"Celine." Sanford's strong voice broke through the darkness.
"Well, he talks like we've been torturing the child," she said.
The darkness dwindled some more and the light began to grow stronger, wider. My eyelids fluttered. "She's waking up."
I opened my eyes and looked into Dr. Franklin's face.
"Hello there," he said, smiling "How are you doing?"
I was so confused. I closed my eyes and tried to think and then I opened them and looked around. I was still in my room. Celine was at the foot of my bed and Sanford was standing beside her with his hand on the back of her chair.
"Can you
sit up?" the doctor asked.
I nodded and started to do so. I was a little dizzy, but that passed quickly and I was up. There was a dull ache in my back and my stomach felt woozy. I gazed at the clock and saw that it was midafternoon.
"There. She'll be fine," the doctor said. "Just a day's rest now. The worst is over," he added.
"Is it?" Celine asked dryly. She was shaking her head and glaring at me.
The doctor closed his bag and left the room with Sanford. Celine wheeled herself closer.
"I don't know what happened to me, Mother," I said. "I'll get dressed."
"Dressed?" She laughed a thin, bone-chilling laugh. "For what? It's over. Your chance to get into the school is over. We missed the audition."
"Can't we reschedule it?" I asked. My throat was so dry, it hurt to speak.
"No. There's no point in it," she said, her eyes small. "They went through dozens of girls and filled their openings by now."
"I'm sorry," I said.
"Me too. All this work, the hours and hours of lessons, the best shoes . ." She shook her head, turned her chair, and wheeled out of my room.
I stepped off the bed and started for the bathroom. It felt like I was walking on a floor of balloons. My ankles wobbled at first and then I grew stronger. I splashed cold water on my face and brushed back my hair. Still feeling weak, I went to my closet and found something to wear. Mildred came to my room just as I finished dressing.
"Mr. Delorice wanted me to see if you were hungry," she said. "I'll bring you something."
"No, I can come down. Thank you, Mildred."
She said she would make me some hot soup and a toasted cheese sandwich, which I told her sounded good. When I went out into the hallway I saw the door to Celine's bedroom was open so I peeked in. She was in bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"I'm feeling better," I said. She didn't respond. "Are you all right, Mother?"
She closed her eyes. My heart began to thump. Was she so angry at me that she would pretend not to hear me? I hurried away as fast as I could and descended the stairs. Sanford was on the phone in his den talking to someone at his factory. He waved when I appeared in the doorway and indicated he would be right with me. I went into the dining room and Mildred brought me my soup and sandwich.
"Is Celine very angry at me?" I asked when Sanford appeared.
"No, no," he said. "She's disappointed, but things will look better in the morning. They always do. How are you doing?" he asked, petting my hair.
"I'm better. I feel like I just climbed a high mountain and ran miles," I told him. He smiled and nodded.
"I guess it's true when they say men have it easier. I'll just go look in on Celine," he added and left to go upstairs.
When he came down again, he looked more concerned. He flashed a quick smile at me and told me he had to go to the factory for a little while.
"Celine's resting. Try not to disturb her," he added, and left.