Runaways (Orphans 5)

"Being a mother herself, she probably went

through this with Danny boy," I said. "But do you

think it could be something else, Crystal?" I asked.

"Something more serious?"

"We'll have to watch and see. If it is . . that's it,"

she added. "Once we take her to a hospital emergency

room or a doctor, we have to have a guardian or

parent."

"Oh no," Raven spoke for us all.

"We'll need a thermometer so we can watch her

fever," Crystal continued. "If it goes up too high . . ." "Why don't I get dressed and look for a drugstore," I offered.

"It's too early, but sometimes gas stations with

convenience stores sell Tylenol," Crystal said. "I'll go looking around," I said, happy to be able

to do something to help Butterfly.

After I washed my face and dressed, I left and

went looking for an open store. The sun was coming

up now. It was really the best part of the day. I imagined the earth itself opening its eyes, greeting the warm kiss of light, shedding the blanket of shadows, drinking in the radiance. The small village nearby was still waking up; all I saw in the streets were a few wandering dogs, sniffing around for breakfast. On the other side of the village, however, there was a selfservice gas station and inside the little office area were coin operated machines that contained aspirin

and Tylenol as well as stomach antacids.

Good old Crystal, I thought. She predicted it.

She was really a very smart person and it gave me

confidence and a sense of security to have someone

with her thinking power in our little family I had faith

in her diagnosis of Butterfly, too. She wanted to be a

doctor more than anything and spent most of her

leisure hours studying as if she were already in

medical school. Her appetite for knowledge never

ended.

By the time I returned, Patsy and Charlie had

started working in the restaurant. Crystal had gotten

Raven to go over there first, so Patsy wouldn't think