you?" Myra kidded without knowing how close to the truth she really was.
"Hey, I forgot to ask you. What did Connie mean when she said you had a deal at dinner last night?" I looked at Lily who had a blank look on her face. I wanted to ask that question last night but it slipped my mind.
Myra snorted and Joey glanced down. Lily did not respond and I had a feeling that I brought up a difficult subject for her.
"Oh let me tell it." Myra was giddy with anticipation. "Lily is among other things anorexic. She doesn't eat. Connie made some stupid deal with her that if she ate two times a day then she would tell her parents what a good girl she is. Then her parents might want to take her home. Yeah right."
"I am not anorexic." Lily stated but her voice was unconvincing.
"Okay, if you're not anorexic then I'm not psychotic." Myra goaded and Lily shook her head.
"I have a sensitive stomach so a lot of food gets my stomach upset. I have ulcers." Lily murmured.
Myra shook her head. "Of course, you do. See Bella she's not that sick. Here's the 411 on us. I'm borderline psychotic, Lily's manic-depressive with an eating disorder, and Joey is super intelligent with associative disorder. And what are you?"
I think I forgot to breathe.
"Is that why you don't talk?" I motioned to Joey and she nodded.
"I have a difficult time establishing connections with my peers." Joey whispered.
"Because she's a freak." Myra suggested. "It's okay I don't like anyone enough to have as a friend."
"That's just a defense mechanism." Joey explained and Myra gave her a sinister look.
"Shut up." Myra turned to Joey and was staring her down.
"Bella, you have a visitor." Connie yelled and I shot up. I walked away quickly and turned back to see their curious faces.