haunt this house; she could turn shadows into shapes
and hiss her displeasure from the darkest corners. She
could glare at me from behind my eyes, from my
deepest, darkest memories, but she wouldn't turn me
around. You always wanted doors to be shut,
Geraldine, I thought. Well, this time, I'm slamming
them shut on you.
Maybe it was the vodka talking, but I felt brave
and strong. I drank another and I sang along with the
girls whenever they burst into song. We ate
everything in sight and then collapsed on the sofas and in the chairs, laughing at our appetites, not caring about the loudness of the music or the noise we made It felt so good to do it, to have the freedom, but I couldn't help gazing up at the doorway and thinking about Geraldine. It was just habit. She wasn't gone
long enough for me to not feel afraid.
"What are you looking so worried about?" Jade
cried at me. "Stop looking behind your shoulder. She's
gone. She's a potted plant!" she declared, laughing.
Her eyes were glazed. "I ruined an expensive outfit
helping to plant her," she added, the vodka definitely
speaking now.
Star immediately sprung up, her finger pointed. "You did it," she accused. "You spoke the
unspeakable and you are fined."
"What?"
"Am I right?" Star asked us. "We made the rule
in the car. We all voted, right?"
Misty looked timid, but nodded.
"She's right, Jade."
"So, what am I supposed to do now?" Jade shot
back at Star. "Go to my room?"
Star straightened up and smiled.
"You clean up, girl. That's your punishment,"
she said.