Runaways (Orphans 5)

Butterfly was still asleep in the bedroom and apparently had heard none of this. Crystal approached the bed and gazed down at Raven whose shoulders were shaking with her sobs. She looked at me and then she crawled onto our pullout bed. She and I brought our heads to Raven. We touched Raven's head.

"We're sisters," Crystal began. "We'll always be sisters."

We chanted and held each other and prayed that Raven would be lucky.

The following morning we all rose and got dressed without any more mention of Taylor Cummings. We didn't even talk about Danny and his creepy friends. It had been a restless night for Crystal, Raven and me, so we were moving like zombies Finally, we walked over to the restaurant and threw ourselves into the work.

Patsy was very chatty, happier than ever, talking about when she would close the restaurant for her holiday and where she might go for a vacation.

"Maybe I'll go to California, too," she said. "I haven't ever been there. Have any of you?"

As always, we waited for Crystal to answer the question and I saw that this was beginning to sharpen Patsy's interest in us. She watched us as Crystal replied.

"No, this is going to be our first trip, too. That's why we were all so excited about it," she said.

"Mighty courageous of your parents letting the four of you travel across country like this," she said. The first customer had yet to arrive.

"Well, we don't exactly have the perfect home life we made out to have," Crystal continued. Raven and I polished silverware and straightened chairs while Butterfly folded napkins, but we were all listening. It was just as much new information to us as it was to Patsy.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Butterfly's mother died a few years ago. Her father travels a lot. My parents are divorced and so are Raven's. Brooke's adopted," she added. "And recently her adoptive mother had a serious operation. Her adoptive father thought it would be good for her to travel with us while he concentrated on her adoptive mother," she concluded.

Crystal was like a spider, weaving her cobweb of personal lives, events, tragedies and comedies to trap the unsuspecting listener. Patsy looked trapped. She turned and viewed each of us in a more

sympathetic way.

"Oh," she simply said.

"But we're fine," Crystal jumped in quickly. "We were having a really great time until we ran into that unfortunate person, weren't we, Brooke?"

"Yes, and I've enjoyed working here. We all have," I said.

Butterfly nodded vigorously. Raven stepped up to her.

"The girls told me about your wanting to warn me

about Taylor. I should have listened. He's a creep." "Did he hurt you? Because if he did . ."

"No, I don't want you to do anything. If and when he comes around here, I'll deal with him, Patsy. Thank you," she said.

"I bet you will," Patsy said, smiling.

The first customers arrived and we all began to work. Two young men who were friends of Taylor's were there, but Taylor didn't show. I saw Raven speaking to them and then I saw her go off to the side and wipe her eyes. I left my tables and hurried over. "What's the matter?"

"They told me Taylor went back to his old girlfriend. He was out with her last night. He just used me, Brooke. I'm such a fool."

I hugged her quickly.

"It's his loss. He's the one that goofed up," I said. "Let's get back to work and take your mind off of the creep."

She wiped her eyes and nodded.

"Thanks," she said and we returned to the tables. It was another successful breakfast, every available table taken with people waiting to be seated. Butterfly ended up working the counter. Afterward, when she did her count, Patsy told us again how the receipts were up.

"If this continues, I'll be able to retire soon," she kidded. "I'm going over to the bank now to make my deposit from yesterday and this morning," she said. "Anybody need anything from the drugstore?"

"I don't think so," I said, looking at Raven.