Crystal (Orphans 2)

I put on my nightgown and crawled under the covers until I was snug. The soft, plush pillow was a cloud beneath my head. I was floating over the lightning and thunder of excitement I had aroused in myself, but still I tossed and turned for hours until I finally settled into a warm pocket of sleep, exhausted.

The sound of doors closing, the quick, heavy beat of footsteps, the cries coming from Thelma jerked me out of the darkness. I listened. Either Karl or Thelma rushed up the stairs and back to the bedroom. Thelma was crying. I rose quickly and went to my door.

She was standing in the hallway with her coat on. She saw me and wiped away the tears that were streaming down her cheeks so hard they actually dripped from her chin.

"Oh, Crystal, you're up. I'm sorry we woke you, but maybe it's better."

Karl came out of the bedroom wearing his coat, too.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's my mother!" Thelma cried. "She was just rushed to the emergency room. We have to go. My father is so upset he could have a stroke."

"Should I get dressed?" I asked.

"No, no," Karl said. "This could be hours and hours. You go back to sleep, and tomorrow morning, if we're not back in time, you take the bus to school. We'll be fine!' He put his arm around Thelma's waist.

She reached for me and held me against her for a moment. Then the two of them hurried on.

"Isn't there anything I can do?" I called to them. "No, no, just go back to sleep," Karl replied.

Their footsteps died away as they turned and headed for the garage.

I went to the window in my room and gazed out to watch them drive off. The street was otherwise deserted, the small patches of illumination from the lights creating a quilt of yellowish white in the darkness all the way to the corner and beyond where Karl's car turned and disappeared into the night.

The house was deadly quiet. It had all happened so fast, I felt as if I had dreamed it, especially after I crawled back under my covers and closed my eyes. It was far more difficult now to fall asleep, but shortly before the first light of day, I did. The alarm woke me. Otherwise, I would have slept through most of the morning.

I took a long shower and made myself some oatmeal. As I ate my breakfast, I looked toward the phone, hoping Karl would call before the bus came, but he didn't. I was tempted to get myself to the hospital instead of going to school, but I thought it might upset them more, so I finished getting dressed, gathered my books, and went out to wait for the bus.

Helga was already standing at the bus stop with Ashley Raymond, whose mother, Vera, was

practically the only neighbor Thelma spoke to, and only because Vera was into watching soap operas, too.

"Isn't Karl taking you to school today?" Helga sang.

Ashley was about my height with light brown hair and a pair of large blue eyes too big for her small mouth and nose. She gazed at me. She always looked like a frightened doe to me. I had said about four words to her before this.

"Something happened to my grandmother last night, and he and Thelma had to rush to the hospital. They're still there;' I explained.

If there was any sympathy in Helga, it was down so deep in her heart it would take an oil rig two weeks to find it. She smirked and nudged Ashley.

"Bernie will be happy. He'll have someone to sit with," she said,

"What's wrong with your grandmother?" Ashley asked quietly.

"I don't know. They rushed out too fast for me to ask questions," I said.

"I know her. She's a nice lady!' Ashley said.

"Yes, she is?'

"How many times did you actually even meet her?" Helga fired at me, as if I had no right to comment.

"It doesn't take long for me to know who is nice and who isn't!' I said, fixing my angry eyes on her. She had to look away, but with a short, little laugh.

The bus arrived, and we boarded. I made my way to the rear, where Bernie was sitting and reading. He didn't even realize I was there until I sat beside him.

"What are you doing on the bus?" he asked with surprise.