SashaButters

The change that had come over Hortensia was startling. She wasn’t livid or thrashing about. Instead, she curled into a ball and began to cry with loud racking sobs. Jennifer paused for a moment, fighting the urge to take her words back and make it stop. She was serious. She meant it. She had tried to help Hortensia, but she had thrown it all back in her face. She had gone out of her way to hurt her, and her relationship with her daughter. And over what? Because she didn’t want to go to therapy and do a single page of math problems in the afternoons? But…something about that sound… those types of cries. It wasn’t quite physical pain or hurt feelings. The room began to lose focus. No, not now! She groped the wall and slid down. She was both in the room and lying on her office floor at the school, choking wailing sobs coming from both Hortensia and her past self. “Jenny, hey? Is it the heat?” Brian asked her. She shook her head and hid her face. “I’m fine. I’m fine.” Two in one day? Not good. She wiped the tears from her face and tried to stand back up, but he stopped her. He looked between Hortensia and her. “Maybe you should sleep on it.” He whispered. She felt a pang of annoyance. Was he telling her how to parent? But as she thought about it, maybe he was right. She was re-acting. “I’ll think about it.” She announced loud enough so Hortensia could hear, but it did little to stop her. She was babbling something Jennifer couldn’t quite understand at first. She felt another annoyed pang in her chest. “Anywhere but there! Anywhere but there!” She wasn’t upset at being kicked out. She just didn’t want to go to Cynthia’s. “I said I’ll think about it.” She repeated. “Now go upstairs to bed so I can think!” She didn’t feel very authoritative from her spot on the floor, but Hortensia stood and rushed upstairs, much to the other kids' relief. They looked just as surprised and uncomfortable with her outburst as she did. “You too, Hazel.” Brian said. “ Go to bed, I’ll deal with you later.” That left the two boys. Once Hazel was out of ear shot he stared at the two of them. “Which one of you did it?” The boys stayed quiet. “Which one of you jacked off in her car?” He demanded. The two boys both wrinkled their faces in disgust. “No one.” “Then why is her front seat covered in semen?!” They wrinkled their faces again. “Hazel was squirting a bottle of something around.” Nick offered. “Some kind of gel or…” “It’s lube.” Jennifer mumbled, clenching the bridge of her nose. “There was a bottle of it in my purse. She must have been looking for more lotion.” “What happened?” Brian asked. “Tens just went crazy and started beating on the car.” Zach said. “Then Hazel started doing it because she was doing it.” “And how did your boy's pocket knives end up in her tires?” Brian asked. “She asked us too.” Nick said. “She asked you too?” Brian said in a disbelieving voice. “So you just did it?” “The car was toast by then anyway.” Zach said. “So you just stood there and let it happen? Why didn’t you come get us?” “I was too surprised.” Nick said. “It was like she just went crazy and started bashing the car with a rock.” So it was a fit. Not that it made much of a difference, but knowing it wasn’t calculated eased her rolling gut a bit. “It happens with her.” Jennifer said. “She does suddenly snap and start attacking the first thing she sees.” Jennifer explained. “It’s hard to react when you see it happening.” “That doesn’t mean they had to join in.” True. “Did she threaten any of you?” Jennifer asked. They shook their heads. “So she just…asked?” “Well, not really, it’s more like, she… came back? Like… it wasn’t her and then… it was.” Nick said. “We had shown her our knives earlier and we were talking about how hard it would be to cut through stuff. I had wondered out loud how hard it was to slash a tire, cause you see it in movies and stuff. She kind of stared at the car for a minute, and was like ‘may as well test your knives, cause the car’s toast anyway.’” “Okay, so Hortensia beat the windows, Hazel squirted lube around, you guys slashed the tires…Who spray painted the car?” Brian asked. “That’s what Tens was freaking out about. None of us did.” “What?” Jennifer asked, pushing herself up. “It was weird.” Nick said. “She beats the crap out of your car and is like, ‘oh well’ but she freaked out about you thinking she was calling you names. Got super pissed and yelled at us for it, but it wasn’t us. We were all together.” “Was there someone else there?” It was probably Hortensia, but she might as well try. “N-no, wait yeah, Tens was talking to that massive bloke that walked by before she went mental, they were having some kind of fight, cause she flipped him off after he’d turned around and left, but other than that. No. So some man told her off about something and she had a fit. But it still didn’t explain the spray paint. At least there was no sexual predator after her, just a pre-teen with anger management issues. Jennifer shrugged. She was still livid and a little hurt, but she supposed she should be grateful she hadn’t attacked someone. A car can be fixed. Maybe Eve was right. Maybe therapy wasn’t helping. Maybe it was time she admitted defeat and passed her off to Cynthia for their tough love approach. Jennifer didn’t have it in her anymore. “Go to bed, both of you.” Brian said. “I need to think about what I’m going to do with you tomorrow.” He sighed and looked at her. “I am so sorry. I’ll pay for new tires and clean the upholstery.” “It was a junker anyway. I only recently learned to drive during the year. New tires might cost more than the cars worth. I may not have even noticed all the extra dents if not for the spray paint, tires and windows being smashed out.” “Even so.” “Maybe it was your wife who painted my car.” Jennifer said with a laugh. “The cop did say it looked like the work of a jealous lover.” he grinned but shook his head. “She was gentle, she wouldn’t call anyone those kinds of names. She doesn’t want to cause harm. This is just her way of causing mischief and letting me know she’s here.” Jennifer frowned. That wasn’t what she had picked up with her experiences of otherworldly forces not caused by Matilda. “I can see you don’t believe me.” Brian said. He was grinning, but he looked sad. “I have felt and seen unexplainable things. Of course I believe you. “ she gestured to the kitchen. “Falling in the skatepark, the pots and pans, you getting me out of my shirt on a first date. All unexplainable things.” The tension between them broke and he chuckled. “I need to tuck in Hazel, will you be up for a while? I can put in a movie.” He suggested. “We’ve had enough drama for one day.” She smiled and shook her head. “I think I’m going to call it a night. I still have a kid to interrogate.” She said. “Thanks for the shirt.” She said with an embarrassed winced. He snickered and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. “Feel free to come back down if you can’t sleep. Goodnight.” He went to Hazel's room and she kept going. When she opened the door she could hear Hortensia sniffling, but the body wracking sobs had stopped. She sprawled out on her back on the bed with a pillow over her face. She saw the nappy sitting on the bed beside her. “Tens, I know we’re both upset right now. A lot has been going on. Let's talk about this in the morning once we’ve both calmed down.” Jennifer said. There was no response from the girl on the bed. “I know you're not asleep. I can hear you.” Still no response. She let out an annoyed breath. “You need to put this on tonight.” She held up the nappy. Nothing. “Hortensia! I’m serious, you need to wear this.” Now she was getting frustrated. She didn’t feel like playing this mind game with her. “If you don’t get up and put this on, I’m going to put it on for you! You want me to diaper you like a baby?” She ground her teeth together. Fine. She’d call her bluff. Jennifer picked up the nappy and unfolded it. It really was like a larger version for a baby. She loudly crinkled it to show Hortensia what she was doing, but she just laid there. Alright, she had warned her. Jennifer gripped the waist of Hortensia’s pants and yanked them down. “WHAT THE FUCK?” Hortensia sprang up, fist in the air and headphones dangling off the side of her head. Loud music filled the space between them. Hortensia glared at her but lowered her fist when she saw who it was. She hoisted her pants back up and seethed. “I am so sorry, I thought you were ignoring me.” “So you pulled my pants down?” Hortensia demanded. “No, It-it was an accident!” The last thing she wanted was rumors about her being inappropriate with a student to circulate. “How do you accidentally pull down my pants?” Hortensia asked with a scoff. Jennifer held out the open diaper. “You need to go put this on.” Hortensia snatched it from her hand and left for the bathroom in a huff. “I told you three times to get up and put it on. And then I said ‘I'd put it on for you if you ignored me one more time….’” “I wasn’t ignoring you! I didn’t hear you!” she heard followed by a series of crinkling, thrashing and frustrated grunts. “I realized that.” Jennifer said with a wince. She stood outside the bathroom and waited. The number and volume of grunts were increasing. Jennifer frowned before she heard a bang against the wall. “Tens, take a deep breath and relax.” “How am I supposed to relax right now?” Hortensia grunted. “The stupid thing won’t go on.” “Well, first thing you need to do is wee, cause it’s not coming off till morning.” Jennifer warned. “They don’t refasten and I’m not risking you leaking in his bed.” “And what if I need a wee in the night? Then what?” Hortensia asked as the toilet flushed. “Better hope you don’t.” Jennifer said, but then thought better of it. She supposed she could always safety pin it back on. She’d have to ask Brian if he had one lying around. “Do you usually need to?” “Haven’t really had that luxury in a while.” Hortensia said sarcastically. “Now what?” “Come out so I can help you..” “No!” Hortensia said. “You're getting frustrated. I don’t want you having another fit. Just let me do it so we can both go to bed.” She could hear Hortensia let out a low whine. “I know, I won’t say anything at school.” She heard another whine. “Or Matilda. It’ll stay between us.” There was a final low hesitant grumble before the bathroom door unlatched. “Go lay on the bed like you were before.” She opened his bathroom drawer. Jackpot. She picked out a few bobby pins off a pile of them and walked over. “I’ll let you do the honors this time.” She gestured to her pants. After a moment of hesitation, she slid out of them. “Underwear too.” “Put it over.” Hortensia mumbled. “You want to go home carrying wet knickers in your pocket?” Hortensia visibly deflated. After a second of considering this, she shimmied out of them as well. “Hurry up.” she barked. Jennifer rolled her eyes and gave her a look she had been practicing, Hortensia cowered a bit and added, “Please, it’s embarrassing.” Jennifer sighed. “I know, i’ll hurry. Turn on your side. Hortensia rolled over and Jennifer paused. She stared. She wasn’t sure what she was seeing. She was torn between investigating and respecting Hortensia’s privacy but the first instinct was winning. What was that? “Bring your top leg up to your chest.” Jennifer leaned in closer and bent to take a look. “What are you doing?” Hortensia demanded scooting away. “Stop looking there.” “Sorry, I thought I saw something.” “What? Hair?” She said sarcastically. “Sorry, i’ll put it on.” She silently fastened it with the tapes before double securing it with bobby pins. “There, all done.” “Now we both look like babies.” Hortensia lamented into her cupped hands. Jennifer didn’t say anything. She was lost in thought. The bad feeling in her stomach grew. She kicked off the pajamas the rest of the way and climbed into bed, She had gotten the best of both worlds. The pajamas and his shirt, but they were the farthest thing from her mind. “Please,” Hortensia pleaded after a few minutes of silence. “Not them.” Jennifer yawned. She didn’t realize how tired she was. She rolled over and shut her eyes. “I’ll think about it.” Jennifer mumbled. “I’m out of options Tens, your behavior… I tried. I want to help you, I want to see you do well, but it feels like nothing's working. This wasn’t like breaking a mug or a vase. You destroyed my car, and you got other kids in trouble too. And you made me think I was being stalked.” “I didn’t want to! It wasn’t my idea!” Hortensia cried. Jennifer sighed. “Go to sleep.” “He made me do it!” Hortensia bawled. “I said ,‘no’ but he said- he said…” Hortensia couldn’t finish the sentence. Jennifer rolled back over and eyed her. She would have ignored this for a desperate attempt to pass blame, but the boys had mentioned a man. “Who told you this?” Hortensia looked at her before averting her gaze. “Who told you this?” “I can’t tell you.” She cried into her pillow. “The boys mentioned there was a m-.” “They didn’t see anything!” Hortensia said, looking up. “Forget I said anything. I made it up.” Her eyes were wide, begging, afraid. “Not them. Please.” “Why not Cynthia? Would you tell me? ” Jennifer whispered. She knew she didn’t like her, Jennifer wasn’t all that fond of her either, but Hortensia’s reaction was startling. She had seen her cry before, but not like this. Hortensia mumbled a name into her pillow. “Aiden?” Hortensia nodded and curled into herself. “This Aiden person, was he at the house earlier today?” Hortensia didn’t respond. Wait. She knew that name. Why did she know that name? “What’s Aiden’s last name?” She asked. “Redding.” “And is this Aiden Redding married to a Cynthia Redding?” Jennifer growled. “Yes.” Hortensia sniffled. “Tens,” she asked gently. “Did he do something that upset you earlier today?” But Hortensia would say no more. Three hours in and Jennifer still couldn’t sleep. The digital alarm on the dresser read a little after midnight. Her mind was whirling. Was this just a convenient cover up story? She had told her to forget it, told her she had made it up, but Jennifer wasn’t sure. Why was Hortensia this scared of Cynthia’s husband? Did he beat her? Was their ‘tough love’ approach anything like Trunchbulls? Use the rod and beat the child? “Tens? Are you still awake?” she whispered. She received a grunt in response. Jennifer rolled over to face her but was greeted with the back of her head. “You’d tell me if someone was hurting you, right?” She waited for a response, but after a few minutes she heard soft snoring coming from the other side of the bed. Finally, Jennifer gave up. She got out of bed and tiptoed down the stairs. She hoped Brian was still awake. She needed to talk to someone. The light from the telly illuminated the room as an advertisement for a blender played. He was lying on the couch on his back, but she couldn’t tell if he was awake or not. She stepped closer. And closer. Just as she was about to peek at his face, her foot came in contact with something on the ground and she crashed forward on top of him. He let out a startled yell and jumped. “I’m so sorry! Are you okay? I didn’t mean to wake you! Or fall on you…” Jennifer said in a panic. She was in the process of pushing herself up, but arms wrapped themselves around her back and pulled her down on top of him. “Hi.” He said with an amused grin. “Couldn’t sleep?” “Too much on my mind.” Jennifer admitted. She was awkwardly splayed out on top of him. It was both the most uncomfortable and most wonderful place to be. His hand was gently cupping the side of her face. “You look even cuter in just my shirt.” He said. First, she had wandered around without a shirt, now she wasn’t wearing any pants. “I seem to be unable to keep my clothes on around you.” she mused. He chuckled “I don’t mind.” His smile was infectious. He pushed himself up a little and met her lips. She had wanted to talk, but this was alright too…Who knew an infomercial for a blender could be so romantic? His stubble rubbed against her face as they kissed. She found herself exploring his chest with her hands. She felt like she was overheating again. Beads of sweat were rolling down her chest. “It’s so hot.” She lamented when they finally broke apart for air as she sat up, straddling him. He chuckled. “You can always take off your shirt again.” He teased. She stumbled over her words in embarrassment and shock until he began to laugh. “I’m joking.” he said, holding one of her hands. “Jen, you don’t ha-” his words fell away as she tossed his shirt to the side. He wasn’t ogling or leering at her. More like slowly taking her in. No one had ever looked at her like that before. He slowly traced a finger down her scar from her abdomen to the top of her panties. “It’s hideous.” Jennifer mumbled. “None of you is hideous.” He said. He pushed himself half way up with one arm and clung onto the insides of her thighs for support. Then he began to softly kiss her abdomen, gradually inching down the scar. Jennifer let out a gasp. He grinned as he looked up at her, lips still pressed to her skin. “I dreamed about this once.” she said softly. “About you, doing this.” Her stomach felt funny. It had felt funny since she had come downstairs to see him. But seeing him like this. She couldn’t get the image of her dream out of her head. Her stomach began to flutter even more. “Oh, having those kinds of dreams, are you?” he teased. “What happened in your dream?” He kissed her lower. “I was in your tent back at the pond. Except naked. My clothes were disappearing even then.” He chuckled in between kisses. “I was scared of you seeing me, of seeing it, but then you started kissing it and going lower.” She could feel herself shaking. He was almost at the edge of her underwear. “And then what happened…?” “You were kissing…something else.” She mumbled. His eyes glanced up at her and held her stare. “Another time.” He whispered. “I’m not trying to take advantage of you.” He laid back down and stretched out, offering his arm out in invitation for her to lie down. “Especially not after everything that’s happened today.” “It was a bit of a mood killer.” Jennifer agreed. She let out a shaky laugh. What was she just about to do? What had come over her? She had told Carol she wasn’t that kind of woman, and twelve hours later she was straddling him in just her panties hoping he would…what exactly? She laid down with him, chest to chest and rested her head against his neck. This. This was what she had come down for. His arms wrapped around her in a hug. She let out a content sigh. It would be perfect if… “I took off my shirt, you could at least take off your belt. It’s poking me.” Jennifer mumbled into his neck. His large chest began to rumble and she rose and fell as he laughed. “What?” The weight of an arm left her back and she soon heard a jingle. She looked over and found his pants dangling from his hand, belt still fed through the loops. Oh. So they were both in nothing but their underwear. “So what is it? Am I lying on the remote?” She swiped her hand between them and found something. She felt up and down, feeling more and more perplexed. He let out a soft gasp. “Je-jenny, I-I thought you wanted to take this slow.” He said. “Yeah?” “Hardest request of my life then, but please let go of me.” He said. She frowned. “That was you? Was I hurting you? I’m so sorry!” “Nope. Nope. You weren’t hurting me.” he said with a grimace and a chuckle. Confused, she pushed herself up and looked. She flinched away in surprise and jumped up. She didn’t know what she had expected, but it wasn’t… that. “No, don’t leave. It’s okay! See?” He stood up and began pulling on his pants from the floor as Jennifer slowly backed away. “ He reached out his arm to her. “Sorry, I was surprised.” “You don’t have to apologize.” “O-of course you’d ha-have one, th-thats normal. Totally normal” She said as if trying to stun him with her extensive knowledge on the workings of male genitalia. “We were snogging, it’s not like we were at one of our kids piano recital.” “Or a funeral.” “Your sister's wedding.” “School book report presentation.” Brian winced. “Ah, nope that one actually happened.” He said. Jennifer burst into giggles. “Hey, that was very traumatic, I'll let you know.” Brian chuckled. “I went around with the nickname Boyscout Brian for years. That’s what I get for wearing sweatpants.” “BoyScout Brian?” “Yeah, for being the kid who pitched a tent in class.” Jennifer couldn’t breathe. “Wh-why?” “These things have a mind of their own. One minute you're having lunch with your inlaws and the next thing it's reaching out like it wants a bite of your dinner.” “It must have smelled something it liked.” Jennifer said, trying to catch her breath.“I shouldn’t laugh. I’m a school teacher.” Jennifer said, though she showed no signs of stopping. “Apparently Little Brian has a thing for Fettuccine Alfredo,” he said. He mimicked an animal sticking its head out and sniffing around. Jennifer giggled and sat back down on the couch. She patted the seat next to her. “Sit down.” She said before adding with a snicker, “BoyScout.” He feigned hurt before joining her with a salute. She could make out the outline of Little Brian saluting as well. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to freak out earlier.” “You apologize too much.” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Lay back down with me.” he whispered. She eyed his waste tentatively. “He’ll stay in his cage, I promise.” He chuckled. She let him guide her back down until she was lying out across his chest. “You can go back to your boxers, if you want.” Jennifer offered. His jeans were uncomfortable against her bare skin. “I’m starting to feel underdressed.” “He might poke you.” He teased. “As long as he doesn’t bite. Don’t make me muzzle him.” She reached down and lifted up one of his socks. Brian laughed and began to unbutton his pants, but struggled to get them off with her on top. She pushed herself up on her knees and grabbed the material. She had only meant to help pull his pants off. But after a firm yank, she had pulled everything off. She sat staring at what she could only describe as one of those monsters from the movie Hortensia had been watching about the underground earth worms that were wreaking havoc on the town. A Graboid. Jennifer began to stammer in embarrassment. “It was an accident.” She muttered. She had never seen one before. So gross. But she couldn’t stop staring. “I seem to be the one underdressed.” He stated calmly. She snapped herself out of her trance. She bent down and picked up his sock. “Hey, you’re not actually going to…” She did. “He’s in jail now.” She stated. “What did he do?” He asked with a frown. “He broke out of containment.” “I believe he had an accomplice. I witnessed it. You sprung him out.” “I don’t know what you're talking about.” Jennifer said. She handed him his underwear back and he slipped them on, but not before removing the sock. She got another peek at it before it disappeared back into his boxers. She let out a relieved sigh. They had gone far enough. Much farther than Jennifer was comfortable with. She bent down and put her shirt back on, laughing at his frown and curled up with him. This was more her speed. “Have you decided what you're going to do about her?” he asked. She was lying on her back this time, his arms wrapped around her chest. “I don’t know.” She groaned. “I can’t control her.” “I don’t think you should kick her out.” Brian said after a minute of silence. “Mmm, why’s that?” she asked. Her eyes were closed and she was growing more and more tired. The late hour was catching up to her and his rhythmic breathing was calming. “Because the Jenny I've come to know would never give up on a child in need.” He said. “I think it would eat you.” “What would eat me?” “Regret.” Jennifer let out a long sigh. He was right. “I think there’s something going on between her and her neighbors.” Jennifer said. “It’s just a hunch, but I’ve never seen her act so… I don’t know how to explain it. She tries so hard to put on this tough persona, so for her to throw it away in front of everyone at the mention of going to her neighbors. It doesn’t sit right with me.” “The ones who act tough are usually the ones who feel the most powerless.” He said. “Go with your gut. If you think something doesn’t feel right, maybe it isn’t.” “I think he was at the house.” she whispered. “I think he was the one the boys saw her talking-” There was a sudden crash coming from the kitchen. They both laid there, now wide awake. Jennifer stood and let him up to investigate, trailing slowly along behind him. Was someone breaking in? He stopped in the entrance way. Jennifer peeked around him and let out a relieved sigh. It was just magnets and pictures. They had fallen off the fridge. Except not just one or two. His fridge had been covered with family photos, notes, grocery lists, and appointment reminders. Now they all littered the kitchen floor. Everything except a small handful of colorful alphabet magnets remained. “What in the…” he muttered. He bent and picked up a magnetic advertisement for a local pizza establishment, but when he went to stick it back on the fridge, it wouldn’t stay. He tried a magnetic giraffe which had lost its head in the fall. Again, nothing. Jennifer picked one up and tried herself. It was as if they had all been demagnetized all at once. “I had no idea the alphabet ones were such good quality. I have a classroom full of them.” Jennifer said. Whatever had happened, it hadn’t phased them. They both squatted down and began collecting photos and scraps of paper off the ground. Jennifer picked up a picture and stared at it. A woman with shoulder length brown hair and wide smile was holding a toddler in her arms in front of the zoo entrance. “Was this Amber?” Jennifer asked. She handed over the picture as he stared at it. “Yeah, with my oldest, Zach. He had to have been two. I remember that.” Brian said before laughing. “Right after that picture was taken, he had the biggest blow out all over her shirt.” Jennifer scrunched up her face in disgust. “Started potty training him right after.” “Maybe I dodged a bullet after all.” Jennifer said. She stared at the picture of her. “She looks so healthy.” “It came on very suddenly, and this picture’s almost 10 years old.” He explained. She knelt back down and began to reach for a receipt when a quiet squeaking noise caught her attention. She looked up at the fridge and stared. The alphabet magnets! They were moving! Not just sliding down but slowly rearranging themselves. “B-Brian! L-look at the fridge!” She whispered. “It’s her.” Brian whispered back. Jennifer didn’t have an explanation. They watched silently as the letters began to spell out a phrase. HELP HER “Hazel!” Brian said. He took off at a run towards the stairs, Jennifer behind him a few seconds later. He rushed into Hazel's room, but Jennifer hung back in the hall listening. She didn’t hear any trouble. That was a relief. She frowned in thought. Her feet began moving towards the master bedroom. She peeked her head in to make sure everything was alright and gasped. In the glow of the alarm clock she could see a translucent woman sitting on the bed beside Hortensia. She gently stroked the girl's hair back while she slept before meeting Jennifer's eyes and vanished.

Jennifer hadn’t noticed Hortensia had returned until it was too late. She let out a startled yelp when the van door slid open. “Eww.” Hortensia cringed. “Were you two snogging back here?” Jennifer stammered, red faced as she hurried back to her place in the front seat. Brian merely chuckled and took his time. If someone had told Jennifer she would be making out in the back seat of a van with a man in the parking lot of a prison a month ago, she would have thought they were insane. She felt more like a teenager who had just been busted by an authority figure than ever. “N-no. We were just talking.” Jennifer mumbled. She peeked at her reflection in the visor's mirror before quickly trying to flatten her hair. Well, they had started out talking anyway. She glimpsed Hortensia’s sullen expression from the front seat. “Did you have a good visit?” “No.” Hortensia mumbled. Jennifer turned to face her, startled to see remnants of tears which had not yet dried. “Mum’s being transferred to Swansea.” “What? Why?” Jennifer asked. That was almost four hours away. Hortensia shrugged and remained silent the rest of the drive to the arcade, opting to stay in the van instead of sneaking in a few games while they tried to round up the other kids. They found the boys hammering away in front of a Mortal Kombat cabinet. “Hurry up and finish.” Brian said. He looked around and frowned. “Where’s Hazel?” “Dunno.” One of the boys said, eyes still glued to the screen. “What do you mean you don’t know?” Brian asked exasperated. “You were supposed to be watching her!” He let out a frustrated grunt and began scanning the rows of machines. “She was right behind us a minute ago,” His brother said. “She can’t have gone far.” Jennifer said. They walked around the arcade searching the crowd, but she wasn’t to be found. She could see his face crumple in worry. “I’ll check the restroom.” She went inside the woman’s room and called her name, but there was no reply. They looked by the snack bar. Nothing. She wasn’t sitting in one of the driving games either. Or by the bank of pinball machines. “She likes to wander off.” Brian said. She thought he looked ready to start shouting her name. “Are you looking for someone?” A teen girl in a blue polo shirt with the name tag that read ‘Ashley’ asked her. “Yes, a little girl. She wandered off from her brothers.” Jennifer said. Brian had hurried off to check with the boys again. “Black hair mid back?” the girl asked. “Yes! Have you seen her?” Jennifer asked. “Photobooth by the snack bar. We’ve been trying to coax her out for the last thirty minutes.” Ashley said. “My friend Tina’s with her. I’ve been trying to find who she belongs to. Figured I'd run into panicked parents somewhere.” “Thank you!” Jennifer said. So much for being behind them a minute ago. Ashley led her over back towards the food court. She scanned the crowd of teenagers, children and parents looking for Brian. She found him dressing down the boys. She’d leave him to it. She’d probably be tearing into Hortensia if she lost Matilda. “Hey, I found her mum!” Ashley hollered towards another teen standing by a metal booth with a small space concealed by a curtain. “SHE’S NOT MY MOM!” Jennifer heard coming from behind the curtain in a shrill whiney voice. “I’m with her dad.” She explained. “Do you know what happened?” “A couple reported a crying toddler in the photo booth.” The girl named Tina said. “NOT A TODDLER!” “Hazel, is that you?” Jennifer called out. “Go away!” she heard followed by sobbing. “I’m opening the curtain.” She said softly. She opened it a few inches but was met with resistance. Little fists were clenching it shut from the other side. Jennifer could always force it open if need be, but she didn’t want to accidentally hurt her. “Sweetheart, what’s the matter? What happened?” She asked gently. She listened for a reply but all she heard was hiccuping wails. She made eye contact with Brian and pointed to the machine before holding up her hand to stop him. She had sat with many a-crying children of Hazel's age.. Those weren't the cries of injury. Those were much more intense and drawn out. These were more sporadic, low and choked. These were the cries of hurt feelings. And nothing hurts a child's feelings worse than a bigger kid being mean. “Was it your brothers?” Jennifer asked softly. She must have guessed the magic password because the defiant resistance fell away. Jennifer gently opened the curtain and poked her head in. “Th-they we-were call-lling me n-n-n-ames.” a sobbing girl hunched in the corner said. “Well that doesn’t sound very nice.” Jennifer said. “Why don’t you come out of there and you can tell me all the mean things they said.” “I’ll I’ll get in trouble!” Hazel cried. “I can’t!” “You’re not in trouble, why would you get in trouble?” Jennifer asked. “Cause… I-...” The rest was unintelligible gibberish, but Jennifer got the gist with the wet stain down her front. Jennifer paused in thought. It reminded her of the time Matilda had gone missing at the daycare. Jennifer had been furious with her when she found out she had been hiding the whole time. She had assumed with Matilda’s intelligence it was some personal vendetta against her over her ground rules. But as she looked down at Hazel weeping in the photo booth, the truth hit her. Hazel wasn’t doing this to hurt Brian or make him worry. She was just a scared six-year-old afraid of the consequences. Intelligent or not, hadn’t Matilda been too? “Here, this will help.” Jennifer slid off her thin cardigan and handed it to Hazel. “Tie it around your waist and no one will know. See? It hides everything.” It hid nothing. Hazel didn’t need to know that. She offered her her hand. “Your daddy’s looking everywhere for you.” She led Hazel out by the hand where Tina? Or maybe Ashley? One of them was explaining the situation to Brian. “Thirty minutes!” He growled at his sons. “You didn’t check to see where she was for over thirty minutes?” “They were making fun of me!” Hazel insisted, piling on the guilt. “No we didn’t, you pissed yourself and ran off crying.” One of the boys grumbled, earning himself a smack upside the back of the head. “And you let her just run off?” Brian demanded. “In the car. All of you.” He said, staring at each child in turn. He spoke more gently now, but Jennifer could still hear a stern ring in it. “Hazel, you know the rules.” “No! Daddy! I’m sorry! No!” She whined on the walk through the parking lot. “What’s going on?” Jennifer whispered once they were all in the van. “Back to pull -ups for three days. She knows the rules.” Jennifer crinkled her face. “It was just an accident.” “It’s been a lot of accidents.” He said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s not fair! They wouldn’t take me to the lou!” Hazel complained. “You little liar! You never asked!” One of the boys said. “Do you think they’ll fit Hortensia?” Jennifer whispered. He gave her a puzzled look before laughing. “No.” He chuckled. “Why would she need-” Jennifer motioned with her hands to lower her voice. “She has issues at night.” Jennifer leaned over and whispered. “And I don’t have anything to protect your bed. Or any money on me.” He seemed to consider this a moment. He checked the rear view mirror before replying. “There’s something I can give you at the house.” Jennifer let out a relieved breath. Sorry, Hortensia. She didn’t have a choice. She had to warn him. “You three! Go get ready for bed.” “But it’s only eight!” Zach complained. “Now!” Brian said. She watched them all trudge up the stairs. He eyed Hortensia for a minute before sighing. “You can hang out with them upstairs if you want. Or you can stay downstairs with u-” Hortensia was already halfway up the staircase before he finished his sentence. “Does she not like me either?” He laughed. Jennifer smiled. “She’s…in a rough place right now. Don’t take it personally.” She explained. “Something’s been eating her.” “Oh, right, let me get you that thing.” Brian said, heading up the stairs. He stopped and looked at her for a moment. “You can come up if you want. I’ll show you where everything is.” She followed him, feeling slightly nervous. Being in the van with him was one thing, but now she was following him to his bedroom. Her mouth went dry. It wasn’t like that, right? But just in case… “Hortensia,” Jennifer called. The preteen poked her out of one of the upstairs rooms. “He’s going to show us where we’re sleeping.” She beckoned her to follow. He led them into the master bedroom, where he got on his hands and knees and slid out a clear plastic bin from underneath the bed. He opened it, where Jennifer could see blankets, pajamas, and other assortment of childish items. “Are these Hazel’s?” Jennifer asked. “Uhh, no.” Brian said, grabbing something before quickly shutting the lid and sliding it back under the bed. He was avoiding her eyes as he handed the item over. Hortensia was busy studying a picture. “My wife’s.” Jennifer looked at the item in her hand puzzled. It was a nappy, but she didn’t know they made adult ones so… “But they have butterflies on them.” Jennifer said. “They sell adult sized ones with designs? Did you get these from the pharmacy?” “Uh, no. Umm, a catalog.” Brian said. “She liked…cute things.” “Well, when I’m old and in the nursing home, make sure they give me the cute nappies.” Jennifer said. Brian smiled. “You remind me of her.” He said before adding. “I hope that’s not too weird of a thing to say, telling my new girlfriend she reminds me of my dead wife.” The only thing Jennifer caught was “girlfriend”. She looked up. “We are, aren't we?” He asked. Her face flushed as she smiled and nodded. “Good.” He smiled back and wrapped an arm around her waist. “I’m out of here.” Hortensia groaned and stalked out of the room. Jennifer set the nappy back on the bed for later and let him guide her through working the shower and where the extra blankets were if she got cold. She doubted it, it was another hot and humid night. “Do you want a T-shirt to sleep in or..” He paused for a moment. “Do you like cute things too?” He looked amused for a moment before he shook his head. “Nevermind, it’s too hot for that.” “Too hot for what?” She asked curiously. “Pajamas. They're, uh, cute. Might even fit you.” Well, she did like cute, but she kind of liked the idea of sleeping in one of his shirts. She didn’t know why. “A shirt is fine.” Jennifer answered. “Aww, but they have a hood with ears.” He laughed. “Pajamas with ears?” Jennifer asked. He got back down and slid the box out. He held it up. Jennifer’s eyes went wide in surprise. “That’s adorable.” She said. “I didn’t know they made pajamas like this for an adult.” He shrugged. “You can find almost anything if you know where to look.” He held them out to her. She held them in her hands. So soft. “I guess I could try them on…” She mused before frowning. “Are things going to start flying if I do?” She had her reservations about the whole “ghost of his dead wife” thing, but she had no explanation to give about what transpired in the kitchen. He was silent for a moment as he pondered it. He shook his head. “She liked having playmates.” “Playmates?” Jennifer asked. He winced slightly before clearing his throat. He looked uncomfortable with the topic. “I’ll explain another time.” He said with an apologetic smile. “I don’t want to scare you off.” “I’m not going anywhere.” Jennifer chuckled. “If I stayed put after your kitchen turned itself upside down…” “True.” He grinned. “Fine, go try it on and I’ll tell you.” She headed to the ensuite bathroom feeling even more confused than ever and stripped. She unzipped the back and stepped in, marveling at how it even had the feet. Where on earth had he found these? She fed her arms into the holes and reached behind her and pulled the zipper up. They fit, but she was roasting. She stepped out and stared at herself in the mirror. They were a little baggy in the waist, but otherwise they fit. She fingered the buttons on the sides. What were those for? “How are they?” He asked. She stepped out and showed him. He grinned wide and approached her. He flipped the hood up over her head and laughed. “Oh, it’s a Dalmation.” she chuckled. “You make a very cute Dalmatian.” He led her back downstairs where she found Hortensia sitting on the couch by herself, a CD player resting on her lap and headphones over her ears. She made eye contact. Hortensia lowered the headphones around her neck and scoffed. “What in the world are you wearing?” Hortensia asked, eyebrows raised. “Why? You want to wear some too? I have another pair.” Brian asked, laughing at Hortensia’s expression. “You can match.” Hortensia scoffed and stood up. “I think i’ll go upstairs after all… before you try and put me in a bib.” “So what’s the story?” Jennifer asked, taking a seat on the couch. “Well,” he said, clearing his throat and taking a seat next to her. “Amber was…She had a hard time when she got ill. She was a very independent person, and she had to give up a lot of that independence. She fell into a depression, like many people do, until we stumbled on this.” He gestured to her outfit. “On pajamas?” Jennifer asked. Brian shook his head. “Age play,” he explained. “We were already into the role playing scene, someone suggested it, we tried it, and she fell in love with it. Thirty- eight year old Amber may have had a hard time being taken care of, but three- year- old Amber didn’t.” “What’s role playing?” “It’s like the adult version of playing pretend.” He said. “It can be sexual,” He saw the look on her face and quickly threw in a “or not. We didn’t, you know, do anything adult when she was in toddler mode.” “Toddler mode? So she had a split personality?” Jennifer asked. “No, no. It was all pretend. She found it comforting and it helped her. She was a brat and I was her daddy.” “Uhh,” That sounded kind of mean. “It’s a personality type. She’d act like a brat. Knock things over, disobey, wreck havoc when left unsupervised. It was all for fun.” He chuckled, seemingly lost in the memory. “That's why I think It’s her.” He said, gesturing to the kitchen. “Still out there knocking shit off the counters and making a mess.” Jennifer remained silent. It had seemed more intense and angry than simply knocking things off the counters. Pots and pans had shot out, not been simply “dropped”, but she didn’t argue with him. He took her hand in his. “Does this weird you out?” He asked. “The ghost or...?” “The ageplay.” He said. “No, I mean, if it helped her, good for you for going along with it.” Jennifer said. “I was wondering…” He said softly. “I’ve been thinking about what you went through.” “Oh no, don’t.” She said. She didn’t like people thinking about it. She didn’t want him feeling sorry for her. “I was wondering if you would be interested in, umm, playing pretend with me?” He asked. “You…want me to act like a three-year-old?” Jennifer asked doubtfully. “I want you to act however you want.” Brian said. “I know you said intimacy would be difficult for you…” “So this is about sex?” Jennifer asked with a frown. “No, no, nothing like that. I just wanted to show you there are ways of being intimate without sex.” He explained. “I really like you Jenny…” He said softly. “I like you too.” She said. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I didn’t think it was possible for me. It’s just…everytime I think about sex, I panic and then I have these episodes, and I don’t think I could ever enjoy it with the pain.” “I told you, there’s no rush.” He squeezed her hand again. “We could share something, just the two of us, without it. You don’t need to be afraid.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of being held. It was still such a foreign feeling to her. She would have been in heaven if it wasn’t for these pajamas. They were making her sweat. He was right, it was too hot, but she didn’t want to get out from underneath his arm. “What pain?” He asked after a minute. “I’m,” she paused and sighed. “Not normal down there.” “It’s okay.” He whispered before pausing. “You don’t have a penis, do you?” He asked conspiratorially. Jennifer laughed and shook her head. “No!” she said firmly. “It’s a burn.” She held a hand to just under her navel. “From here,” She moved it down to the top of her thighs, “to here.” He frowned. “Were you in a fire?” “No.” She whispered. “My aunt wanted to punish me. I was doing some inappropriate things, and she threw boiling water on me.” “Jenny.” He whispered horrified. “That's why the idea of sex…I just-I can’t.” She said, lowering her eyes. “Not now. Maybe not ever.” “Does it hurt?” He asked. “Sometimes.” “How old were you?” “Fifteen, I think. I only remember bits and pieces.” The phone began to ring. She wondered who was calling him this late. She eyed him curiously. “The answering machine can get it.” He said. He pressed her tighter against him. It was a comforting gesture, but she couldn’t do it anymore. She stood up and felt beads of sweat make its way down her chest. She stumbled a bit. She was feeling dizzy now. “Are you okay? Your face is all red. Water! You need water!.” He jumped to his feet and pulled her along to the kitchen. Next thing she knew a glass of water was being thrust into her hands. He opened the large double doored fridge and gestured her forward. She took a few steps and he positioned her in front of the open doors.. She shut her eyes and leaned into the cool air. Then she heard the back zipper sliding down. “Hey, no , stop, I'm not wearing a shirt under this!.” She called. “You need to cool down. You’re overheating.” She groaned. She hated being a damsel in distress, but still. It was such an odd feeling, being cared for… So she didn’t fight him when he continued to unzip her. He worked her arms out and she covered her chest as he slid it down to her waist. “Drink water.” He said, before he turned around and faced the other wall. She took a few sips from her glass, left arm covering herself as she inspected the contents of his fridge as a distraction. She heard an electronic beep followed by Carol’s recorded voice behind her. She spun her head in order to hear better and listened to the message. Her jaw fell open in shock. Her eyes went wide. She forgot her current state of dress and came forward, arms down by her side as she listened. Brian stormed out of the kitchen and halfway up the stairs. “EVERYBODY DOWN HERE, NOW!” He stomped back to the kitchen and froze. Jennifer was staring at him with wide concerned eyes…No, It couldn’t be… He opened his mouth, closed it and opened it again. “Is something wrong?” She asked. He was looking at her a bit oddly. She could hear a hoard of footsteps making their way down. He snapped back into focus before tugging off his shirt and handed it to her. She covered herself in a panic in realization and snatched his shirt. She spun around and threw it on herself before shutting the doors to the fridge and turning back around. She felt her face radiate heat, but was unsure if it was from heat exhaustion or embarrassment. “What?” Nick asked. Jennifer saw all four kids staring at them from the landing. “On the couch.” Brian said. “All of you.” Jennifer stood off to the side still feeling stunned. The kids sat and stared up at him expectantly. Hortensia kept bouncing between him and her. looking for some kind of explanation but Jennifer couldn’t meet her eye. “Why did we just get a call about a group of children being responsible for the damage to Jenny’s car?” Brian demanded. “She made me!” Hazel cried. “She said she’d beat me up if I didn’t!” “You little liar!” Zach said as Hortensia yelled, “No, I didn’t!” She flashed Jennifer a panicked look. “I didn’t!” She said again more earnestly, almost desperately. “I didn’t threaten her.” Her hands were lifted in a defensive posture as if Jennifer was going to charge. Jennifer felt like charging. Threatening was her hard no. “And her car?” Brian asked. “Are you the group of kids?” Hazel had already confirmed it. “No!” They all chimed, except for Hortensia. “It was me.” She said softly. She knew it wasn’t only her, but she didn’t care right now. “And Matilda? Was she a part of this?” Hortensia shook her head. “So the first time?” “Me.” She mumbled looking down and wiggling in her seat. “Why?” Was all Jennifer could say. Hortensia shrugged. “No, tell me why you wrote those things on the car and let my daughter take the fall?” “I was angry, I had an attack.” Hortensia said. “Bollocks!” Jennifer said, making Hortensia look startled. “If you had just damaged my car, I might have believed you. You made this personal! I-I told you things! And you used them against me?! Were all those talks for nothing!?” “N-no I was-” Hortensia began to stammer but Jennifer didn’t want to hear her excuses. She knew she was angry about the medication the night of the first event. What had she done to piss her off today? She felt hot tears of betrayal begin to slide down her face. “I tried Hortensia. I wanted to help you. I really tried, but I can’t do this anymore.” Jennifer said. “Go to bed, and when we get home tomorrow, pack up your stuff. I’m taking you to Cynthia’s.”

So it was carbon monoxide, Jennifer thought as they all stood around by her destroyed car. All the headaches and mood swings. She stared at her house. Now what? “Well, looks like Hortensia’s getting her wish.” Brian said. Jennifer whipped her head around. “You can’t stay here.” He said looking at her confused face. “But-” “It’s called the silent killer for a reason.” “Yes, but…” Where would she go? And her purse with her checkbook and bank cards were still inside. And her car. She couldn’t just walk away with only the clothes on their back. She supposed she could go to Carol’s… “Do you have anywhere to stay?” He asked. “Can’t we just air it out and not turn on the A/C?” she asked. “You’ll be miserable!” He said. He shook his head. “You can stay at my place. We’ll call someone to come out and take a look at everything in the morning.” “N-no, I- I couldn’t.” She stammered. She took in Hortensia’s worried expression. She was torn between not wanting to be a burden, and wanting to make Hortensia feel safe. “Carol will be home in a few hours. Maybe you could drop us off there and we can wait for her.” “A few hours.” He scoffed. “I’m not leaving you on someone’s porch to wait for a few hours. What if they decide to stay somewhere else? Then what will you do?” “Okay.” She said with a sigh. “Or I could just run inside real quick and grab my-” “No.” he said firmly. “It’s not worth your life.” Her brain felt foggy. She knew she could come up with further reasons to say ‘no’, but her mind just wouldn’t co-operate. She still felt in shock from the day's events. So she nodded in agreement and they all piled into his van. At least this time she was able to sit. “Hortensia.” She said on the drive. The girl gave a grunt in response. “Since we’ll be in Aylesbury, maybe you can visit your mom.” She saw the girl’s head perk up from the rear view mirror. She winced. “My ID. I can’t go inside the prison without it.” “I can go by myself.” Hortensia said. Jennifer bit her lip. “I don’t think I want you going into a prison by yourself. What would your mom think?” Hortensia snorted. “She wouldn’t care. She thinks you hover too much anyway.” Hortensia said. Oh does she… Jennifer clenched her fists. Jennifer knew she hadn’t been thrilled to hear about her taking her daughter to therapy. She thought it was a waste of time. Her thoughts seemed to be aligned with Cynthia’s. Hortensia didn’t need to talk about her feelings; she needed to grow up and take some responsibility for her actions. Jennifer thought it was a bit harsh. She was only 11 and she had had a difficult time of things. Jennifer thought she had been making wonderful progress. She had opened up about the things that were eating at her. She talked about never being able to meet Eve’s expectations of her rage episodes. How Eve just expected her to simply “stop having them”. She had also talked about the loss of her father, and her frustration with the teachers at school. The biggest change Jennifer had noticed was at night. She no longer laid on the farthest side of the bed staring at her as she read to her. She actually laid out on her back and closed her eyes. Hortensia had even fallen asleep a few times. Whatever odd night time paranoia had possessed her seemed to have passed. But no matter how much Hortensia opened up, Jennifer couldn’t shake the feeling Hortensia was holding something back. All Jennifer could do was hope that she was opening up during her private sessions. There was something so familiar about the way Hortensia jumped at loud noises and flinched when she was touched. It was what made Jennifer's heart hurt for her. Maybe Agatha hadn’t sexually abused her, but she had certainly left her mark. Perhaps she had been thrown in the Chokey one too many times, or sucker punched, or humiliated. Or been the victim of any number of bizarre, awful and traumatizing things. Like poor Issac Jacobs, who was terrified of bees. The poor lad had jumped from his seat in fright when one had made its way in through an open window. Unfortunately, it had been during one of the afternoons the Trunchbull taught his class. She threw him in The Chokey. She threw him in The Chokey with the bee. Issac needed 17 stitches when he was let out. It wasn’t just that Agatha was mean. No. She was cruel. You’d better not let her find the thing that scares you or makes you visibly shudder. She’d use it against you in a heartbeat. Like Peter, a fifth year boy who had been late getting back from recess. Where she had shown just how cruel and wicked she could be. Why had he admitted that to her? Had he blurted out the truth in a panic? Cracked under her awful stare? But somehow, some way, she had learned why he was late. Peter was shy. Too shy to wee when someone else was in the lou. So he had waited until everyone had left. So she waited. She waited until his teacher called and gave her the signal he had asked to be excused. Then she called an assembly. If watching a boy stuff his face with chocolate cake had been hard to watch for Jennifer, it was nothing to watching what happened to Peter. She called him up onstage like she had done to Bruce. But instead of coming out with a cake, Agatha had come out with a bucket. No one could leave until Peter peed in it. Up on stage. In front of the school. While facing them. It was his worst personal nightmare. He had held out for three hours. He was bawling so hard none of it had made it into the bucket when he finally unzipped. It had been so unnecessarily cruel. Jennifer had always wondered why he hadn’t just weed himself instead. Wouldn’t that have been better? At least he wouldn’t have had to expose himself. But maybe Agatha had quietly threatened to smash his penis in a desk if he didn’t do it. He never came back to school after that. She didn’t blame him. If that’s what she did to someone who got out of their desk without permission and was five minutes late to class, what had she done to someone who routinely poured maple syrup on her desk chair? Jennifer tried to flash her a reassuring smile through the mirror, but Hortensia was staring out the window. Jennifer frowned. No matter what the Trunchbull did to her, Hortensia had never backed down. So what had happened to make Hortensia beg to leave? She swore she hadn’t seen anything, but Jennifer wasn’t so sure. Nothing about this situation was sitting right with her. “It’s beautiful.” Jennifer said when she looked up. She had been so lost in thought she hadn’t realized they were here. There were so many flowers, plants, hedges, and trees circling the house. There was so much green. Jennifer inhaled. It was so calming, even if it was a bit overgrown. She would have loved to spend more time gardening her own home, but she had been so busy she hadn’t had the chance to do anything with the large yards. “Thanks, gardening was one of my wife’s hobbies, especially towards the end.” He added softly. “It’s calming.” Jennifer said. “I’m afraid the weeds are winning at the moment. I haven’t had the time.” Brian said. “Are your kids as addicted to the arcade as mine are?” Jennifer asked with a raised brow. “Oh god, yes, they’ll do anything for a few pe-ah.” He grinned. He turned to the hoard of kids following behind them. “Anyone who wants arcade money for tonight. Weeds.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the overgrown garden. The kids rushed forward. Except Hortensia. “You don’t want arcade money?” Jennifer asked. “Could I go see mum instead?” Hortensia asked. “We could drop the others off.” Brian offered. “I don’t have my ID.” Jennifer said. “I could walk her in and we can wait for her in the van.” Brian said. Jennifer swallowed nervously. Alone in the van with Brian. She looked towards Hortensia’s pleading face. She couldn’t say no. “Okay.” Jennifer said. “Let me call and set it up.” “Thanks.” She turned towards the garden but Jennifer stopped her. “You don’t have to pick weeds for this, come inside.” “I could just pocket the money for later.” Hortensia said after looking hesitantly behind her. Jennifer grinned with relief. Whatever it was that was bothering her wasn’t enough to completely crush her spirit. “Sure.” Brian chuckled. “Probably doesn’t want to be alone with us old people.” Jennifer laughed. “You know, we are the same age difference apart as you and her.” Jennifer began to stammer. “You’re sure this is okay?” He asked softly as he led her inside. It was the first mention of their relationship since she had nearly broken his nose. “If you don’t mind...” She searched for the right words, “me.” She had an ever growing weight in her gut telling her she wasn’t going to be an easy person to date. He gave her a questioning look. “I mean,” she let out a dry laugh. “You’ve already had to rescue me from camping, carbon monoxide in my house, a sexual predator, and…” He cut her off with a quick kiss. Her eyes darted around the room in a panic. She pulled away and gripped his arm for support. She waited for the tell tale dissociation that came with her flashbacks. She shut her eyes tight, expecting to hear her aunt's booming voice in her head. But nothing happened. “Are you alright?” he whispered, arms wrapped around her. She opened her eyes and let out a disbelieving chuckle. “Nothing happened.” She said before giggling. “Nothing happened.” She couldn’t begin to explain the immense relief she felt. “Nothing at all?” He asked with a frown, tucking a strand of her hair back. “No fireworks? No sparks?” She kissed him back. “No flashbacks.” She kissed him again. “It’s just us.” And again. “In the present.” “Good.” He grinned down at her and pulled her deeper into the house and into the kitchen. He leaned her against the counter and continued where they left off in the hall. Except this kiss was different. It was slow and deep and Jennifer…didn’t hate it. She could feel her stomach doing little flips. Her legs were trembling and when they broke apart she was breathless. And she couldn’t stop giggling. She felt like she was going mad. “I think there may have been some sparks afterall.” She said with a laugh. “Yes, I agree.” He said with a beaming smile. He leaned in for another kiss when a sudden eruption of noise and chaos stopped him dead in his tracks. Jennifer let out a startled shriek and nearly jumped into his arms. Every cabinet had opened. Every drawer had shot out of its track. Pots, pans and cutlery littered the kitchen floor. Broken shards of dishes made it impossible to move. Jennifer's heart began to race as she took in the chaos. Even the chairs at the kitchen table were knocked over. She’d be chasing Matilda down right now. Only problem was she wasn’t here. “What just happened?” Jennifer asked. The kids came in to see what the commotion was and froze. She looked to Brian expecting to see fear in his eyes, but he looked resigned, almost sad. He flashed her a guilty sort of smile before frowning and averting his gaze. “You’re going to think I’m mental but, I…I think…” he swallowed and let out a humorless laugh. “I think my house is haunted.” Jennifer began to stammer. “Or more like, well, I think my wife is haunting me.” “W-what?” Was all Jennifer could manage to articulate. She didn’t believe in an afterlife. Or a God. Or ghosts. Or really in any unexplainable invisible force. At least she didn’t until she had met Matilda. The girl had knocked everything she had believed about the world askew. “She’s been following me.” He said. He looked resigned, like he expected Jennifer to grab Hortensia and bolt. “Haven’t you noticed all the unexplainable things that've been happening when we're together?” Jennifer had. Like getting shoved off the skateboard, his windshield cracking, the damage to her car… “It’s been Matilda.” Jennifer said. “All the drawers getting pulled out in the kitchen, doors slamming at my house, your windshield cracking.” “She’s not here now.” He said. No. She wasn’t. She wasn’t ready to buy into his ghost theory, that was a little too illogical for her, but everything that had happened to her… it did scream jealous ex. “You’re not the first person I’ve tried to date.” He said softly. “Same thing.” So this had been going on since before he had ever met her? “And her car?” She couldn’t help but ask. She’d take the jealous ghost of deceased wife over a perverted stalker. “You think your wife did that to my car?” “It was people.” Hortensia mumbled. Jennifer’s eyes shifted to Hortensia. People? As in more than one? “I wanted you to stay here because I wanted to know I wasn’t going crazy.” Brian said. “You saw.” He gestured to his mess of a kitchen. “I did.” Jennifer said as she took in the mess. Her heart was still hammering. “I don’t think you’re crazy. I may not believe in ghosts, but this last year has opened my mind to other possibilities I wouldn’t normally entertain.” He eyed her for a moment. “Like what?” He asked. “I think it’s time I showed you what my daughter is capable of.” … Carol grumbled under her breath. Why she let this child talk her into playing Scrabble again she hadn’t a clue. She stood no chance in hell. “A-B-A-M-P-E-R-E-S.” Matilda said with a grin. “Let’s see, triple word score plus another 50 for using all my tiles…” “Nuh-uh. That’s not a real word. I’m challenging that.” Carol said. Matilda gestured to the dictionary. Carol checked. “Damn it.” She muttered. “Principle unit of measurement in the metric system.” She let Matilda keep the score. It was almost like having an automatic score tally. When the phone rang Carol jumped up, glad for the excuse to leave the game. Nothing hurt your pride quite like getting your arse kicked by a six-year-old in a game of intelligence. “Hey Jen, no we’re good. Just getting destroyed…again. The zoo was good and-” She paused to listen. “You’re where? Jen! Shacking up with him already?” She grinned at the stammered replies. “I’m kidding. I’m…” Her face fell. “Maybe it’s better you stay there. Have you called anyone to come fix it? Yeah, I can air it out and let them in, no problem…Someone did what to car?…Oh god… Well, someone will be happy to be off your shit list. You want to talk to her? Ok, I’ll get her. MATILDA! YOUR MOM’S ON THE PHONE!” She looked down at the little girl who reluctantly reached for the receiver. “Remember what we talked about.” Carol said before handing it over. “Before she says anything, start by apologizing.” She could see the annoyance on Matilda’s face but Jennifer could use some good news. It sounded like she was having one hell of a day. “Hi.” Matilda said before taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry for picking on him!” she blurted out. “And if you want to date him I won’t sabotage it if he makes you happy…” she sounded less than thrilled about it but it was a start, Carol thought. “No, I didn’t see anyone when we left.” Carol pulled out the phone book and looked for someone who could fix her air conditioner while Matilda talked with her mom. She wrote down a few numbers while Matilda gushed over the penguins. Carol had had a hell of a time dragging her away from their enclosure. When Matilda hung up, Carol called the numbers one by one. The first one was already closed. The next three couldn’t come out for a few days. The fifth one said they’d be out in thirty minutes. … Jennifer hung up the phone feeling stunned. And then she laughed. She thought she was going to have to practically beg on her hands and knees for forgiveness. Only when Jennifer said, “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.” Matilda had simply said, “Okay,” and told her all about the penguins at the zoo. Like nothing had ever happened. She let out another relieved laugh. Brian peeked up at her from his hands and knees. The two of them had been on the floor picking up shards of glass and porcelain, until she remembered she needed to tell Matilda where they were. “I forget how easily kids forgive.” Jennifer explained. “And Matilda just gave us her blessing…sort of.” “Lucky.” Brian said. “Cross any of my kids, and they’ll never let you forget it.” He changed his voice into a mimicking falsetto, “Remember that time you missed my talent show 6 years ago because you had to work late.” Jennifer laughed. Perhaps it was just a Matilda thing. She had also forgiven Lavender when she told the class Matilda was wearing diape- Jennifer winced. What was she going to do about Hortensia? He had offered them his room. Her eyes shifted to Hortensia, who had been silently sitting in the corner spacing out for most of the evening. She walked over to her, bent down and whispered in her ear, “How many dry nights have you had this week?” Hortensia stiffened and looked away. Jennifer purposefully hadn’t been involving herself in this for the girl’s privacy. As long as she was getting treatment for it and cleaning up after herself, Jennifer had looked the other way to save Hortensia’s dignity. There was no way this wasn’t killing her mentally. “It’s okay, I just need to know if I need to get you anything to protect the bed.” Jennifer couldn’t care less if she peed on the old mattress she had been using. It had been Jennifers growing up, and she herself had subjected it to unspeakable things over the years. She had planned on throwing it out before Hortensia had even moved in, but ever since this problem developed, she had held off on replacing it. “None.” Hortensia mumbled. She must have seen her face fall a bit before throwing in “It’s the pills!” in a panic. “Hey, it’s okay.” She patted Hortensia on the back. “It’s probably from the gas leak at the house. It’s gotten to all of us in different ways. Once we get it fixed, there’s a good chance it’ll stop.” So that was a yes, she would need to figure something out with their sleeping arrangements. She couldn’t let her sleep in his bed if she was going to pee in it. Unless… She eyed Hazel a moment. Nope that wasn’t going to work. Even if she did have bedwetting nappies Hortensia would never fit in them. But she had no money on her to go buy her anything. She’d have to tell Brian and see what he wants her to do. Or call Carol back and ask her to drive over and pick them up. Forty five minutes away. And she couldn’t leave now anyway. She had promised Hortensia she could see her mom. If she left now, he would think she was running away from him over the incident in the kitchen, and while yes, that had been rather startling and unnerving, she had to admit she had grown rather used to seeing objects fly in the air. What if a normal person would have run? What if he thinks she’s the weird one in this situation? I mean yeah, she thought, “the ghost of my dead wife” was kind of weird. But was “My kid has telekinesis” much saner? What if he thought she had been mocking him? “Hortensia, it’s true Matilda can levitate things with her mind, right?” she asked. “Huh?” Hortensia said. She supposed it was a strange change of subject. “I told him about Matilda.” Jennifer said. “About her you-know-what.” Brian looked up curiously. “What about it?” Hortensia asked uninterested. “Can she really?” Brian asked. “Move things with her mind?” “Huh? Oh, yeah, the first couple times you see it it’s crazy, but then you kind of get used to it. Then it’s like, ‘Matilda, get the chips!’ and she doesn’t even have to get off the couch.” “It’s how I keep the ceilings clean.” Jennifer said with a guilty grin. Hortensia was right. What should have been extraordinary had become commonplace. She remembered a time not so long ago when she forbade Matilda from using her powers in fear of them. Now she asked her to levitate the couch so Jennifer could vacuum under it. “So all those things at your house, the lights flickering, the doors slamming…” “Was us.” Hortensia said with a slight grin. “It was funny to watch you spin around, especially when she kept moving your wrench.” Jennifer buried her face in her palm. “I was worried I was bringing whatever this is over there with me and causing you problems. Then I thought maybe I was hallucinating and that’s what made me think of a possible leak.” Jennifer groaned in her hand. The girls had been messing with him and it had probably saved their lives. She never would have thought to check for a gas leak. If Matilda hadn’t made him feel like he was going mental, he wouldn’t have thought of it either. There was no way she was giving her that satisfaction. “But I’m not, unless… we all are?” Brian asked. No. This was real. They locked eyes. “Maybe a little more time outdoors?” But just in case. “Yeah.” Jennifer agreed. “C’mon ‘Tens, let's get some fresh air.” They drove (with the windows down) first to the arcade to drop off the other kids. Hortensia couldn’t stop herself from playing one before they left. Which became two, which became three. Jennifer had to drag her out so they’d have enough time for her to visit her mom. At least the knot in Jennifer's stomach that said “something terrible is going on” was easing with the return of Hortensia’s antics. But that hollow look in her eyes scared her. Something had happened. As the day went on it looked more and more evident. She just wished Hortensia would open up to her. Maybe she’d tell her mom. It was as Jennifer thought. The old and scrawny looking correction officer wouldn’t let her through without her ID. She wondered how he had gotten such a position. Didn’t you need to be fit and strong? Jennifer wondered if she could get past him simply by blowing. He looked like he would die of old age any minute. That’s probably why he was on desk duty and not back with the prisoners. But maybe you didn’t need to be all that visually imposing at a women’s prison. Out of curiosity, she had asked Eve once if getting jumped was a problem there like she had read about their male counterparts. She said the only thing she had seen was some slapping and hair pulling. She said the problem was the guards. They were all male. They openly leered at you while you showered out in the open with your other 50 new friends. Jennifer reminded herself never to get arrested. “Then can I walk Hortensia in?” Brian asked the guard. “Are you on the visitor list?” “Uhh, no.” “Then no.” “I can go by myself.” Hortensia groaned. “Umm,” Jennifer stumbled. “An escort will be provided to and from the visiting area. We do not allow visitors to roam free of the facility.” the guard said. “See, I’ll be fine.” Hortensia said, motioning wildly with her arms. “Okay, but come back to the van as soon as you're done. We’ll wait for you.” Jennifer said. She watched Hortensia disappear behind the metal doors led by the skeleton of a man. She felt a hand grab hers and gently lead her away. … “Ho-ly sch-” Carol was about to say, but stopped herself. She eyed Matilda, but she seemed not to have noticed her near miss. Jennifer would kill her if Matilda reported Carol had been swearing around her. Agatha didn’t care if anyone swore around the kids, hell, she’d probably have preferred it if you swore AT the kids. Jennifer on the hand… She wanted to keep her job for now. Things were going to be interesting. Carol felt more indifferent about the children at Crunchem Hall. Okay, well, maybe a few had grown on her over the 3 years she had worked there. There was Joel, the diabetic fourth year who came in for his insulin everyday during lunch. He always read the jokes out of his Laffy Taffy wrappers, and she’d scold him about eating so much candy while being diabetic. And Cathy with her peanut allergy and asthma. And of course, Hortensia, who had rubbed peanut butter on all the door handles of the school. Not a good day to be Cathy. Still, it would be nice to see someone who genuinely cared about them running the place. Now why would someone as good natured as Jennifer have something like this done to her car? She took in the beat out windows, dented body, and flat tires. Why would someone write “W-H-O-R-E” and “S-L-U-T” on her car? “I told them I didn’t do it!” Matilda grumbled. “Did you believe me?” “Not one bit.” Carol said. Matilda seemed taken aback by her honesty for a moment. “Well you couldn’t have expected us to. You were caught with the paint and brush in your hands. If it was anyone else, what would you have thought?” “Do you still think it was me?” Matilda asked, after seemingly mulling it over in her mind. “This, no of course not, the car was fine when we left. “ “And last time? Do you still think it was me?” Carol sighed and patted her back. “I think, You have the worst luck.” Carol admitted, grimacing as she looked in the front seat. “Alright, let's wait over here.” She pushed Matilda along to the front porch. No need for her to see that. Carol opened up the front door and peeked inside. She could hear alarms blaring inside. “We should open the garage too.” Matilda said, running over and lifting a latch. “Stay outside, don’t go in.” Carol called. She gave her a look that could only be called, “duh” before pushing the door open and coming back. This was why she didn’t like kids. “Is it a fire?” Matilda asked. I thought you knew everything, Carol thought, before shaking it off. Now wasn’t the time. “It’s not the smoke detectors, your mom’s friend installed them in case there was a gas leak. Good thing too. We’re here to let them in to fix it.” she gestured at the van which had just turned into the driveway. “What kind of gas?” Matilda asked. “Carbon monoxide.” “So we’ve all had carbon monoxide poisoning all this time?” Matilda asked, looking very green at the thought. “Wh-what about lasting damage? How long has this been going on for?” “Probably a while.” Carol said. She wondered about Agatha for a moment. She had been acting rather unhinged, even more so than usual before she left town. Perhaps this had more to play in her death than anything she claimed Eve did. Eve and her husband. She never could figure out what Agatha had meant. As far as she knew Eve’s husband had left before she had ever gotten kidnapped. Eve said Hortensia hadn’t had contact with him other than cards on her birthdays and holidays. She said their relationship was more like penpals. It was something a parent could easily fake to spare the child's feelings. Eve had already admitted to lying to Hortensia about his whereabouts. What had she said? He thought he worked overseas? Or traveled for work? That was what she hadn’t understood. Why did Agatha say he had anything to do with it if this involved Carol, Eve and Jennifer? Maybe Agatha really had gone full mental, spouted off a bunch of nonsense and nose dived her car off a cliff? She should tell Eve about this, it might help her defense. But the letter they found in Eve’s safe that she said she was being blackmailed with was there. How could they explain it away and…wait a minute…how had she gotten it? Carol had the only copy. And it was still in the shoebox. She had seen it when she showed it all to Jennifer… She sighed. She wished she hadn’t shown it to Jennifer. Carol had hoped she was ready to come to terms with it, but she wasn’t. She was still refusing to acknowledge what had happened to her. Even refused to see what was right in front of her in a picture. It was a sad situation. One of the worst cases of abuse she had seen in her career. Was it because of this? Because it had happened in the summer when the A/c was running? Could a mixture of a trauma and carbon monoxide poisoning wipe her memory like that? Jennifer's mind had tried to fill in the missing gaps and missed some of the details. Like how she remembered “Anastasia” instead of “Hortensia” That her aunt had poured boiling water on her for masturbating, instead of the darker truth. How Jennifer swore up and down she had never had a boyfriend. How did Carol forget?… She witnessed one of the worst cases of abuse in her career, left, and just forgot. It wasn’t until Jennifer had come sweeping past on her bike that it all came rushing back to her. And she had been so ashamed. How do you go to the police and admit three years later that you forgot you were held hostage and someone still needed help? How did she admit to Jennifer the reason she hadn’t come back was because she forgot about her and went on with her life? One minute she was with her patients and the next she had woken up in bed at home a week later. When she returned to work, they fired her. Accused her of stealing drugs to go on a bender. Maybe she had had a terrible day of cancer pain and decided to end it? It was all she had to go on so it was what she had believed. And that stupid, wonderful shrilling alarm was the answer. She could feel hot tears begin to slide down her face. “Mrs. Rodgers? Are you okay?” Matilda asked. “Yeah,” Carol said, wiping at her face. “I will be.” “There’s a policeman walking over.” Matilda said. Carol looked up. Sure enough, a policeman was walking forward and waved in greeting when Carol made eye contact. “Are you the one who called this in?” he asked, gesturing to the car. “Oh no, that’s my fr-daughter.” Carol said, clearing her throat. “My daughter’s car.” She could see Matilda giving her a puzzled look. You could get more information if you were family. “Oh, well, can you pass on a message? We called and left her a message as well, but if you see her first, tell her not to worry, there’s no crazy ex stalking her. Eyewitness across the street reported a group of children were seen vandalizing the car.” “Oh, a group of children?” Carol said. “How interesting. I’ll be sure to pass it along.” She really didn’t like kids.

I imagine small towns having less than helpful police. Next to no funding, small number of officers, and a low crime rate. I imagine the area also being a decade or so behind the major cities with more dated views of women etc. writing her off as “hysterical” or a “domestic” situation. I am curious of your theory though.

The story takes place in the early 90’s in a rural village. Even today they wouldn’t collect DNA over vandalism, it isn’t serious enough. Even for things like murder and sexual assault, the backlog for testing is months if not years. Not to mention the cost of testing would be insane.

When Brian attached the first Carbon Monoxide detector, Jennifer held her breath and waited for the shrieking of an alarm, but it never came. They moved to the next room. Once again, nothing. Matilda’s room had been neat and tidy, but when they entered Hortensia’s, Jennifer let her head fall into her palm. Brian just laughed. Clothes, underwear, comics, and empty bags of crisps littered the floor. She should have made sure it was presentable. It was a true testament to how different the girls were. If she had to describe Matilda’s room, it was neat, and orderly. Everything had a place and was in its place. If she had to describe Hortensia’s, the phrases “Crime Scene” and “There appears to have been a struggle” came to mind. “Sorry.” Jennifer said with a grimace. She cleared a circle with her foot so Brian could set up the ladder. While he worked, she bent down and began collecting clothes off the ground and putting them in the hamper. “The boys share a room. This is nothing.” Brian chuckled. “There at the age I don’t dare touch anything off the floor. All it took was one stiff sock and, sorry boys, you’re doing your own laundry.” “Eww, that had to be one sweaty sock.” “Uhh, yeah, sweat.” Brian said. “You’re lucky you have girls.” “Yeah, lucky.” Jennifer snorted. “Every twenty one days I have to don a suit of armor, stand by the door and offer up a grocery bag full of crisps, chocolate and Midol on the end of a hockey stick.” “Oh, is that what I get to look forward to?” “Any day now I worry she’ll start to demand a living sacrifice. One minute i’m cool, but then I ask her to set the table, and I have not only offended her, but her ancestors as well.” Jennifer explained. Brian chuckled. “What about your little one? Is she a handful too? She’s so…organized.” “You saw what she did to my car?” Jennifer said. “So she, uh, got a little creative with the paint.” Brian chuckled. “I hope that wasn’t because of me. I mean it’s hard to imagine a little kid knowing what a slag is, but everytime Matilda opens her mouth I’m blown away. Does she do this every time you have men over?” “I’ve never had a man over before.” Jennifer mumbled. “So you hide your boyfriends from her?” “Never had one.” “Not much of a slag then, are you?” He chuckled. “Why would she write that?” “To hurt me.” Jennifer mumbled. “Well it can’t have been very hurtful if you don’t even have a past?” Jennifer grimaced. She had a past. “Does she act out much?” “There’s been some behavioral issues.” Jennifer admitted. “I adopted her from a negligent family last year. Her therapist says it will take time for things to settle down because she doesn’t know how to trust. She doesn’t understand love yet, I think. She thinks every time someone new comes into our lives our relationship is in danger.” “She must have thrown quite the fit when you took in the older girl.” “She didn’t actually.” Jennifer said. “Which surprises me. I tried sending her to a daycare over the summer, and she ran into her biological brother. Matilda almost tore the place down; she was so upset.” She cocked her head to the side. He had a strange expression on his face, half amused and half studying her. “What?” “You took in two troubled kids you had no obligation to care for by yourself.” Jennifer shrugged. And she wouldn’t really call them “troubled”. Much. “Anyone would have. I just got there first.” “No they wouldn’t.” Brian said with a confused smile. “I think most people turn a blind eye to such things, and if they did notice, they assume someone else will eventually step in. Besides, most single women find stray cats and take them in. You find stray kids.” “I’m not normal.” Jennifer said softly. “You're not.” He said matter of factly. She inwardly cringed at the bluntness, until he followed it up with, “I like it.” She cleared her throat. She felt the sudden dire need to correct him. To let him know she wasn’t this saint he painted her as. She was a fraud. But before she could tell him her motivations were more selfish than he had described her, he announced the second alarm was done. They waited in silence for a moment. Nothing happened. She deflated a little. It’s not like she wanted them to all be poisoned, but it would have explained a few things. “Your room next? Last chance to hide your dirty magazines.” He teased. She chuckled and shook her head. “I don’t even know where you’d get one.” He shrugged. She didn’t buy it. “Found a bondage one under one of my son's pillows last week. Says his friend brought it to school and gave it to him.” Brian said before rolling his eyes. “Boys.” “Bondage?” She asked. He pursed his lips. “What?” “You know, like ropes, blindfolds,” He paused for a moment and grinned. “Handcuffs.” She shut her eyes and covered her face. “And I said, ‘I’m not a cop’.” “And you said, ‘you’re not a cop’.” He agreed with a chuckle. “What did you do about the magazine?” He shrugged. “Put it back where I found it and vowed to never touch their socks again.” “Really?” “Well I certainly wasn’t going to spank him.” He laughed. She wasn’t sure what was so funny about it, but she smiled anyway and led him into her bedroom. She sat on her pristinley made bed and watched him set up the ladder and climb it, ears alert for any alarms coming from the other bedrooms. “Your room’s just as neat as Matilda’s.” He mused. “You sure that’s not actually your kid?” “She’s just very self sufficient. I think she had to be, out of necessity. From what she’s told me, her biological parents treated her like she wasn’t there. Did you know she used to walk ten blocks to the library by herself since she was three? How did no one stop her, or question where her parents were?” “People see what they want to see. Probably assumed her parents were right behind her. It’s like I said before, people will turn a blind eye if they don’t want to get involved, or assume someone else will step in.” “But she was only three! How do you not see a three- year-old walking by themselves?” “It’s like you said, you’re just different.” He said with a crooked smile. “I’ve noticed how you throw yourself into danger for kids that aren’t even yours.” “Not really.” Jennifer mumbled. How many times had she stood quietly by like everyone else while her aunt tormented her students? “You just rubbed lotion into my daughter's rash covered hands. How do you know she didn’t have leprosy or something?” “Hansen's disease is spread by coughing and sneezing.” Jennifer said. Brian gave her a curious glance. “Matilda likes to spout out facts at random. You pick up things.” Jennifer said with a shrug. “Whether you want to or not.” she added. Brian chuckled. “Looked like poison oak.” “Then you should probably wash your hands.” He said. “Right.” She stood and made her way into the ensuite bathroom and ran her hands underneath the faucet. “Well, they're all set up.” He called. She exited the bathroom after vigorously scrubbing her skin with soap and stood by the ladder, looking up at his work. “So since nothing is screaming at us, does this mean it’s not carbon monoxide?” Jennifer asked. “Guess not.” He said. “You should run the A/C for a few hours just to be sure. They're good to have anyway, this being an old house and all. It may not be a problem now, but who knows, maybe in the future…” His words trailed off as he stared at something on the opposite wall. He squinted. “I think there’s something in there.” Jennifer followed his gaze to the air vent in the upper opposite wall. He climbed down the ladder and carried it over. “I hope it’s not alive.” Jennifer said. She imagined a raccoon or a giant rat getting loose in the house. “Do you mind if I pop this off and take a look?” He asked. She motioned for him to go ahead, but she took a few steps back just in case. She may throw herself in danger for a child, but Brian was on his own. She watched hesitantly as he unscrewed the lid and shined a flashlight inside. “It’s not alive.” He said. She breathed a sigh of relief and came closer. He reached his arm in and pulled out a large book with a large string of dust and grime dangling from it. He opened it and flipped through the pages. “Looks like a diary.” He handed it down to her. She took it and swallowed the lump in her throat. So Jennifer wasn’t the only one who hid things in the vents. There were so many unanswered questions. What happened to Billy Reyes? Why did she kill herself? And most important to her of all. What had happened to her father? Did this diary hold the answers? Her hands twitched with desire to open it and consume its contents, but now wasn’t the time. It took all her will power to set it on her nightstand and walk away. “It was my aunts’. Like I said, she was deeply paranoid.” Jennifer explained. “I used to hide things in my vents too.” “Oh? Like what?” He grinned at her. “Handcuffs?” She chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Nothing so risque.” She pursed her lips and tried to fight back a smile. “The remotes.” He snorted as they went back down stairs and to the kitchen, stopping only to flip the a/c unit on and let it run. She wondered if removing the journal would increase airflow to her bedroom. She hoped so, the sweltering temperature had been causing many sleepless nights. “Thank you so much for this.” Jennifer said as they sat at the kitchen table. “It really is one of the nicest things anyone’s ever done for me.” he cocked his head to the side for a minute as if confused. “If this is one of the nicest things, you must not have met many decent people.” She pursed her lips again. “I haven’t.” She added truthfully. “Except Carol, of course. She’s done a lot for us.” She chuckled dryly. “She fancies herself my mother. It started off as a bit of a joke. She lied to the hospital to break me out, said she was my mother, but now she’s calling herself Matilda’s grandmother. I guess I don’t really mind though. She’s the one who put all those things in my purse.” She shook her head and shuddered. “You’re not fifteen and I’m not your dad.” He laughed. “It’s not that big of a deal. See?” He reached for his wallet and pulled out a similar shaped package. “We’re all adults here.” “I didn’t want the kids to see.” Jennifer lied. “Meh, Hazel doesn’t know what they are. I caught her blowing them up to try and make balloon animals once.” Jennifer laughed. An image of filling them up with water and throwing them at him crossed her mind. She laughed again. Suddenly, she couldn’t stop. He grinned. “What? What’s so funny?” “I can’t stop thinking about telling Carol I went through them all, only instead, we use them for a water balloon fight.” “You’re silly.” He chuckled. “Can you even make balloon animals with them?” Jennifer giggled. “Let’s see.” She laughed as he pulled it back out of his wallet and tore open the package with his teeth. She watched him with morbid curiosity. The only time she had seen a condom were the discarded ones on the street. He pulled it out of the package and held it between his fingers. It was at that moment the kids all emerged from the backyard led by Hortensia. She looked at Jennifer, then Brian, then what was in Brian’s hand. She flinched and made a grotesque face. “Eww, were you two really about to do it in the kitchen?” Hortensia asked. “We eat here!” The boys, including Brian, began to laugh as Jennifer’s face began to glow. “Why do you even know what that is? You’re eleven.” Jennifer mumbled into her hands. “And no, we were not.” “Why do you even have condoms if you can’t get pregnant?” Hortensia asked. “I’m not having this conversation with you.” Jennifer said. “Go…go bring in the post. I heard the postman out front a few minutes ago.” “Fine.” Hortensia grumbled. They heard the front door open and slam shut behind her. Brian slipped the condom back in his pocket as Hazel joined them at the table. “How are your hands?” Jennifer asked her, glad to have something to fill the awkward silence. The little girl showed her her now dirt covered palms. Kids. “Hazel!” Brian said exasperated. “Go wash your hands, you're going to get Jenny’s kitchen all dirty.” “We were playing in the dirt.” Hazel announced. “Yes, we can see that.” Brian said. “Wash your hands.” “And there was this bug with all these legs. Like a millionbaggillion of them!” “Yes, that’s called a centipede. Now. Wash. Your. Hands.” “Come here, Hazel.” Jennifer laughed as she stood up. She pulled Matilda’s step stool out from under the sink and set it down. She was vaguely aware of the sound of approaching footsteps and the post getting tossed on the table. “Thank you, Hortensia.” she said without turning around. “You okay?” Brian asked. Jennifer didn’t hear a response over the tap as she sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to show how long Hazel should wash for. When she finally turned around she paused as she took in Hortensia’s worried expression. She looked incredibly pale and shaken. “Tens? What’s wrong? Are you feeling ill again?” “Outside.” she mumbled. “Did you get sick outside?” Jennifer asked, concerned. Hortensia shook her head. “There’s something you need to see outside.” “Show me.” Hortensia shook her head and sat down. Jennifer frowned. Brian stood up and accompanied her out followed by the other kids. “Is Matilda here?” Brian asked as they surveyed the vast damage. “No.” Jennifer said in a shaky voice. “Did you hear anything?” “No, it must have happened when we were upstairs.” Her car windows were smashed. Her tires were slashed. Across the hood and down both sides were spray painted W-H-O-R-E. And worst of all, all over her steering wheel and door frame was a slimy white substance. “What is all that?” Jennifer asked. “That is the reason I don’t touch my son's socks.” Brian said before letting out a held breath. “Are you sure you’ve never had a boyfriend?” he asked. “Cause this has ‘crazy ex’ written all over it.” “No.” Jennifer said, still too stunned to process it all. Then the reality hit her. “Oh god.” She felt like crying. “It wasn’t Matilda. She was telling the truth.” “If it wasn’t her, which obviously not considering the mangurt, who has this much of a grudge against you?” Brian asked. Jennifer shrugged, but a thought nagged at her. It couldn’t be. She had no idea who they were, and they had no idea who she was, let alone where she lived. All she had done was point out an error. And she hadn’t even been the one to find it. “A.R.C.” Jennifer said. “What’s A.R.C.?” “A publishing company we used to get our schoolbooks from. They were over charging the school for years. I pointed it out to the education board and now they're in a lot of legal trouble. It’s the only thing I can think of.” Jennifer said. “I just can’t imagine this.” she waved her hand over her destroyed car for emphasis. “Would have anything to do with it.” “This is personal.” Brian agreed. “Sexual. You don’t jack off in a lady’s car window over a financial dispute. Slash the tires and break the windows, maybe, but this is…” He let his words hang in the air. Unsettling. “What do I do?” Jennifer whispered. She hugged herself. Her minimal sense of security she had amassed since her aunt's demise felt like it was crashing down around her. Her stomach felt like it was in a knot. How had she done it before? Lived day after day looking over her shoulder? It had only been less than ten minutes and she already felt like she was going to cry. No, scratch that, she was crying. She turned away so he wouldn’t see. She must have blamed Matilda because it was the safest option. Hell, she wished she could blame her now. She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She instinctively flinched before she silently cursed herself as he felt his hand pull away. “Sorry,” they both said in unison. “I guess I should clean this off.” Jennifer said, looking at the spray paint. She stared at it a moment as a streak of green paint ran down the car. This was fresh. Very fresh. “No, we need to call the police.” Brian said. “This is more than just vandalism. They need to see everything.” “Okay,” Jennifer agreed, wiping at her eyes. “I need to ask Hortensia if she saw anything. She might have opened the door and scared him off.” “None of you touch anything.” Brian warned the kids, “Actually, come inside, all of you. It’s not safe.” Jennifer felt her stomach lurch again. Her vision was getting fuzzy. She gripped one of the house's white columns for support and closed her eyes. Not now. Not in front of him. “You like that you little whore?” “Jenny, are you alright?” Large hands were around her throat squeezing tighter and tighter. She couldn’t breathe. “Jenny!” She was falling, but she didn’t hit the ground. “I’ve got you. It’s okay. Let’s go inside.” She half walked and was half carried inside. She sat on the couch and stared off into space for a moment as she massaged her neck. When she finally met his eyes, he was staring at her with a look of deep concern. “Sorry about that.” she mumbled. “Happens sometimes.” “Do… do you have low blood sugar or something? Do you need to eat? Do you want me to bring you anything?” He asked hurriedly. She shook her head. “It’s nothing like that.” She sighed. “It’s all in my head. It’s nothing.” “That didn’t look like nothing.” “I get flashbacks.” She said softly. “Being called a whore, or slut, or slag can set them off, among other things. It’s nothing to worry about.” “Who called you those things? You’re so…innocent.” Jennifer let out a bitter laugh. “i’’m not innocent. Just because I’ve never had a boyfriend doesn’t mean I’ve never had sex.” she said in a low voice. “Okay, so you hooked up. Lots of people do. That doesn’t make you a whore.” Jennifer shook her head. “Never did that either.” “So if you never had a boyfriend and you never hooked up…Oh god, I’m so sorry.” “Yeah…” She let her words trail off. “I’m so sorry, and here I’ve been flirting with you this whole time. I’m such an idiot. That’s why you didn’t know about cum socks.” “Huh?” “You adopted the kids. I should have known. I know they're not cats, but still. I should have known.” “Known what?” She cocked her head feeling more and more puzzled. “That you’re a lesbian.” he whispered. She stared at him in shock. Then she burst out laughing. It wasn't the right time, but she couldn’t help it. “I’m not a lesbian.” she choked out between gales of laughter. “But…but you said…” she shook her head and tried her best to pull herself together. “My aunt was.” she said solemnly. “She’d get drunk some nights, come into my room and…” she hung her head. She could hear his sharp inhale. “ If I came home even a single minute late it was because I must have been sleeping with someone. All the accusations, all the names. I can’t count how many pregnancy tests I had to take for her over the years. The reason i’ve never had a boyfriend is because…I'm scared.” she said looking up at him. “Terrified really. Of being touched, of being seen.” “Oh, Jenny…” he said softly. He crouched down in front of her and took her hands. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I'm telling you all this. It’s not something I normally talk about.” “It’s alright.” He was running his thumb over the back of her hand. “I’m scared of dating.” she whispered. “I understand.” “But you make me want to try.” He studied her face a moment before leaning in close. Her heart began to pound. Closer. Closer. At the last moment she turned her head. “I’m sorry.” she sobbed. “We can take it slow.” He whispered. “Really?” she asked with a sniffle. “Can you really go that slow?” “There’s no rush,” he said with his crooked grin. “You can take the lead, how about that? And when you’re ready, you can make the first move. Does that sound good?” She nodded. “Thank you.” She whispered. “For everything.” She rested her head in the crook of his neck and inhaled. He smelled like pine and aftershave. She wrapped her arms around him and he did the same. Her heart fluttered. Nothing else mattered. “This is nice.” He said. “Mhm.” “But we should probably call the police now.” she chuckled and let go. “Wait, don’t get up yet.” He paused mid rise. She shot forward before she lost her nerve. She was aiming for his lips. She missed. Instead of kissing him, she bashed her head into his face. He jumped to his feet, clutching his now bleeding nose. After a million apologies, a wet rag and a nose splint, he called the police for her. … “And you’re positive it wasn’t any of the kids?” the officer asked as he stood in the driveway taking notes. Brian took him over to the driver's side and showed him the mess. “Not the kids.” The officer said as he wrote something down. “Any jealous ex lovers, miss?” “No.” Jennifer said. “Is there anyone you can think of who might hold a grudge against you?” She bit her lip. “It’s unlikely, but…” she explained the situation at the school. “We’ll look into it, but it sounds unlikely, like you said. And this happened before?” “Last week.” Jennifer said. “I thought it was my daughter, but she's not here. And then there’s the, umm, stuff inside.” “And does your daughter have an ex at all?” “I hope not, she’s only six.” Jennifer said. The officer gave a wry smile. “A little too soon for that. Got it. Careful though, blink and next thing you know she’ll be introducing you to her boyfriend, Stephano. An art major with a nose ring and lack of respect for authority.” Jennifer blinked. That was oddly specific. “What’s going to happen?” Jennifer asked. “We’ll ask the neighbors if they saw anything. Any disputes with them?” Jennifer shook her head. The house was far off the street and covered by trees and shrubbery. She couldn’t imagine the old man across the way had seen anything. He was nearly blind when she was a child. She remembered she had seen him from her bedroom window pick up a possum thinking it was his cat and brought it inside. “What if he comes back?” “I doubt he’ll be back after this. He made his point, whatever it was. We’ll send an extra patrol car in the area just in case. If anything happens again, call us.” They thanked him and he left. She didn’t feel any safer. The curious thing was she wasn’t the one most jarred by it. “Hortensia, what’s wrong?” She asked. The girl hadn’t moved from her spot at the table, wouldn’t answer any of their questions, wouldn’t say what she had seen. They had tried to get her to talk to the police, but she refused. “We can’t stay here.” Hortensia mumbled. “It’s alright.” Brian said. “I’m sure whoever did this is long gone. And if he did stick around, he saw we called the police. He knows we mean business.” “Can’t we stay somewhere else? Please?” Hortensia begged. Jennifer was startled. She looked like she was about to cry. “If you want to stay with a friend tonight, you can, or I can call Cynthi-” “No!” Hortensia spat at the mention of her neighbor. Guess she didn’t feel that unsafe then. “We’re perfectly fine here.” Jennifer said, swallowing her own uneasiness. “Would you like me to call Carol? You can spend the weekend with her and Matilda…” “You need to leave too.” Hortensia insisted. Jennifer bit her lip. She hated the idea of some unknown predator chasing her out of her home, but she had never seen Hortensia look so panic stricken. It was obvious she had seen something traumatizing. Perhaps she had caught him with his pants down. Jennifer was on the fence. What was she supposed to do? Stand up and fight so Hortensia felt safe with her? Or did she take her, flee, and reinforce the idea she had someone out there to fear. She had taken Hortensia in to protect her from the monsters that lurked out there preying on the vulnerable. What if she had been sent to stay with a cruel family? One like Matilda’s who did not care? Or worse. Another Trunchbull. Before Jennifer could decide, the decision was made for her in the form of a shrill alarm. “EVERYONE OUT!” Brian hollered.

Why Carol wanted to spend the weekend with Matilda, Jennifer wasn’t sure. She had a feeling it had to do with Carol trying to play matchmaker. The woman was suspiciously overjoyed about her new friend and she kept offering Jennifer unsolicited advice on dealing with men. “Don’t let him sweet talk you into bed. Men will say anything.” Jennifer shuddered. She had no interest in getting into his bed. Or dating. All she wanted was for things to go back to the way they were. Life was better when it had been just her and Matilda in their little studio. She didn’t want the stressful job. Or a boyfriend. She was starting to not even want the house. Right now, she’d trade anything for Matilda to talk to her again and not look at her like Jennifer had strangled her favorite pet. It was three spanks. With her hand. She hadn’t even used a plastic spoon or a hair brush. She doubted it had even hurt. It was Matilda who had crossed the line. She was one of the few people who knew her past, knew what her aunt had made her do and then shamed her for it. Matilda may not have known all the details, but enough to know how to hurt her. Jennifer would have stopped if Matilda would have apologized. Instead, she had doubled down and used the safeword. It was supposed to make her stop. Make her think. It was supposed to keep her from becoming her aunt. Instead, it had only infuriated Jennifer. Now her stomach had been in knots since their appointment. Had she done the right thing? She was so certain at the time Matilda had only thrown it out because she knew she was in trouble, but her words kept replaying in her head. She had never done it before. Not even when Jennifer had been teasing her at the lake. “I’ll settle for getting my ducts clean.” Jennifer mumbled. “Yes, I’m sure he’d love to clean your ducts.” Carol said. “Uh, okay?” “With his pole.” “What?” “Oh, my sweet summer child.” Carol groaned. “I don’t get it.” “He wants to put his penis in your vag-” “Okay. Okay. I get it.” Jennifer said, cutting her off. “The topic of dating has never once come up, you know.” “I’m not talking about dating. I’m talking about a little Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am.” “I’m not sleeping with him.” Jennifer said exasperated. “I know.” Carol said softly before chuckling. “You can’t even handle talking about it.” “Then why are you telling me all this?” “Because you can be a little naive sometimes. You’ve been throwing the word ‘friend’ out quite a bit. Men are different, Jen. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” “You could at least trust me a little. I’m not a slag. I’m not going to jump into his bed just because he asks.” “Jennifer, that’s not what I’m saying. If you want to jump in his bed and get your ducts cleaned, by all means, I’m not judging.” Jennifer scowled. “But I know that’s not what you want. You may see this as a friendship, but he might not. I’m just trying to prepare you for the possibility, so if he does make a move, it won’t come as such a shock.” “Nothing to worry about there. Matilda’s trying her damn hardest to scare him off.” Jennifer said with a sigh. “You know she’s been trying to make the house look haunted.” Carol snorted. “She’s been opening and slamming doors with her powers. The time before last he was over she opened up all the cutlery drawers behind him. Nearly gave the poor guy a heart attack.” “Poor bloke. He has no idea what he’s getting himself in for.” “I’m perfectly capable of scaring him off myself.” Jennifer mumbled. “So…?” Carol said leaning in close. Jennifer gave her a puzzled look. “Do you fancy him?” Jennifer stammered for a moment before averting her eyes and shrugging. Carol beamed at her. “It’s not a no.” “He’s…nice.” Jennifer said. “I hope you have higher standards than ‘nice’.” Carol frowned. Jennifer pursed her lips together and nodded. “Then spill.” Before Jennifer could open her mouth, small footsteps approached. They both turned their heads to find Matilda standing in the doorway with her backpack slung across her shoulders looking anywhere but at Jennifer. “You ready?” Carol asked. Matilda nodded her head and swayed a little on her feet. She could see her daughter struggle underneath the weight. “I hope you packed clothes and not just books.” Jennifer said. Matilda remained silent and pursed her lips in obvious annoyance. “Nothing fun.” Jennifer said as she met Carol’s eyes. “Yes. Nothing fun. Got it.” Carol said avoiding her eyes. “I mean it! She’s grounded!” Jennifer said. “Don’t worry.” Carol said. “I’ll be the most boring grandma possible.” Grandma? She looked up to see a mischievous glint in the woman’s eyes. Jennifer’s stomach felt uneasy. She already had done something, was about to do something, or will do something. “Oh, my god, what did you pack, kid?” Carol said as she lifted her backpack. “Stuff to do.” Matilda mumbled. At least Matilda was under the impression she wasn’t about to have fun, that meant Carol hadn’t promised her anything. “How about you narrow it down to just two books?” Carol asked. She unzipped Matilda’s back pack and began to heft out half the science fiction section from the library. Carol chuckled as Matilda trudged back upstairs with a large stack of books floating in the air around her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take the other one as well?” Carol asked and winked. “You two could have the house to yourselves, in case you did want to, you know, get your ducts cleaned.” Jennifer’s right eyelid twitched. “Hortensia has, believe it or not, become the easier one lately.” Jennifer said, trying her best to ignore Carol’s innuendo. “When we aren’t fighting over every little thing. I am not looking forward to the 17th of August.” “What’s that?” Jennifer learned in and whispered conspiritoraly. “21 days.” Carol chuckled. “I’m serious! This place is a warzone. She’s happy. She’s angry. She’s crying. She’s hungry. She’s angry again, and it isn’t even breakfast yet! I am not looking forward to Matilda becoming a teenager. She’s cranky enough as it is.” They all had been irritable this last week. Jennifer noticed she had been much more easily triggered by the things around her she would have normally overlooked, like crumbs on the floor or the kids rooms being a mess. She knew it was going to take time not to flinch whenever she saw something out of order in this house. She rubbed at the back of her head as it prickled in remembrance of the pain of getting yanked by the hair. It wasn’t just her either. Hortensia, while she had been making tremendous progress with her out of control temper, had taken a step back. Matilda, who was still refusing to speak to her unless she absolutley had to, hadn’t been as patient with her either. To make matters worse, all of them seemed to be struck with headaches and nausea in the morning. She had mentioned all this to Brian in passing last week, and he seemed adamant on looking at her Air Conditioning unit. She was fine with calling someone in, but he seemed determined to fix it himself. “Men.” Carol had said with a roll of her eyes. Jennifer found his concern sweet, but she had no idea what her air conditioner had to do with it. “Let him play handyman. Agatha was complaining of headaches too, maybe he’s onto something. Maybe there’s mold in there.” Whatever it was, she hoped someone could get to the bottom of it soon. She was sick of living in flashback hell. She was even on the verge of asking for a higher dose of medication, and she was right there with Hortensia. Jennifer hated feeling drugged. She felt a small pang of guilt for what she was putting the girl through, but dear lord, what a difference. “Ready, kiddo?” Carol asked as Matilda slowly drug herself down the stairs. Matilda shrugged looking sullen and morose. Carol turned back to Jennifer and flashed her another suspicious grin. “Left you some stuff in your handbag.” Jennifer’s stomach flipped. She narrowed her eyes. “Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.” Jennifer didn’t want to know. Jennifer gave Matilda a hug, who didn’t return the embrace. No surprise there. “Behave yourself.” Jennifer hissed. Matilda ignored her and headed to the front door. “Have fun.” Carol said with a wink. Jennifer shook her head. “HE IS NOT CLEANING MY DUCTS!” Jennifer yelled out as they made their way out the front door. “Umm, isn’t that what I’m here for?” a voice asked. Jennifer spun and found Brian on her front porch. She could hear Carol cackling from across the lawn. “Yeah, Jennifer! Isn’t that what he’s there for?” She could feel her face begin to flush. “I’m early.” He said with a guilty smile. “The kids wanted to come.” “Th-that’s okay.” Jennifer stammered as her stomach gave a nervous jolt. Carol’s speech had made her paranoid. She held the door open for all them as they made their way inside. She wasn’t sure what Carol had meant when she said he might “make a move”. Visions of having her butt groped and a stray hand wandering up her thigh began to plague her mind. Jennifer frowned as she stared at him. She had never got that impression from him before, but now she was second guessing herself. What if Matilda felt something off him she couldn’t, and that was the reason she didn’t like him? “For you.” he said with a grin as he handed her a shopping back. She peeked inside and gave him a confused and nervous smile. Maybe she had read one too many romance novels, but she thought men who wanted to woo a woman brought roses and chocolate. Brian brought smoke detectors. She let out a soft chuckle. “I’m going to install them in everyone’s room.” “Is there something wrong with our smoke alarms?” Jennifer asked. Brian shook his head. “Carbon Monoxcide detectors.” Brian said. “I’d feel better knowing you were all safe, especially since you said the girls were getting sick in the night. It made me think how I’ve been running my A/C every night.” “So have we, it’s been so humid this summer.” Jennifer said. Her heart was beginning to beat faster. “I imagine you all have air vents in your room?” She nodded. “And when did the kids start acting funny?” “Matilda hasn’t been herself since we moved in.” Jennifer said with a frown. She had been more defiant, and crabby. And so had Jennifer. She had been having so many more flashbacks than usual. She had chalked it up to being back in the place it had all come from. “Would that cause a kid to wet the bed who didn’t before?” Jennifer asked. “Ah, Matilda. Hazel too. I hope they grow out of it soon.” Jennifer didn’t correct him. He shrugged. “It can cause muscle weakness, so maybe?” Could this really be the answer? “So how long would it take to know? If there was carbon monoxide in the house?” He looked at the box and shrugged again. “As soon as it’s hooked up.” “Thank you, I never would have thought of this.” She looked at the bag of alarms and smiled as she held them tightly in her fist. This beat chocolate and roses anyday. “My aunt was a deeply paranoid woman. I doubt she ever let anyone in to service the unit in the last twenty years.” “Is that where you got the house from? I thought this place was large for a teacher. I mean- no offense.” he said in a panic. “I just thought it was a house a doctor or lawyer would have.” Jennifer chuckled. “No, you’re right. It was my father’s, and yes, he was a doctor.” “Oh, so you grew up here?” Jennifer winced and nodded. “So if your father owned the house, how did your aunt get a hold of it?” “It’s complicated.” She said softly. “My father died when I was little and I was left in the care of my aunt.” “So his sister?” He asked as she led him up the stairs. “No, my mother’s step sister. She was already living with us when he died.” Jennifer gritted her teeth at the memory. “I don’t like her. She’s scary.” “Looks can be deceiving, Bumblebee.” “Looks hadn’t been deceiving, daddy.” she mumbled sadly. Brian spun his head around and stared at her eye brows raised. “What?” “Did you just call me, daddy?” “N-no!” Jennifer’s face began to flush as she stammered. Brian’s grin widened as he bent over and clutched his chest. “I get it. I’m old. You don’t have to rub it in.” He teased. “You’re not old.” Jennifer giggled. His smile fell for a second. “I’m eleven years older than you.” He said softly as they climbed the remaining steps. “I know.” Jennifer said. She took a breath and asked. “Does that bother you?” He opened his mouth to answer, but Hortensia’s sudden emergence from her room cut him off. “We need to get in there soon, so you might want to hide anything you don’t want him to see.” Jennifer warned her. Hortensia shrugged. “Nothing in there.” “What about your trash can?” she said softly. Hortensia paused for moment before turning and back tracking the way she had come. “Girl stuff.” Jennifer explained. “Don’t lie, it’s drugs.” Brian grinned. “You just don’t want to share.” Jennifer chuckled. “Thankfully their a little young to start worrying about that.” “Really? Because I distinctly remember you telling me a story about someone getting high.” He said with a chuckle. “Blaming it on the kids, Jenny, really?” “No! Definitely not!” She said, but couldn’t help but laugh. He had a way of making anything seem funny. “I’m never getting high again.” “So should we start in Matilda’s room since she’s not here? Gives you a chance to hide anything you don’t want me to see in your room.” Jennifer laughed again. “I have nothing to hide in my room.” “No adult paraphinalia laying around?” “No, I don’t own any ‘adult paraphanalia’.” “No handcuffs attached to the bed frame?” “Why would I have handcuffs? I’m not a cop.” He seemed to be trying to hold back a laugh. Jennifer gave him a questioning look. “Well you better go check, because if I see anything, I will tease you relentlessly.” He said with a grin. Jennifer let out a nervous laugh before heading to her bedroom, visions of bra’s hanging on doorknobs began swirling in her head. “Yeah, you hide those handcuffs!” “Don’t make me flog you!” She heard him trying to unsuccessfully stifle a laugh. “Cause…you know…handcuffs…police…flogging.” she said lamely. His face began to glow a bright red behind his closed fist before he began to cackle. “What?” “Nothing.” he said through fits of laughter. “It’s nothing, you’re funny. That’s all.” She gave him a suspicious look before she went back to look around her room. Once she was confident all underwear was safely placed in its drawer and made sure none of her aunts sex toys had somehow fallen through the ceiling and landed in the middle of the mattress, she returned to find him setting up the ladder in Matilda’s room. She watched him work for a few minutes and handed him a screwdriver as necessary. It wasn’t until Hortensia came in the room followed by a hoard of other children did she snap her attention back. “My hands are itchy.” Hazel complained. Jennifer looked and saw her hands were cracked and scabbed. “Oh, sweetheart, what happened?” She knelt down and examined the scabs. “We were hiking yesterday. I think she’s having some kind of allergic reaction to a plant.” Brian said, eyes still on the ceiling. Jennifer’s heart felt a pang at the words “allergic reaction”. She knew that one all too well. “Tens, can you get my purse from downstairs? I have some medicatied lotion that will help with this.” “Sure.” The older girl grunted and sprinted down the hall before returning a few seconds later. Jennifer set her purse on the ground and opened it. There was a strip of something inside she hadn’t placed there. Confused, she pulled it out and examined it, only for Brian to begin to laugh from up above her. “Okay, Miss-I-Have-No-Adult-Paraphanalia.” Brian flashed a teasing grin from his spot on the ladder. Jennifer began to stammer. “Wow Miss Honey, if you wanted the house alone, you could have just said so.” Hortensia and the boys began to giggle. “They’re not mine!” Jennifer gasped as her eyes caught sight of the Durex logo. “They were in your purse.” Hortensia snorted. They laughed again. She stuffed them back in her purse, and felt for a bottle. She pulled it out, winced and stuffed it back in. Not it. Not it. Not it. She had forgotten Carol’s warning of “I left you something.” Condoms. Carol had left her condoms. And she had just pulled them out in front of everyone. Worse. She was sending the completely wrong message. She looked up too find Brian grinning down at her. She swallowed the lump that had found its way into her throat. “So that’s where you keep the handcuffs.” … “Your acting’s impressive. Good job.” Mrs. Rodgers said as she handed over an ice cream cone. Matilda accepted it and grinned. She loved the zoo. They had driven straight over from Jennifer’s house, laughing the whole time. They had seen snakes, lizards, 7 different species of primates, giraffes, elephants, lions, and one snow leopard. Her favorite had been the penguins. She loved the way they waddled. “It was the books, wasn’t it?” Matilda asked as she lapped at her icecream. Even if she knew they’d be going out and doing stuff, she’d still liked to have been able to bring more than two books. “It’s a little too good there. No wonder your mom doesn’t believe you.” Mrs Rodgers said. Matilda scowled. “I try not to lie as much.” Matilda mumbled. “Just when I have to.” “So going to the zoo was a ‘have to’?” Carol teased. Yes. Yes it was. “You told me to lie.” Matilda said. “I said don’t tell her where we’re going. I didn’t say put on a show called ‘I’m About to Have the Worst Weekend of My lIfe.’” Fair enough. Matilda shrugged and resumed eating her ice cream. “Let’s sit over here on the bench for a bit. I’m tired.” “Mom knows I’m at the zoo, doesn’t she?” Matilda asked after a minute of silence as she sat watching a peacock stroll through the main gate. “Yes.” “Did she send you to talk to me about Brian?” Matilda asked glumly. “No.” Carol said. “It’s me that wants to talk to you about Brian.” Matilda remained silent as she began to lick more franticly. “I’ve heard from reliable sources you’re good at reading people.” Matilda shrugged again. “But you wouldn’t give me a solid reason you didn’t like him, so I wanted to ask you again, just us. I want you to be honest, please, can you do that?” Matilda sighed and nodded. “Is there a reason you don’t like Brian? Did he do something?” Matilda sat quietly in deep thought. “Or is this about Jennifer dating?” “No.” Matilda said sadly. “No what?” “He didn’t do anything.” “So why don’t you like him?” “She said it would just be us.” Matilda mumbled. She watched a drop of ice cream run down the side of her fist before she licked the sticky trail off. “But your okay with Hortensia?” “That’s different.” “How’s it different?” Matilda struggled for a bit to find a way to explain it. “Sometimes there’s this black tar feeling.” “I’m not following, sorry.” “When I’m around Jenny and Hortensia, I can feel it. Not always, but it’s there. Like Jenny, it’s usually this lavender, with red and bits of blue. And Hortensia, yellow and green and white. But there’s this blackness that orbits them.” “What do you think it is?” Matilda shook her head. “I don’t know, but it’s so similar I figure it was caused by the same thing. I just know it’s strongest when Hortensia has her fits and Jenny her flash backs. It makes me feel sick.” “So you think that’s the cause of them?” “Maybe.” Matilda said with a shrug. “So what’s this got to do with Brian?” “Nothing.” Matilda said with a sigh. “Are you sure? That was a heavy sigh.” Mrs. Rodgers asked, looking doubtful. “What do you get off her when he’s around?” Matilda gritted her teeth. “Go on. Tell me. I see it on your face. ” Matilda rolled her eyes. “It’s clear and bright.” Matilda said quietly. “Then why do you sound like you just lost your best friend?” Matilda shot her a pained look. “This doesn’t mean you lose her, lass.” “Yes it does.” Matilda choked out, tears now stinging her eyes. Mrs. Rodgers wrapped her free arm around Matilda’s shouders. “No, it doesn’t. It’s not you or him, Matilda. This is a good thing. It means she’s healing.” “She told me I was enough.” Matilda sniffled. “No one person can do or be everything a person needs. Sometimes when you love someone, you have to realise your a piece of the puzzle. You happen to be a very big piece of the puzzle for her, but you can’t be everything. Someday Jenny isn’t going to be everything for you, you’re going to grow up, maybe you’ll fall in love-” Mrs. Rodgers chuckled as Matilda made a disgusted face. “I wouldn’t worry about this too much. It’s only a crush, but it’s a milestone for her.” Matilda gave her a confused look. “Look, I can’t promise nothing will come of this, but in my own experiences with men, once he realizes she’s locked down tighter than the Queen at Buckingham Palace, he’ll go sniffing somewhere else.” “I don’t want her to get hurt.” Matilda whispered. “That’s unfortunately always a possibility, there’s risk involved when you let someone into your life.” They were quiet for a bit as Matilda finished her ice cream. “Jenny has been through some terrible things.” Mrs. Rodgers said as they stopped in front of the tortoise enclosure. “I know.” Matilda said sadly. “You only know part of the story.” Mrs. Rodgers said staring ahead at the exhibit. “What’s the other part?” Matilda asked with a frown. How could her mom’s life possibly been any worse? Mrs. Rodgers shook her head. “The point i’m trying to get at is I know your mom would never date if she knew you didn’t approve. Would you, for me, give her your blessing?” Matilda scowled. “Why do you want her to date him so bad?” “It’s not about him, it’s just the fact she’s willing to try. ” “Why? What’s the big deal?” “Terrible people did terrible things to your mom growing up. She lives with one foot in the present and one foot in the past. You’ve noticed, haven’t you? You called it the black tar feeling.” Matilda had more than felt it. She could see it in her eyes. Hear it on the nights she screamed in her sleep. The way she trailed off mid conversation. Matilda nodded in understanding. This was the blackness. “You really changed her life, Matilda, don’t ever doubt her love for you or your importance to her. No boyfriend is going to change that. Ever.” “I know why your doing this.” Matilda said softly. “Oh?” “You want my mom to date because you want someone to be able to take care of her if you die.” Matilda blurted out. “Because of the cancer.” Mrs. Rodgers stammered for a bit. “You won’t.” She stared at Matilda a moment. “Not until your 87 and get hit by a car.” Mrs. Rodgers smiled sadly for a moment. “You had me there for a minute. How could you possibly know that?” Matilda shrugged. “How do I know what 3,476 times 486 is?” Mrs Rodgers studied her face. “You are joking, right?” “I guess you’ll just have to keep living and find out.” Matilda said with a straight face. Mrs. Rodgers playfully shoved her head. “I don’t have cancer. I just want her to be happy is all, she deserves it.” Mrs. Rodgers said as they walked over to the next enclosure hand in hand. “And you think a boyfriend is going to make her happy?” “No, but love might.” “That sounds really corny.” Matilda said flatly. Mrs. Rodgers chuckled. “Yeah, it did. I’m sorry, I forgot who I’m talking to. I can’t get away with fairy tails with you.” She thought about it for a moment and resumed. “The scientific pros of having a husband, uhh, a greater sense of secuity, more financial stability…” “Could her ‘Greater Sense of Security’ not already have three kids?” Matilda grumbled. Mrs. Rodgers chuckled. “So that’s what’s eating you.” Matilda shrugged. “Well, I don’t know what his kids are like, but you get along with Hortensia, don’t you? Not many people do.” “I told you, she’s different. She’s no help anyway, she likes them.” Matilda rolled her eyes. “Here’s the thing, more likely than not, they’ll go to dinner a few times, spend a little time together without a hoard of children, and things will fizzle out on their own. You don’t even know for sure if he likes her back.” “He’s cleaning her ducts for her on a Friday night.” “Yeah, good point.” Mrs. Rodgers said. “Maybe this idea will cheer you up. What if he takes her dancing?” Matilda stared at her. “How’s that going to cheer me up?” “Would you feel safe dancing with Jennifer?” Mrs. Rodgers asked. Matilda snorted and shook her head. “She’ll step on his feet.” “Give him a bloody nose.” “A black eye.” “Break a few ribs.” Matilda giggled at the thought. Maybe she didn’t need to sabotage this after all. “Oh, I know a dance she could do.” Matilda said. “What’s that?” “The nut cracker.” Mrs. Rodgers snorted. “Do you really not have cancer?” Matilda asked after a minute. “No. I’m still in remission.” She frowned for a moment. “Can you sense it or something? Should I get checked?” “No, I just noticed you get a lot of mail from the cancer society and guessed.” She felt a hand lightly smack her in the back of the head. “You trying to give me a heart attack, lass?” “Sorry,” Matilda said with a guilty grin. They enjoyed the zoo for a few more hours, but something Mrs. Rodgers said was bothering her. “You said terrible people.” Matilda said out loud as they got back in the car. Mrs. Rodgers gave her a puzzled look. “Earlier, you said terrible people did terrible things to my mom. As in more than one person.” She could see Mrs. Rodgers lips turn inward and almost disappear. “I misspoke.” Mrs. Rodgers said. “Was there someone else, besides Miss Trunchbull?” “No Matilda, I just misspoke.” Matilda could tell by the way her hands clenched the steering wheel she hadn’t. “Is that the other part of the story?” Matilda asked. “Forget I said anything.” “Mrs. Rodgers-” “No Matilda!” Mrs. Rodgers said so sternly Matilda quieted at once. “It’s just a hunch, it’s just…a terrible hunch.” “Worse than what Miss Trunchbull did to her?” Mrs. Rodgers gave her a pained smile. “I only know what I saw.” Mrs. Rodgers said. “And before you ask- no, I’m not telling you. I never even told Jenny. I’ll probably take this to my grave.” “Thirty more years is a long time to keep a secret.” Matilda said. “Thirty more years? Oh, right, 87. Got to make sure I look both ways. Those busses.” “A double decker.” “A double decker is what does me in? Oof.” Mrs. Rodgers said with a faint smile. “So will you let this play out on its own?” “Fine.” Matilda grumbled. “But only cause I want to see how many bones of his she breaks.”

Text “What made you so mad?” Matilda asked as she sat at her easel in the backyard and watched Hortensia go to town on the punching bag. “Stupid” Pound. “Doctors.” Pound. Hortensia grunted before slamming herself into the bag. “What happened?” Matilda asked curiously. She set her paint bucket down and opened the lid for the red paint. She dumped her brush in and went to work. “They won’t take me off the pills!” Hortensia complained. “It’s those stupid things that are making me… Ugh!” She grunted and let out a barrage of hits. “Weren’t you already doing that before?” Matilda asked before squinting at Hortensia, then back at her painting. “Not this bad.” Hortensia grumbled. “It was just once or twice.” “Four times!” Matilda coughed into her arm. Hortensia gave her a dirty look before resuming her workout. “Hold still, I can’t get the angle right.” She pretended to frame Hortensia with her hands, a paint brush held between her teeth. Hortensia scowled. “What are you painting?” Hortensia asked slowly. “You.” Matilda answered before returning her focus to the page. She grinned before giggling. Hortensia raised a suspicious brow and stormed over. “What the hell is that supposed to be?” Hortensia asked. “It looks like a cryptid!” There were four legs on a horse's body, at least it was supposed to be a horse’s body, but she had goofed on the height . And Width. And shape. Instead of a horse’s head,(not like she could paint that anyway) she had added a blond girl's head. “Horsetensia.” Matilda giggled. “If you’re trying to draw a centaur, it’s at the waist, not just the head. ” Hortensia scoffed. Matilda painted boobs on it. “Oh my god.” Hortensia chuckled. “That looks nothing like me.” “You're right.” Matilda grabbed the brush and made a yellow puddle under it. “That’s better.” She felt the brush get ripped from her hands as Hortensia dipped it in another color. “Then this will be you.” She drew a crude person followed by a brown trail. “Hey! That’s mean.” Matilda pouted. “I was sick.” Hortensia dipped the brush in green and left another pile by her feet. “Hey, girls, whatcha doing?” They looked up to find Brian hovering over them. “Just. Playing.” Matilda said nervously. She looked at their crude work of art and cringed. “Cool giraffe! Hey Jenny, check this out!” He called. Matilda flinched as she heard her mom come over. “Check out the giraffe! She even drew it sideways!” He took the page and flipped it on its side. Huh, it did look like a giraffe. “See, honey, I told you if you keep it up you’ll get better!” Jennifer praised. “This one is my favorite. I’ll put this on the fridge!” Hortensia was in near hysterics. “Is Hazel here?” Matilda asked. Hortensia flinched and whipped her head around. Matilda snickered. Hazel had been following the older girl around like a lost puppy ever since they had gone to the skatepark a few weeks ago. Matilda found it amusing. The younger kids at school were terrified of her, but nothing Hortensia did could shake this one. Not even shocking her with tales of toilet swirlies to the other “runts her age” seemed to shake her of her blind idolization. To her, Hortensia could do no wrong. Hortensia clearly didn’t know how to react to this. She was used to things like : Fear. Intolerance. Avoidance. Not worship. Hazel had been coming over a lot lately. (Her fancy private school clearly hadn’t covered personal space.) Which meant that he was coming over a lot lately. Matilda sighed. She had thought the age gap would have ended things between them. But thanks to Hazel’s Hortensia fixation and Brian’s inability to say “no”, they had been spending even more time together. “No, I’m not staying long.” Brian said. “Just came to look at the A/C.” Hortensia’s shoulders relaxed. Matilda frowned. So this visit wasn’t Hazel’s doing. He had come solely on Jennifer’s request. Worse. To do her a favor. Her eyes narrowed. She looked at the lights and began to make the bulbs shake. He eyed the flickering patio lights. “And maybe the breaker.” She released the power and scowled. She had been forced to resort to silly tricks to make the house look haunted. She had gotten the idea from Hortensia, who had begged her to make her look possessed in front of Brian so he’d stop bringing Hazel around. Matilda had rolled her eyes. She knew damn well Hazel would think it was the coolest thing ever. She just wanted to show off for her. “You should have made the leaves spell ‘GET OUT’.” Hortensia laughed after he had gone back inside. “Or made the brush spell out ‘DIE’ in red paint.” “Jenny would kill me if I painted the patio.” Matilda said. “She’s weird about this place. She wasn’t this borderline neurotic about messes before we moved here.” Just the other day she had seen a few snack wrappers on the floor by the couch and almost had a panic attack. “Besides, it's too obvious. If he ran out screaming Jenny would know it was me. I’m trying to be subtle, make him slowly question his sanity. Make him feel uneasy here. ” “Yeah, uh-huh. Great job with that.” Hortensia said, looking in the kitchen. Matilda peeked her head in. He was sitting there having a cup of tea with her! Her anger was immediately replaced with a sense of excitement at a sudden “Whoo Whoo” coming from the large oak tree. Matilda looked up and beamed. Yes! She won! Double the arcade tokens! “Mom!” Matilda yelled running into the house. “I told you Mrs. Rodgers would send her owl if you didn’t call her back.” “Her…owl?” Brian asked, looking puzzled. They both flinched back as a large brown owl flew in the open door Matilda held open. Whodini opened his beak and dropped a letter in a very startled looking woman’s lap, before landing on the kitchen table. He hopped over and began to nibble at a plate of snacks. Both Jennifer and Brian stood and stared in shock as the large bird of prey had its way with a lemon bar. Jennifer looked to the fridge for the broom. “Hi, Whodini!” Matilda cooed as she approached the table. She stuck out her fingers and lightly stroked the bird's head. The owl hooted contentedly. Matilda had spent enough time with him to have gotten over her fear of the large bird. Clearly, Jennifer had not. “This, uh, yours?” Brian laughed nervously. “No.” Jennifer said wide eyed. “No way, he really does deliver post.” Hortensia said. “I thought Mrs. Rodgers was full of shite.” “Language!” Jennifer said. She was apparently not startled enough to ignore Hortensia’s foul mouth. In another attempt to discourage Hazel’s presence. Hortensia had taken up swearing as much as possible in order to reinforce that she was not, in fact, a good influence. Matilda had a suspicion it was just another attempt at showing off. The closest he had come to acknowledging her behavior was asking if she had an older brother. Jennifer, on the other hand, looked like she would have a stroke any day now. She had even gone as far as to put the preteen in the corner for fifteen minutes. Matilda had earned herself five when she couldn’t stop laughing. “Uh, shoo…” Jennifer lamely waved her hands at him. Whodini did not look up from his feast. Matilda bent down and picked up the scrap of paper he had dropped. She read the note, grinned, and handed it over. She was already planning on just how she’d use those extra tokens. The moment Jennifer had touched the paper, the bird took flight, leaving a trail of feathers and crumbs. “What just happened?” Brian asked with a nervous laugh. “Did that owl just bring you a letter? Are you lot secretly a coven or something?” “Yes.” Matilda and Hortensia said together. “All hail High Priestess Honey.” Matilda threw in a bow, arms splayed out in front of her. Jennifer rolled her eyes. “I’ll be right back.” Jennifer sighed. “I have to make a phone call.” “Ah, I thought she was a headmistress, not a priestess. My mistake.” Brian said as she made her way to the other side of the kitchen to the phone. “He belongs to our school’s nurse.” Hortensia said. “Your mom wasn’t kidding about your school being out of date then.” “She’s not my mom.” Hortensia muttered. “He’s her pet.” Matilda threw in to fill the uncomfortable silence. “Ah, a bird lady.” He said with a forced smile. “Is she eccentric?” “A little.” “You know there’s a thing called a phone, Carol.” they heard Jennifer say into the receiver. Matilda could just imagine the voice on the other end asking, “Then why haven’t you used it?” More awkward silence filled the kitchen. “Now’s not really a good time. I have someone over.” A pause. “He’s a friend.” An exasperated sigh. “Yes, I have a man over.” She shut her eyes in annoyance “No, he’s not Mr. Trilby.” Another sigh. “No, Carol, that’s really not necc-” She pulled the receiver away and looked at it. She gave Brian a sympathetic smile before her face soured. “Carol’s coming. I don’t need her trying to be my parent!” Brian grinned. “Are you going to hide me in the attic from mother?” “She’s not my mother.” Jennifer scowled. “Seems to be a touchy subject here today.” Brian said, shifting uncomfortably. “I’ll, uh, go look at the air conditioner now.” He picked an owl feather off the table and twirled it around in his fingers while Jennifer led him upstairs. Matilda followed them. “You mind staying downstairs and letting Mrs. Rodgers inside when she gets here?” Jennifer asked once she noticed the girl's presence. Matilda frowned as her eyes lingered on the pair of them standing over the thermostat. She wasn’t a fan of the two of them alone together. Jennifer seemed to be under the delusion he was content with friendship, but Matilda had seen the way his eyes lingered on her. Worst of all was seeing how giddy she was when he was around. It made her feel sick to her stomach. “What are you doing?” Matilda asked instead. “Matilda.” Jennifer said. “Just taking a look at the air ducts, nothing too fun.” Brian said as he unscrewed a ventilation plate. “You won’t miss anything.” He turned his attention back to Jennifer. “Do you have a ladder?” “There’s one in the basement, I’ll get it.” Jennifer said. “Matilda, leave him alone. He’s doing us a favor.” “What’s wrong with the vents? I can fix it, I just need to read about it.” Matilda insisted. “You kids keep getting sick in the night, that’s what’s wrong.” Jennifer said. “Maybe something died in there and it’s blowing into your rooms, now leave him alone.” “She’s fine.” Brian said. He flashed her a smile. “You want to come help? Think you can hold the flashlight for me?” Matilda shrugged and stepped forward. If it meant keeping an eye on them… Jennifer shook her head as she went downstairs. “You think there’s something dead in there?” Matilda asked, face scrunched in disgust. “Probably not. I think you’d smell it.” Brian said. He stuck his hand up and stood on his tip toes. “Well, I feel cold air blowing. Maybe it’s just dirty. Are you coughing? Is that what she meant by getting sick?” “Throwing up.” Matilda said. Brian frowned. “I don’t see how that’s from the vents…unless…” His frown deepened. “How old is this place?” “Prehistoric.” Matilda said with a shrug. Brian’s lips twitched in a smile. May as well reinforce the idea of a haunted house. “Oh, so you think there might be a dead dinosaur in there?” Matilda shuddered. “Better than a live one.” Although the thought of a raptor mauling him did sound appealing. She took a step back just in case. Dinosaurs may be long extinct, but maybe there was a rabid possum. Her pleasant thoughts of Brian’s dismemberment were interrupted by a grunting sound coming up the stairs. She headed over to the landing to find Jennifer fighting a losing battle with the ladder. She focused her eyes and lifted it before Jennifer took herself out. Lord knew she was accident prone enough. “Thank you.” Jennifer silently mouthed as she walked up the stairs with it. She leaned it against the wall. Brian grabbed it and let out a surprised grunt. He tried again to lift it, but the ladder wouldn’t budge. Matilda grinned as she continued to apply force. Let’s see how attractive she finds you now, she thought. “How on earth did you get this up the stairs?” Brian grunted. He pulled and strained with all his might. “Knock it off.” Jennifer hissed in her ear. Matilda released the power and Brian went flying backwards, sliding down the opposite wall. Jennifer glared at her. “What? You told me to stop.” Matilda mumbled. “Downstairs. Now.” Jennifer growled. “Sorry, um, my daughter had her foot on it.” Brian stared up at the girl who couldn’t weigh more than 25 kilograms. He looked unconvinced. “Must be heavier than she looks?” Brian asked, taking Jennifer’s offered hand up. “Must be that large brain of hers.” “Half IQ, half attitude.” Jennifer said with a roll of her eyes. She shot Matilda another warning glare and pointed down the hall. Matilda went. She made a show of noisily stomping down the stairs, before sneaking back up on tiptoes. She watched them from around the corner for a few minutes until a voice in her ear made her jump. “So who's the guy?” Matilda spun to find Mrs. Rodger’s grinning. She groaned and shook her head. “He’s awful!” Matilda complained. “Give me a minute, then fill me in. I want all the details.” She watched as Mrs. Rodger’s made her presence known, talked for a few minutes and led Matilda back down the stairs. The older woman made Hortensia, Matilda and herself a cup of tea before sitting down at the kitchen table. “So?” “She met him when we went camping.” Matilda said sullenly. “She didn’t tell me this.” Mrs. Rodgers said with a frown. “Why do you say he’s awful?” “He’s not awful.” Hortensia said with a roll of her eyes. “You just don’t like Miss Honey having a boyfriend.” Mrs. Rodgers eyebrows shot up. “He’s not her boyfriend.” Matilda growled. Not if she could help it. “But why is he awful?” “He’s always around, inserting himself. She acts totally different around him. It’s annoying.” Matilda complained. Mrs. Rodgers chuckled. She listed off more and more things, but everything she said only seemed to make her…happier? “Don’t laugh! I’m serious!” “I’m sure you are, Matilda, but what you're describing isn’t a bad thing.” “Yes! It is! It’s terrible! He’s ruining everything!” Matilda got up from the table and stormed into the backyard. No one followed her. Good. She saw the punching bag. She imagined his stupid face. Matilda pulled her fist back and let it fly. She let out a howl of pain. She clutched her throbbing fist in her other hand and jumped up and down. How did Hortensia not hurt herself? She clenched and unclenched her fist a couple times as she paced around the backyard, until the pain subsided. Maybe she’d just paint him getting punched instead. Matilda sat at her easel and thought about what she’d make. Punching him didn’t seem good enough. She smiled as she thought of a possum in the air ducts. Yes, that was better. She looked around for her paintbrush but she couldn’t find it. She frowned. She thought for sure she had left it right there. She got up and looked underneath. She winced when she noticed the splotches of red paint on the patio. She’d have to clean that up before Jenny saw it or else she’d be spending eternity in the kitchen corner. Her desire to keep this place clean was starting to border on obsession. She’d deal with it later though, for now… Matilda resumed her hunt for her paintbrush. It wasn’t in her easel tray where she thought she had left it. It wasn’t under it. Or on the patio. Or in the grass. Finally, after fifteen minutes of searching, she gave up. Bummer, it was her favorite one. It was big and easy to grip, not like these tiny ones she constantly dropped every couple minutes. She dug through her supplies and pulled out a much smaller brush, dunked it in the closest paint color and proceeded to paint Brian getting mauled by a possum in the air vents. She frowned as she studied her work. It looked more like a stick figure and a dust bunny. Blood! That’s what her painting needed. She went to dip her brush in the red paint and froze. Where did her red jar go? She groaned in frustration. Who had been moving her stuff?! She had left it right here an hour ago! First her brush and now her paint? Her eyes fell to the splotch of red on the patio. She hadn’t remembered ever painting over there. She got up and walked over to it before she bent down to examine it. She put her finger in it. It was still wet. That was weird. Her “giraffe” was completely dry. She looked ahead. Another splotch of paint. And another. Now she knew this wasn’t her. Matilda followed the trail around the side of the house and through the gate to the front yard. Had someone taken her stuff to the rubbage? She followed the trail until she got to the driveway. There was her brush! And her red paint! She frowned. It was knocked over on its side, a trail of red paint was running down the driveway. Jenny was going to kill her. She bent down to pick up her stuff when she heard the front door open. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’m just going to run to the hardware store- Oh, hey, what are you doing out here?” Brian asked. He came towards her and froze. Jenny came out, saw her and frowned. Then her eyes flicked to the car. Matilda saw her face go white followed by a bright shade of red. Overreacting about the mess as usual, Matilda thought, until Mrs. Rodgers came out as well. “Matilda…what did you do?” Mrs. Rodgers asked solemnly. Matilda frowned. “Nothing.” Matilda said. She followed their stares and blanched. Painted on the windshield of Jenny’s car were the letters S-L-A-G B-I-T-C-H in bright red paint. Matilda let the paint can and brush fall from her hands. … “I. DIDN’T. DO. IT!” Matilda yelled. She was on her feet glaring daggers at Dr. Reinfield. She was vaguely aware paintings and a copy of her diploma mounted to the wall had begun to rise in the air. Miss Honey snapped her fingers in front of her face. “PUMPKINS! PUMPKINS! PUMPKINS!” “DROP THEM!” Miss Honey shouted. Matilda turned to stare down Jennifer. “Drop them.” Jennifer repeated. Matilda took a deep breath and released the power. The glass picture frames shattered as they hit the ground. Jennifer winced. “Pumpkins?” Dr. Reinfield asked, ignoring the destruction of her office decor. “It’s our safe word.” Jennifer explained. “If I’ve gone too far.” “Some safe word.” Matilda scoffed. She must have yelled it at her fifty times last night. Her bottom still stung. Jennifer was so angry. She had actually spanked her! She couldn’t believe it! Matilda had refused to speak to her all last night and this morning. “You were caught with the brush and paint in your hands!” Jennifer said for the umteenth time. “Why?” Matilda heard softly behind her. “You know what those kinds of insults mean to me.” “AND YOU KNOW WHAT BEING ACCUSED OF THINGS I DIDN’T DO MEANS TO ME!” Matilda screamed at her. Jennifer flinched back. “Matilda, let’s use your inside voice.” Dr. Reinfield said. “If there’s a problem, we’ll talk about it.” “NO! I’M TIRED OF NO ONE LISTENING TO ME! WHAT GOOD IS A SAFEWORD IF YOU DON’T STOP?” “Is this why you’re so angry?” Dr. Reinfield asked calmly. “Yes.” Matilda said in her regular voice. Tears were streaming down her face. “Matilda, kids don’t get safewords. What’s to keep them from using it to try and get out of a punishment?” Dr. Reinfield asked. “Trust.” Matilda said softly. “What about all the stuff you did at the daycare when you said it wasn’t you? How is Jennifer supposed to take your word for it? You have a history of acting out when something is bothering you. You’ve made it clear Jennifer’s relationship with Brian bothers you.” “Then why do you keep seeing him if you know it bothers me?!” Matilda demanded. Jennifer stammered. “Your mom has a right to keep seeing him if she wants. You don’t get to dictate who she can and can’t see. Especially if he’s done nothing to you. From what I've heard, he’s treated you better than your own father did.” “That’s not a very high bar.” Matilda grumbled. “Fine! I did all those things at the daycare! Everything except smearing poop on the walls! Happy?” “Trust takes time to build. It doesn’t happen overnight. You lied to us, Matilda. You told her you didn’t do those things. Now you’re saying you didn’t do this. How do you expect her to believe you?” “But did I ever say the safeword?” Matilda asked. Jennifer’s shoulders slumped forward. “No.” Jennifer said softly.

Thank you 🙏 always nice to know people are still following this. I just got on a cruise ship, I’ll keep writing but once I turn on the wi-fi it won’t let me on this website cause it’s a “porn site” but if I finish a chapter I’ll post it on my a03 account.

Jennifer was learning to tell what kind of night Hortensia had had by the way she came down the stairs in the morning. The loud approaching stomping signaled it had not gone well. Sure enough, Jennifer saw she had her pajamas balled up in the crook of her arm. She flashed Hortensia a sympathetic smile as she stormed past her and stuffed the bundle into the washer before loudly plopping down at the table. “Try not to let it bother you so much. It’s out of your control.” Jennifer said, trying to be reassuring. “Let it go.” “I think she already did.” Matilda snickered. “Matilda!” Jennifer admonished. “That was uncalled for!” The little brunette girl sank a bit in her seat. “I would have thought you of all people would be more understanding.” “I was just joking.” Matilda grumbled. “How would you feel if I made fun of you when you were having accidents?” “You called me ‘Sally the Super Soaker’ to Mrs. Rodgers.” Matilda mumbled. Hortensia snorted. Jennifer silently cursed her photographic memory and cleared her throat. “Anyway, after you two are done eating, go get ready to leave. I have some work to do in the office today.” “Are we going to Mrs. Rodgers’ house?” Matilda asked. “No,” Jennifer said, setting plates down in front of each of them. “I figured I'd take you to the school with me.” “During the summer?” Hortensia balked. “Why can’t we just stay here?” “Because I have a surprise for you two.” Jennifer said. And because she didn’t trust them not to blow the house up while she was gone. She opened a small orange bottle and dumped a tiny yellow pill into her palm before setting it down in front of Hortensia’s plate. She pulled her own out of the kitchen cabinet and made a show of it. Normally, she kept it in her bathroom and took it while she got ready in the morning, but she was trying to make it a point to take it in front of Hortensia. Jennifer watched as she reluctantly picked it up and glared at it. “Do I have to?” Hortensia grumbled. They went through this every morning. “It makes me sleepy.” “Yes,” Jennifer said. “Give it another week or two. You’ll get used to it.” It had made her drowsy as well when she had first started it. She felt a tiny pang of guilt. Hortensia may not be enjoying it, but she was much more docile when she didn’t have the energy to argue. “It’s making it worse.” Hortensia complained. “I promise I’ll call the Dr. today, alright?” Jennifer relented. “Maybe the dose is a little high for you, but it might just take time for your body to get used to it.” Hortensia scowled at the little pill for a moment longer before letting out an exaggerated sigh and swallowed it. “What’s the surprise?” Hortensia asked. “You’ll have to wait and see.” “Hey, mom?” Matilda asked. “Are you and Mrs. Rodgers fighting?” Jennifer froze mid bite of toast. “No.” she answered after a pause. “Then why aren’t you returning any of her calls?” Matilda asked. Jennifer inwardly flinched and set her half eaten toast down. “I’ve been busy is all.” “You’ve been acting differently since you picked me up.” “Different how?” Matilda shrugged. “You just are.” It wasn’t that they were fighting, Jennifer just didn’t feel like talking to her. She had called at least seven times in the last two weeks, but Jennifer found herself “too busy” to answer the phone. She wasn’t on her list of favorite people at the moment. It was like she had wanted Jennifer to be upset with her, and well, she had succeeded. The ache in her chest began throb again at the thought. Why did she have to go and open old wounds? “Is she dating Mr. Trilby?” Matilda asked. “Eww.” Hortensia said with a laugh. “He smells like… tobacco and rotting cabbage.” She had hoped Carol wouldn't stoop so low as to mess around with a married man, but she realized she didn’t really know her that well anymore. Or if she had really known her at all. Another pang of sadness filled her. “He’s married.” Jennifer said. “I think they're just friends.” She hoped. “Finish eating, we need to leave soon.” … “Woah!” Matilda and Hortensia said in unison. Their faces lit with both wonder and excitement while their jaws hung open. Miss Honey’s eyes gleamed with delight at their enthusiasm. The board had advised against it, said they didn’t have the funds, but Jennifer had insisted until they caved. The kids of this school had been through so much under Trunchbull's reign of terror. The least Jennifer could do was make sure they had a proper playground. “Go on.” Miss Honey beamed. “You guys can be the first to test it out.” They both took off like Jennifer told them there was a fifty hidden in the sand. She smiled as she left them to it and headed into the office. It was nothing compared to the daycare she had sent Matilda to, but compared to what they had had… It was a miracle none of the kids had gotten tetanus. She scowled at the thought of how she had gotten the funds. Jennifer had been so sure Agatha had been stealing from the school to pay off Carol and Eve and hiding it in the textbook purchase order. But when this year's invoice came, she found she was being charged the same absurd amount. The order hadn’t been faked. Her aunt hadn’t been embezzling funds at all. She was just really bad at running a school. Both from the education side, and the business side. All it had taken was a single, “Thanks, but no thanks.” and taking her business to the other book distributor in town and suddenly all her requests for the school were being approved. Suddenly, they did have money for fresh paint, new desks, and better food. She had been counting on them realizing she was a terrible fit for the position. She had planned to be back to the Year 1 classroom by the next school year. Now they had the false idea that she could do this. She would fall flat on her face if they put her on such a high pedestal. It wasn’t her that had found the issue after all. It was a student! And she couldn’t very well tell them her first act as Headmistress was to let a five and ten year old at the books. She was only delaying the inevitable. If she was going to get removed, which she was ninety percent sure she would, she was going to change this place as much as she could before she did. Last she heard things were getting messy with their old book supplier. The education board was demanding the refund for the six years of overpayment or face jail time. That was, what, 20 pounds a book times six books per student times ninety students times six years. It was not a good day to be ACR Publishing. Something still bugged Jennifer. It was six years. Everything still kept coming back to six years ago. It couldn’t be a coincidence it happened at the same time. But what would a publishing company have to do with any of this? She didn’t think Eve or Carol had anything to do with ACR, but who knows? Maybe Carol had slept with someone there… She shook the unpleasant thoughts out of her head and pushed them down as she made her way to the office. She didn’t have time to dwell on these things. She had class schedules to make. Once she reached her desk she sat down with a wince. Not from the bug bites, but a new injury- her hip. Hortensia had been itching to go to the skate park, Jennifer hadn’t known she knew how to skate, but according to her she could do most things on wheels. And it turned out she had, quite well, surprisingly. It had taken Jennifer by surprise. She had had the impression Hortensia was like a couch potato. Matilda was just happy to do anything that wasn’t sitting in front of the telly. Unfortunately for her, having a large IQ had not helped find her center of gravity in the slightest. She was often running inside in tears with some new scrape or cut. She had accumulated quite a few of them in the last couple weeks. Finally, some normal kid injuries. Miss Honey was just glad to see her trying new things; not stuck up in her room all the time reading. She silently laughed at a memory. Jennifer had never even thought it would ever interest Matilda. She had only taken the girls at Hortensia’s request. Matilda hadn’t been too keen on the idea, but Jennifer had promised ‘Tens could pick the next activity they did as a reward for good behavior. She really had been trying. So to the arcade they had went. She had mentally given Matilda five minutes before she started complaining she was bored, but from the very moment they had stepped in the building, Matilda’s eyes had gone as large as saucers. She was hooked. Who would have thought Matilda would enjoy something as mindless as video games? On the surface, she begrudgingly accepted her daughter’s non- academic hobbies, but on the inside she was raising her closed fist in victory as she saw the other kids’ fingers fly over the buttons. Finally, something to help her with her dexterity. Her powers and intellect did her no good here. Thanks to their new shared hobby, Jennifer was discovering another added benefit. Video games cost money. With the promise of a couple quid each if certain chores got done, Jennifer was discovering a lighter load of housework. And alone time. She had seen how their brains shut off the moment they stood in front of a cabinet. Jennifer could trust they’d stay out of trouble by themselves if they promised to stay together. Hortensia’s presence was growing on her, she had to admit. Now that Matilda was more and more occupied, Jennifer was discovering she had time for other things. She could catch up on housework, or read without a certain little one ruining the end for her. She could take a bath, take a nap… have secret phone conversations with Brian… Sometimes she just needed to talk to another adult. Another parent. He was easy to talk to. They never talked about anything deep, or personal. Mostly they just talked about the kids. They had made a game of it, trying to one up each other over who’s kid would cause the most trouble if left alone unsupervised. So she told him how Matilda had put edibles in the pancakes, and he told her about Hazel offering him a bar of chocolate. It wasn’t until half way to drop the kids off at school in the morning did he realize too late Hazel had gotten into the laxatives. She had taken a bite expecting sweets, found it gross, and handed him the rest. He had consumed the equivalent of six doses. The kids had been over an hour late to school. “You got me!” Jennifer said with a laugh. “I just ate a whole pizza by myself and took a nap.” She left out the part about crying herself to sleep and letting her best friend stick her fingers up inside her. She winced at the implications that thought did without context. “That sounds so much better than fighting for your life for an hour and a half in a run down petrol station loo with three kids banging on the door wondering what’s taking you so long.” Jennifer snorted. He talked about taking the kids to the skate park. Jennifer mentioned Hortensia had been asking to go. Then they had all met yesterday at the Aylesbury skate park. If Matilda thought she’d be on the same level as Hazel was on a skateboard, she had been sorely mistaken. Jennifer could still see the look of shock in Matilda’s eyes as Hazel ran forward, jumped on her board, and went down a ramp to join the others. “You can’t be the best at everything, sweetheart.” Jennifer said as Matilda slumped down on the bench. “I didn’t think i’d be the only one who couldn’t ride a skateboard.” Matilda grumbled. “Hazel’s been skating since she could walk.” Brian said. “She wants to do everything her big brothers do.” He let out a sigh. “I really appreciate you coming all this way. I was hoping Hazel would get to see her again.” She looked at him confused. “What?” Jennifer asked with a laugh. Hazel had left Matilda, who was he talking about? She gazed across the park and her mouth nearly hung open. Hazel and Hortensia were skating together and laughing at something. Jennifer’s brain whirled. She had thought he was using her so Hazel could play with Matilda, not Hortensia. “Hazel’s a complete Tomboy, wants to do everything her brothers do. That means dirtbikes, football, skateboarding, and video games.” Brian said as he counted off on his fingers. “Some girls at her summer camp have been giving her a hard time about it and saying girls can’t like those sorts of things. Now she’s self conscious and trying to be girly, and it’s just not like her.” She could see Matilda’s brain spinning as she listened nearby. “So she doesn’t really like Pollie Pockets?” Matilda asked. “She found that thing a week ago in the street.” Brian laughed. “I don’t think she ever knew what a Pollie Pocket was.” She could see Matilda’s shoulders slump forward with relief. “So if she liked football, why’d you keep her down from playing with them at the camp?” Jennifer asked. “So Matilda could have someone to play with.” Brian said. “I had assumed you would hold her back because of her eyes.” Jennifer laughed. “I kept her back because you kept Hazel back and I wanted Hazel to have someone to play with.” Jennifer said. They grinned at each other and shrugged. “I wanted her to see there are other girls who like this kind of thing.” “Oy! Matilda, aren't you coming?” Hortensia yelled from across the park. Jennifer watched as Matilda slowly rolled the skateboard to the edge of a small ramp and peeked down before backing away. At least she had enough common sense to know her limits, Jennifer thought to herself. “Here, come back.” Brian said as he walked over. Jennifer watched with rapt attention as he offered Matilda his hand. She hesitantly took it and he guided her down the ramp. She was beaming when she reached the bottom, Brian still holding onto her for support. Jennifer grinned and cheered. There was a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach as she watched him guide Matilda up and down various smaller ramps and dips. “You want to try?” He called out to her once he saw her watching them. “No.” Jennifer laughed. “C’mon!” He gestured her forward. She shook her head again and laughed, but found herself standing up and making her way forward. Matilda had every piece of safety equipment on money could buy, she had nothing. But it wasn’t like she was going to go down any ramps. She’d stand on it, kick out a couple times to satisfy them, and give it back. Matilda grinned at her and kicked her the board. Jennifer tested it out for a minute with her foot. Hortensia jumped off her board and came to a running stop. “Are you going to ride it?” Hortensia looked even more eager than Matilda. No pressure. Hortensia began to chant. “Miss Honey! Miss Honey!” Then Matilda joined in. And Brian. She stood on the board and kicked on the ground. In less than three seconds she found herself flat on her back. It was a good thing no one offered her drugs as a teen. Clearly she was powerless against peer pressure. “Oww,” she groaned as she sat up and checked herself over to make sure nothing was broken. “Are you alright?” Brian asked, standing over her. “Yeah,” Jennifer said as she wiggled everything to make sure it all still worked. He offered her a hand and she took it. “Good thing I’m still young.” “It hurts differently in your thirties.” He said with a laugh. “Good thing I have a ways to go.” She laughed. His smile faltered a bit. “How far?” He asked. “Are you asking a woman how old she is?” she asked in pretend shock. “Well, you’re the most accident prone woman i’ve ever met. I need to know if I should plan on driving you to the hospital again later, or preemptively call an ambulance now.” He teased. Jennifer blushed with embarrassment. She was as graceful as an ox, it was true, but she hadn’t lost her balance. It was like an invisible force had knocked her down. She ground her teeth together. Matilda… She was standing off to the side watching them. Hazel and the boys were watching from the other end. He was giving her a questioning look. “I’m twenty-three.” Jennifer said. His easy going grin fell, but maybe she was imagining it. “And you?” “Thirty-four.” He said with a grimace. Jennifer shrugged. He looked surprised by the gesture and waited for her to elaborate. “My other friend is almost sixty.” “Ah.” he said. He smiled again, but it wasn’t the same. “What?” she asked. “I thought you were older.” He admitted. “Our kids are the same age.’ “One is adopted, and the other is just staying with us for the summer.” Jennifer said. What did it matter? Weren’t they too old for the age difference to matter? “You’re a schools headmistress. Not many twenty-three year olds can say that.” The worst school in the district, but sure, she’d give him that. “It is an old lady job, isn’t it?” Jennifer asked with a grimace. “I think you need curls if you want to pull off that grumpy headmistress look.” Brian said with a sympathetic smile. “Hmm, no, a bun.” Jennifer said. She pulled her hair tight against her scalp. “The tighter the hair the stronger the desire to suck the happiness out of children.” He chuckled. Jennifer had waited until her and the girls were alone in the car before she rounded on Matilda. “I can’t believe you, Matilda.” Jennifer said. “I can’t believe you would stoop so low to try and make me look bad.” Matilda flinched looking genuinely confused. “I get that our friendship makes you upset but-” “What are you talking about?” “You knocked me off that skateboard. I could have gotten hurt, you know.” Matilda stared at her with disappointment written across her face. “I would never do anything to hurt you!” Matilda said. “I felt something invisible slam into me. You’re the only one I know with an ability like that.” Jennifer said. “Miss Honey?” Hortensia asked from the back seat. “Matilda was behind you the whole time.” “Yes?” “And you fell backwards.” “Okay…” “So if it was Matilda, wouldn’t you have gone …forward?” Jennifer opened her mouth to argue, but no argument came. It felt like she had been shoved backwards. There was no normal explanation for what she had felt, but Hortensia was right. She looked to Matilda, whose eyes were now brimming with tears. She felt a stab of regret for what she had said. “I…I don’t understand.” Jennifer said. “I was skating and then it was like something hit me in the chest.” “From the front.” Hortensia said. “From the front.” Jennifer agreed with a grimace. “Unless you saw what hit me?” Jennifer hoped. She had looked for a rogue football, something to explain what had happened, but all she had seen was Matilda. “Who was in front of you?” Hortensia asked. “Brian’s kids.” Jennifer said with a frown. “Maybe Matilda isn’t the only one pissed about you two dating.” Hortensia suggested. “We’re not dating!” Miss Honey laughed. “I mean, he’s eleven years older than me.” Jennifer let her head fall into her palm. “What’s wrong? I have a friend who's almost sixty.” She mocked her own voice. She didn’t need anyone to embarrass her. She could do it just fine on her own. She was surprised when she felt a pang of sadness in her chest. She had never allowed herself to fantasize about the “what ifs” They were friends. She had always known they would only be friends. But now there was this finality about it that disappointed her. That look in his eyes earlier. That was him realizing she wasn’t an option. For the best, she had a lot of crazy to hide. He probably dodged a bullet. She couldn’t do it. If it ever came to that, she knew she couldn’t do it. What kind of girlfriend would she be, being this terrified of intimacy? She had no business dating right now. She’d scoot as far away from her partner in bed as Hortensia did from her every night. “Maybe you’re just bad at skateboarding.” Matilda grumbled. Jennifer sighed. “You’re probably right.” Jennifer admitted. Maybe she had just fallen, saw Matilda, and assumed the cause was supernatural. What was more likely, she was bad at something she had never tried before, or two kids having supernatural powers? “I’m sorry.” Matilda liked to use her powers to play pranks. Like making Jennifer score a 37 on the first hole in mini golf. Matilda and Hortensia had found Jennifer’s growing frustration hilarious. No matter how perfect and straight the ball appeared to be going, once it got to the hole, it curved out of the way just a touch. By her 36th attempt, the reason the girls found it so funny finally clicked into place. “Matilda!” she had cried. The girls were in tears from laughing so hard. Jennifer walked the ball back to the start and tried again. Hole in two. It was a far cry from causing physical injury. By this morning, she had entirely convinced herself she had fallen off on her own. Until she saw the bruise on her chest. She had landed backwards. Something really had hit her. But what? She thought of how angry Matilda had been when Jennifer punished her for cracking Brian’s windshield over them exchanging phone numbers. She had sworn it wasn’t her. The only other person by the car was Hazel, but it couldn’t be. What were the chances of two kids with psychic powers? What was in the water in Aylesbury? Good thing things wouldn’t have worked out between them. She could only imagine what it would be like as they got older. Two supernatural forces fighting over one bathroom? Nope. She wanted to call and ask him, but how would that conversation go? “Hey, has anything weird and unexplainable been happening on your end? Why? Oh, no reason, but I think one of your kids might have tried to kill me with their mind…” “Hide the crazy, Jennifer.” she muttered to herself. “Talking to yourself isn’t a good start.” A voice said. Jennifer lifted her head to find Mrs. Pearl standing in the doorway of her office. Her face flushed with embarrassment. She had been so preoccupied she hadn’t heard her come in. “Good morning.” Jennifer forced a smile. “Good afternoon.” Mrs. Pearl said. “It’s nearly lunchtime.” Jennifer’s head swiveled until she faced the clock. 11:30? “Oh. the days slipping away.” She looked at the mess of papers scattered across her desk and tried to push them in a pile. “What are you doing here?” “Trying to fix up my classroom. I had a few things I wanted to hang up, but I needed some tape. I didn’t realize you were here.” “Oh, I think I have some.” she opened her desk and rooted around in it. She looked up when a second smaller set of footsteps approached. She looked up to find Matilda standing there looking worried. “What is it, sweetheart?” “I can’t find ‘Tens.” Matilda said. “I ran in to use the loo, but when I came back out she was gone.” Jennifer frowned. “I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.” Jennifer said. “Maybe you two just missed each other.” “Who’s ‘Tens?” Mrs. Pearl asked. “Matilda’s friend, Hortensia.” “I don’t know of any younger students by that name.” “Hortensia, you know, the older blond girl with the short pixie cut. She’ll be in your class this year.” Mrs. Pearl sniffed as if she smelled something unpleasant. “Oh. That Hortensia.” she shook her head. “ Her mom’s been in the news. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree apparently.” Jennifer forced another smile. “Well, I sent her off. She has no business here.” “She’s watching Matilda for me as I work.” Jennifer corrected. Mrs. Pearl's face fell. “I think you might want to consider a better babysitter. Aren’t you worried she’d be a bad influence?” Jennifer had no question of who the bad influence in the pair was. “She’s actually quite sweet once you get to know her.” Jennifer said. “Oh really, because she just called me an old hag and flipped me the bird.” Mrs. Pearl said. Jennifer closed her eyes and winced. “I will deal with her.” Jennifer said. She handed over a roll of tape. “I better go find her.” Jennifer left the room feeling frustrated. Here she was trying to help Hortensia, and she was already causing trouble with her new teacher before Jennifer had even had a chance to talk to her. She walked around the grounds with Matilda at her side, but she wasn’t anywhere to be found. She searched the bathrooms, and the classrooms, but Hortensia was gone. Finally she found her, sitting outside the school grounds with her back against the cinder block fence and her head in her knees. “Hortensia, why is your teacher already telling me you called her an ‘old hag’?” Jennifer demanded. Hortensia looked up at her. Jennifer’s stomach clenched. “What happened?” Jennifer asked. Her bottom lip was fat and bloody. “She hit me.” “What? Why?” Jennifer demanded. Hortensia shrugged. “When Matilda left, she came after me. Started hollering about how I wasn’t supposed to be there. I tried to explain I was with you and she hit me with the paddle.” “In the face!?” Jennifer asked. All the teachers had paddles under Agatha’s rules, even Jennifer, but she had refused to use it. She wasn’t even sure if they were allowed to use corporal punishment. Another thing the board had overlooked. New rule. No hitting the kids. She couldn’t believe she actually had to say that out loud. She had thought all this would stop once her aunt was gone. “That’s when I called her an ‘old hag’.” “Come inside.” Jennifer said. She offered Hortensia her hand, but she just stared up at her. “Let’s clean your lip. Rumor has it there’s actual medicine in the nurse’s office now.” Hortensia stood and followed her inside. “You should fire her.” Hortensia growled from the seat in the nurse's office before wincing as Jennifer patted her split lip with a wet paper towel. “There were several teachers I wanted to replace.” Jennifer whispered. “Unfortunately, it’s not up to me.” All those times her aunt had threatened to fire her, only to now learn she didn’t have the authority. All she could do was make recommendations. Turns out it was difficult to find teachers willing to work in a school with such a bad reputation. She would be writing a very strong letter of “recommendation” for her removal. She was under no illusion that she’d be replaced. She knew she’d still be there September 1st, but writing it had made her feel better. In the meantime, she had let Mrs. Pearl have it. Hortensia was still gushing about it over dinner, embellishing the story with every telling. “I swear, your mom made her cry! I saw tears running down her face when she left her office. It was so cool!” Hortensia said to Matilda. Jennifer had not made her cry. Mrs. Pearl had simply stared at her as if Jennifer had lost her mind when she had demanded she come up with alternative ways to dealing with misbehavior. … “...And here I thought he was only talking to me so his daughter could play with Matilda, not Hortensia.” Jennifer said with a small chuckle as she sat on Dr. Reinfield’s couch. The Dr. stared at her for a moment through her glasses before clearing her throat. “Does that worry you?” “No?” Jennifer asked, confused. “I know she can be a little rough around the edges sometimes, but I don’t think Hortensia is really that bad of an infl- “No, I meant, is the thought of him talking to you only for his daughter distressing to you?” “No? I mean, I am enjoying the company, though. I’m not very good at meeting people, so it's been nice having another parent to talk to. I guess I don’t really care why he’s talking to me, as long as he is.” “You sound fond of him.” “He’s…” Jennifer swallowed. “Nice. A good friend. He’s good with Matilda, he even held her hand and coaxed her down some ramps at the skatepark.” “Any thoughts of maybe… being more than friends?” Dr. Reinfield asked. “No, no. It's not like that.” Jennifer said quickly. “I mean, he’s eleven years older than me. I don’t think he’s okay with the age gap. He said he thought I was older.” “So you’d be okay with it?” Jennifer flushed. “I don’t know. I never considered it. It doesn’t matter.” “If the age gap wasn’t there, would you consider it?” “I don’t know.” She wanted to get off this subject. “I wouldn’t make a good girlfriend.” she mumbled. “Why do you say that?” Jennifer grimaced. She had too many problems. Too much baggage. Not to mention… “I just wouldn’t.” “Does the idea of being in a relationship scare you?” Jennifer averted her eyes and nodded. “What about it scares you?” “Everything. Just the thought of being touched, of anyone seeing…” “What about the thought of being loved?” That was the most terrifying of all.

Jennifer peeked in the rear view mirror as she drove back to Carol’s house to pick up Matilda. She had wanted to give Hortensia as much privacy as possible in case things got emotional without Matilda prying. Lord knew Jennifer had come out a mess more than once. She could see Hortensia wiping her eyes as she avoided looking in Jennifer’s direction. She didn’t know what they had talked about, and she wasn’t going to ask, but Dr. Reinfield had referred her to Psychiatry. She had been hoping she would. Luck had been on their side as he had been willing to see her right away, and had prescribed her an anti-anxiety medication. It was the same one he had prescribed Jennifer, but she couldn’t help but notice Hortensia’s was stronger, almost twice the dose. “I have homework for you.” Dr. Reinfield told Jennifer when she learned she had no set schedule for her. “What time do you put Matilda to bed?” “I usually tuck her in about 8-8:30.” “Nine for this one then.” “What?!” Hortensia had complained. “My mom never gave me a bedtime!” “And in that thirty to sixty minute window, I want you two to talk to each other, just the two of you. Every night. I don’t care what you talk about, it could be about telle, movies, books, the weather. Then I want you to tuck her in. Not just say ‘goodnight’ at the door, but actually tuck her in like you would Matilda. Then-” Dr. Reinfield turned and made eye contact with each of them. “I want you to read to her.” Hortensia’s mouth was hanging open wider and wider with every sentence. Even Jennifer’s eyebrows had shot up. She wasn’t opposed to the idea, just… surprised? Dr. Reinfield turned to Hortensia. “While she’s reading, I want you to close your eyes, listen, and work on the deep breathing I showed you.” “But…but…I’m eleven!” Hortensia said. “If anyone at school found out…” “Then don’t tell them. They don’t need to know.” Dr. Reinfield said with a shrug. “You may be eleven, but you’re a very, very stressed 11 year old. Starting your period is hard enough on its own, being separated from your family is hard enough on its own, being in an unfamiliar environment is hard enough on its own… Put them all together at once? Your body can’t handle all this. It’s crying out for help.” Hortensia scoffed and crossed her arms. “This is going to help you relax your nervous system, sleep better, and help ease the transition. You’re in desperate need of some T.L.C.” She could see Hortensia stiffen in her seat. “You know what that means, don’t you?” “Yeah…” Hortensia mumbled. “Tough Love and Correction.” Dr. Reinfield frowned. “Who told you that?” “My mom and Cynthia.” “T.L.C. stands for Tender Love and Care.” Hortensia screwed up her face in disgust. “A hug can be a powerful thing. I think a good hug would do wonders for you.” “No thanks.” Hortensia said, looking like she just ate something sour. “We’re not the touchy feely type.” “Don’t you find comfort when you hug your stuffed dog?” Miss Honey asked. Hortensia’s mouth fell open. Her face began to turn a shade crimson, and a look of betrayal crossed her features. “You-you promised you wouldn’t tell anyone about that!” “‘Tens’, this isn’t the place for you to hold back, alright?” Miss Honey said softly. She reached her hand out to lightly squeeze Hortensia’s shoulder, but the girl pulled away. “This is a place where you can be completely.. you. No one is here to judge you, and nothing you say will leave this room.” “Do you understand what Dr/ patient confidentiality is?” Dr. Reinfield asked. Hortensia shook her head. “As long as you don’t express interest in hurting yourself, or anyone else, I’m legally obligated to keep everything you say private. I won’t tell your mom, or Jennifer, or Matilda, or your school. It’s okay to want human connection. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” “I’m not embarrassed! I just don’t want it!” Hortensia growled. “Doesn’t that ever make you feel lonely? Keeping everything bottled up all the time?” “No.” “Then why are you crying?” … “Well, I don’t know about you, but I feel better about this.” Jennifer said as she drove. Hortensia still refused to look at her. “What do you think?” “I don’t want to go back.” Hortensia mumbled. Miss Honey frowned. “Therapy isn’t easy, ‘Tens. You have to work at it. You learn things about yourself, and yes, sometimes those things aren’t easy to accept. It can be painful.” she explained. “I’m proud of you.” Her words hung in the air. “I didn’t do anything.” Hortensia said after a minute of silence. “You did though. You opened up. You didn’t just sit there and refuse to talk.” “Wait, I can do that? Just sit there and not say anything?” “Nice try.” “Man, how’s treating me like a five-year-old supposed to do anything?” Hortensia groaned, returning to stare out the window. “I know how to read.” “You seemed to enjoy being read to last night.” “You weren’t reading to me! You were reading to Matilda.” “Okay, okay.” Miss Honey said, forgoing the desire to point out she had turned off the telle to listen in. “But let’s give it a try tonight and see how it goes.” “You’re not actually planning on following her bloody stupid idea?” “I am.” Miss Honey said. “I value her opinion. If she thinks it will help you, then yes, we’re going to do it.” “J'ai trois tétons.” Hortensia growled underneath her breath. Jennifer eyebrows knitted together. “What did you just say?” “Nothing.” Hortensia mumbled. “J'ai suivi des cours de français au lycée et au collège.” She could see Hortensia stiffen in the back seat. “I’m trying here, ‘Tens. Could you meet me halfway, please?” When they got to Carol’s house, Jennifer rang the doorbell. “It’s unlocked!” She could hear from an open window. She let herself in and found the two of them seated at the kitchen table in front of a game of Scrabble. “Hi honey, have you been good for Mrs. Rodgers?” Jennifer asked, kissing the top of Matilda’s head. Mrs. Rodgers scoffed. “She’s been a little terror. If she had been good, she’d at least give us a chance.” Carol said. Matilda let out a mischievous laugh. “So,” Jennifer said, hands on her hips after she heard Hortensia excuse herself to use the restroom. “You mind telling me why your friend told me she has three nipples?” Matilda flashed her an innocent smile. “She should probably get that checked out?” Matilda said. Mrs. Rodgers was trying to stifle a laugh with her closed fist. “In french.” Jennifer went on. “And I got the strange feeling that’s not what she thought she was saying.” Matilda let out a nervous sounding laugh and sank lower in her chair. “You told me to stop teaching her swear words.” “Yes, but she still thinks you are. Can you not embarrass her right now?” There was a sudden loud crash followed by an angry shout of, “Ich habe einen Hodenhochstand!” Mrs. Rodgers let out a low whistle. “Three nipples and an undescended testacle? Someone didn’t win the genetic lottery.” “What else did you teach her?” Jennifer demanded. “у меня есть танкетка” Matilda said. “Which means?” “I have a wedgie.” Jennifer let out a long sigh and shook her head. “Was that Russian?” Mrs. Rodgers asked, sounding impressed. “How many languages can you speak, kid?” Hortensia came out from the back hall rubbing her shin. “You okay?” Jennifer asked. “Yeah, just kicked the door frame.” “And your testicles?” Mrs. Rodgers asked with a chuckle. “Sorry, testacle.” Matilda snickered and Jennifer shot them both a warning glare. “Huh?” Hortensia looked at each of them in turn looking for an explanation. Jennifer was not about to tell her. “Umm…remember those phrases I taught you a while ago…” Matilda said with a scared sounding laugh. “I lied. They weren’t swear words.” She sank lower in her seat as Hortensia narrowed her eyes at her. “So if they weren't swear words…what did I say?” “A few seconds ago, you said you had an undescended testicle.” Matilda admitted with a grimace. Hortensia’s face screwed up in what Jennifer assumed to be anger. She stepped into position to push her towards the back door, but Hortensia simply chuckled and took a seat. “You got me. Good one.” Jennifer stared at her feeling puzzled. Why wasn’t she blowing up? Why wasn’t she flipping the table over? Jennifer collapsed into the remaining empty seat. She noticed Jennifer eyeing her. “What?” “I thought you’d be mad.” Jennifer admitted. Hortensia screwed up her face. “Over a prank? Nah. It was funny.” Hortensia grinned. “Wait, so what did I say in the car earlier?” “Yes, ‘Tens, what did you think you said to me?” Miss Honey said, slipping into her teacher role and drumming her fingers on the table. Hortensia gulped. “Uhh… ‘you’re my favorite teacher?’” Hortensia said hopefully. The three of them laughed while Jennifer rolled her eyes. She looked down and noticed a third rack of tiles. “Is someone else here?” She asked, looking around the kitchen but seeing no one. Mrs. Rodgers winked at her. “He’s out back smoking a fag. Your wee lass here broke his spirit.” Matilda let out another mischievous laugh. Jennifer bristled. She knew Carol could be…promiscuous, but she wasn’t happy about her letting strange men around her daughter. “Carol!” Jennifer hissed. “Please…” she motioned to her daughter. Carol gave her a puzzled look. “You could have said ‘no’ if you had a date.” Carol stared at her a moment before she burst into laughter. The sliding glass door opened and a balding older man poked his head in and beamed at her. “Mr. Trilby!” Jennifer said, surprised and let out a nervous chuckle. “Are you enjoying retirement?” “I was until today.” He said with a frown and looked over the Scrabble board. “I was lured into a trap. Carol said I would be ‘challenged’ not ‘utterly defeated.’” Matilda snickered devilishly. Jennifer eyed the two of them curiously. Since when were they on a first name basis? And since when did she invite him over to play Scrabble? “I’m sorry,” Jennifer quickly stood. “I’m in your spot.” “If you can improve my score, by all means, stay.” Mr. Trilby said. “I’m sorry, no one can help you.” Jennifer said with a giggle. Hortensia came around and peeked at his tiles. “You can play ‘poop’.” Hortensia said. “There’s no hope for us, might as well.” Mrs. Rodgers said. They all laughed as Mr. Trilby played P-O-O-P for ten points. Matilda then played P-R-O-J-E-C-T-S using all seven tiles across a double word score, landing the “J” on a triple letter score that ended the game. “Oh, thank God, it’s over.” Carol said with a shake of her head. “Will you join us for lunch? I made a chicken alfredo. Way too much for the two of us.” “Oh, I don’t want to intrude.” Jennifer said. Mrs. Rodgers waved her words away and handed Matilda a stack of plates. “Kids, can you go set the table outside?” she asked before quickly adding to Matilda. “With your hands.” The girls went outback followed by Mr. Trilby a few moments later. “So how’d it go?” “She didn’t bite anyone.” Jennifer offered up with a shrug. “She’s not happy about it, but I thought it went well. Pretty sure she tried to tell me to go ‘F’ myself in French.” “Are you really going to do this? Take her in?” Mrs. Rodgers asked as she pulled a tray out of the oven. “She doesn’t have anywhere else to go.” Jennifer said. “It hasn’t been bad, except for last night. It was so sudden. She’s been put on medication, I’m hopeful that will help.” Jennifer frowned for a moment and debated bringing her drawings up. “She thinks the room is haunted. I tried to tell her it wasn’t and I think that’s what set her off.” “Haunted, huh?” “She says she remembers seeing this demonic face back from when we were all…” She let the sentence hang in the air. “She constantly draws it.” “Do you have these drawings with you?” “I do, actually.” She eyed Hortensia through the window, who was busy telling Mr. Trilby something, before digging through her backpack. She pulled out her notebook and opened it to find one of the sketches. She showed it to Carol who stared at it for a moment before letting out a sad chuckle. “I wondered if that was it.” she mused. Jennifer stared at her questioningly. “Come with me, I want to show you something.” Jennifer followed obediently to her bedroom and waited while Carol dug around in her closet. She could hear loud banging as things toppled onto the floor from the higher shelf. After a minute, Carol emerged holding a small cardboard box and handed it to her. Jennifer stared at the lid. There written in black marker was “Jennifer Honey. Age: 16,” followed by a date. She slowly removed the lid and peeked inside before letting herself collapse onto the bed. These were photographs of her. Of back then. She flipped through the pictures and winced. She looked terrible. So sickly and… She turned her head away at the graphic image. She knew it was her own body, but it was horrible. Carol slid the picture off the top and held it next to Hortensia’s drawing. She drew imaginary circles around the more prominent features of the photograph and compared it to the facial features of the drawing. No wonder Hortensia thought she saw a demon. Jennifer couldn’t even stand to look at it. In the blink of an eye she was back in that room. The Trunchbull standing over her, empty cooking pot in hand. Blinding, searing hot pain made her cry out in agony. She was screaming and writhing on the bed. Her aunt was holding her down. She could hear her name being called from somewhere off in the distance. “Jennifer! Jennifer!” She opened her eyes to find not Miss Trunchbull, but Carol staring down at her, eyes full, not of malice, but of concern. “You back?” Miss Honey hid her face in her hands. Her hairline was damp with sweat. “It’s okay, take your time.” Jennifer let out a shaky breath as searched the room for five things she could see. Mrs. Rodgers, flower wallpaper, a dresser, a telle, her aunt standing in the corner. Four things she could hear: Her breathing, the kids playing outside- “YOU LITTLE WHORE!” -The ticking of the clock on the wall, Mr. Trilby’s voice. Three things she felt: Scared, shaky, and sweaty. Two things she smelled: Carol’s perfume and lunch wafting from the kitchen. One thing she tasted: blood. She had bit her tongue. She focused on the coppery taste and pain for a moment longer until her ragged breathing began to resume its normal rhythm. She opened her eyes again. Her aunt was gone and she was alone in the room. She swallowed down the bile that was rising in her throat. Where had Carol gone? She hadn’t heard her leave. Her question was answered a moment later when she reappeared offering her a glass of water. Miss Honey’s mouth went dry at the sight of it. She gulped it down until she began to cough and choke on it. “Sorry, flashback.” she mumbled as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. It had been a while since she had last had one. Not since before Carol’s anatomy lesson. “Stop apologizing, I’m the one who showed you the photos.” Mrs. Rodgers said before sitting on the edge of the bed. “I wanted to give you a heads up. I’ll be turning this over to Eve’s lawyer, whether it helps her case or hurts it. I’ll most likely be incriminating myself in the process.” “No, don’t! I don’t want you to get in trouble over this.” Jennifer said. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I mean, you lost your license. Haven’t you been punished enough?” Carol scoffed. “It will never be enough.” She said, hanging her head. “This guilt is…” “There was nothing you could have done.” “I could have gone to the police. I should have gone to the police!” “Eve did. Nothing happened. It wouldn’t have made a difference.” Carol snapped her head around to look at her. “She said she sent Hortensia.” “Interesting. I’ll have to check with her lawyer and see if they followed up on this.” she sighed as she stood and offered Jennifer a hand up. Jennifer reached for it, but suddenly Carol's hand snapped around her wrist. Her eyes were staring intently at the faint scar that ran the length of her forearm. “Is that what I think it is?” Jennifer tried to pull her arm away, but Carol was gripping too tightly. “It was before-” “Don’t lie to me! I documented every injury on your body!” She growled. “When did this happen?” she demanded. “It doesn’t matter!” “JENNIFER! WHEN DID YOU TRY TO COMMIT SUICIDE?” “The night you left.” Jennifer said softly. Carol released her arm and stared at her, horrified. “I knew no one was coming for me.” she said numbly. “But I didn’t have enough physical strength to cut deep enough. I never believed she would actually send me to college or let me work. What did I have to live for?” Jennifer looked up to meet Carol’s eyes and flinched. She was crying? Why? “I don’t blame you.” she whispered. “WHY THE FUCK NOT?!” Carol yelled, tears streaming down her face. “God, that’s why you were so calm about us leaving you behind.. You had it all planned out.” “I did.” Jennifer whispered. She had stored these memories in a box and buried them in the recesses of her mind. She had planned to get away from her aunt one way or another. In the end, even that plan had failed. She patted the space next to her on the bed. Carol stared at her a moment longer as if deciding whether or not it was a trap and sat. With a deep breath to brace herself, she took Carol’s hand and rested her head on the older woman’s shoulder. She had never initiated contact with an adult before. She felt her stomach clench when Carol immediately dropped her hand, but relaxed when her arm wrapped gently around her side and held her close. “You’re an enigma.” Carol said after a minute. “Hmm?” Jennifer mumbled. “If I were you I would hate me.” “If I had been angry at you…” Jennifer paused to collect her thoughts. How could she phrase this in a way that made sense? “It would have meant I would have believed you in the first place. The idea of rescue was nothing more than a fantasy to me, like the idea of having my own family.” “I could have come back, I-” “Let it go. You can’t change the past. You’re here now.” Carol scoffed. “A lot of good that does.” “But it does.” “Be honest, please. I need to know. Don’t hold back.” Jennifer sighed and shut her eyes tight. This was a can of worms she didn’t want to open. She had sealed the memories away for a reason. “I woke up to Agatha telling me I was so useless I couldn’t even slit my own wrist correctly. She roughed me up a bit over the money, but that was nothing new. Then I dealt with near constant infections from lying in my own waste until I could walk. Eventually she picked me up and dropped me into a cold bath; said the smell was coming downstairs.” Jennifer said with a shrug. Her own voice sounded robotic and far away. How many hours had she sat at her window watching, waiting, hoping someone would come for her? Everyday the hope inside of her dwindled lower and lower like a forgotten candle, until she was left with nothing but the cold, empty depression. The raw ache of disappointment and hopelessness was almost as painful as the injury itself. Then came the itching as her skin healed. Too terrified to scratch or rub at it for fear her aunt would walk in and get the wrong idea, she often wiggled on the bed like a worm that suddenly found itself on the sidewalk after a heavy rain. “I was never angry.” Jennifer said softly, pressing her palm against her forehead at the flood of memories. The flood of pain. No, that wasn’t true. She had been angry. Furious. But not at Carol. She was enraged for having met her. Why hadn’t they just let her die? It would have been kinder than filling her with such a false hope of salvation. The hope that turned to a rotted mass inside her as she waited. Her eyes began to overflow with fresh tears. “But I was in agony.” Then she was beating on Carol’s chest with her fist, harder and harder, but Carol just sat there and took it. “Why? Why didn’t you come back? You promised!” … She had been on auto pilot the rest of the day and into the night as she worked to set up a space for Hortensia to blow off steam. The old wound that had been wrenched open ached deep inside her chest, which only filled her with a sense of self loathing for letting something so old drag her down. Why couldn’t she just be happy for what she had now? She was free. She had a family. A career. Jennifer could feel the panic begin to well inside her. She sat at the kitchen table alone nursing a mug of tea. She ran through her grounding exercises, until she began to feel more in the present. Jennifer stood and grabbed a second mug before refilling her own and another for Hortensia. She had put Matilda to bed already and sat back down at the table, grateful that her daughter had been unusually compliant tonight. She hadn’t even pleaded for an extra ten minutes. “Hortensia!” Jennifer called. Hortensia poked her head into view and frowned. “Come have a seat.” She stared at the chair across from Jennifer a long moment before reluctantly joining her at the table. She picked up the mug, stared into it a moment before setting it back down without taking a sip. “I didn’t poison it.” “I’m tired of doing laundry in the middle of the night.” Hortensia mumbled. Her face had taken on a shade of pink and she avoided looking in Jennifer’s direction. “There’s a way to avoid it.” Jennifer said softly. “I’m not wearing a bloody diaper.” Hortensia growled. “No diaper. I promise.” Jennifer said, raising her palms. “A pad.” Hortensia screwed up her face in confusion. “For the bed.” Jennifer threw in, before she got the idea she could pee in her pants on her period. She could see her doing something gross like that. “If you wake up wet, you just toss it and go back to sleep.” Hortensia considered this for a moment, found it acceptable, and took a sip of her drink. “I’m sorry about last night.” she mumbled. “May I ask what set you off? Do you know? What did you mean, ‘I’m just like all the others.’?” She sat staring into her mug for a long time. Jennifer was starting to think she wouldn’t answer, but at last Hortensia mumbled, “I lied.” Jennifer stared at her feeling puzzled, but Hortensia refused to meet her eyes or elaborate. She looked uncomfortable. “About?” “What you asked me at the lake.” Hortensia said so softly Jennifer could hardly hear. Jennifer racked her brain, but she couldn’t remember. “She wasn’t the only one.” Jennifer tried to get her to explain, but Hortensia had shut down and refused to say anything more on the subject. “I’m sorry about last night too.” Jennifer said when her questions were getting her nowhere. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s a… difficult topic.” Hortensia shrugged and took a long sip of her tea. Jennifer sighed. “Do you want to know?” Hortensia shrugged again, but she had looked up and met Jennifer's eyes for the first time. “My aunt threw boiling water on me.” Hortensia winced. “And you saw it without the bandages on. That’s the demon face you remember. Mrs. Rodgers showed me a picture and compared it to your drawings. Great bedtime talk, Jenny, that will really help with her nightmares.” she chastised herself out loud. Hortensia grinned. “So, I have nightmares… because I saw you naked?” Hortensia snorted as Jennifer let her head fall into her hands. “C’mon, that’s enough ‘bonding’ for one night. Bed.” Hortensia scowled. “It’s so early.” she complained, but stood up and followed her up the stairs. “Go on and get ready for bed. I’ll be there in a minute.” “You really don’t have to do this.” Hortensia said, trying in vain to stop her from reading her a bedtime story. “I do.” Jennifer insisted. Hortensia hung her head and headed to the bathroom, pajamas in hand and grumbled under her breath along the way. Jennifer took the opportunity to raid Matilda’s closet for the bag of disposable pads, ignoring her daughter’s cry of “Stop! Thief!” She placed the pad in the center of the bed and made up the covers before Hortensia made her way back. Jennifer held the corner of the blanket up for her, and watched as ‘Tens face darkened with embarrassment. This could be fun, Jennifer thought as she chuckled. “In.” With a look that said she’d rather do anything else, Hortensia slid underneath as Jennifer wrapped the blanket around her and sat on the edge of her bed, book in hand. She rolled her eyes as Hortensia scooted as far away from her as she could. “I’m not going to bite you.” Jennifer said before raising her voice. “I only bite little girls whose name starts with the letter ‘M’!” “Hey! I heard that!” they heard from across the hall. Jennifer chuckled before frowning at the look on Hortensia’s face. She was clearly uncomfortable with the close contact. Maybe she was imagining it, but she almost looked scared. “Are you okay?” Jennifer asked. Hortensia nodded. She supposed they weren’t there yet. She slid off the bed and made herself comfortable on the floor. “Is that better?” Hortensia nodded, looking relieved. “I’m not comfortable with close physical contact with adults either. It’s okay.” “I hate when Cynthia does it.” she mumbled. “Have you tried telling her it makes you uncomfortable?” “Yeah, but they just tell me to stop being rude.” “As long as you’re polite about it, don’t be afraid to ask for your space. Now if you told me to get the hell off your bed…” Hortensia snickered. Jennifer smiled and cracked open the book she had been reading last night. She read a few pages before looking up. Hortensia never seemed to take her eyes off her. “Relax. You’re supposed to be working on your breathing exercises. Lay on your back and relax.” she said before adding, “I’ll stay down here.” Hortensia reluctantly rolled over and Jennifer continued reading until she finished the chapter. She closed the book and stood. She’d have to remember to bring a chair with her tomorrow. Her legs had fallen asleep. She could hear Hortensia snicker as she tried to waddle to the hall. “Good night, ‘Tens.” “Night.” “You did good today.” she said before flicking off the light. Before she made her way to her own room, she poked her head in Matilda’s and found her bed empty. With a sigh, she made her way to her own and found what she had expected- a small lump waiting for her underneath the covers. She undressed and climbed into bed, forgoing the nightgown. Almost immediately, the small lump began to move towards her before it settled in the crook of her neck. She wrapped her arms around the lump and kissed the top of her head. “You needed a hug?” Jennifer asked. She was starting to worry Matilda was getting jealous of the attention she was giving Hortensia given the way she had acted with Hazel. “No.” Matilda said softly. “You do.” “You know me so well.” Jennifer agreed before squeezing her tighter.

There’s always going to be a small fringe that gives every community a bad name unfortunately. The story forum is so tame in comparison to other abdl sites, even to this one. It’s not like they hosted [That site] or something. edit: guess I’m not even allowed to say the name lol

That’s horrible if all that’s true. I suppose it depends on where in the country they are. I’m spoiled where I am, everyone is very open and accepting, but if you lived in the south or Bible Belt… I hope they’re okay. I mean, I WISH it’s made up, cause that really makes you lose hope in humanity. I can’t even imagine what they must be going through.

I am incredibly out of the loop over there. This isn't a fetish for me, so I just post chapters and bounce. I read the thread and still don't really understand what happened. The host got physically attacked?

Matilda balked as Jennifer handed her a plate with a chicken sandwich and three little balls of the most vilest vegetable on the planet. “Did you really only cook three brussel sprouts?” Matilda asked as she noticed everyone else’s plates were missing the little green abominations. Jennifer grinned as she took a bite of her own sandwich. “You know, I suddenly just didn’t feel like having any, but you enjoy.” She said between bites. Matilda poked at them with her fork and made an unpleasant face. She debated “accidentally” dropping them on the floor, but her father’s dishonesty kept coming to mind. She frowned. She hadn’t thought of him in at least a month. Determined not to be anything like him, even if it was just trying to get out of a petty bet, she pierced the repugnant little cabbage with her fork, plugged her nose and tossed it in. “This is revolting.” Matilda complained as she chewed. Hortensia and Jennifer were all giggles while she struggled to swallow it down. “They aren’t that bad.” Jennifer said. “Horrid, abominable, gruesome.” Matilda said, before sighing and piercing the next one. “Just two more and you’re done.” Jennifer said with a smirk. Matilda offered one to Hortensia, who quickly shook her head. “That’s all you.” “But they’re so…delicious…” Matilda forced a smile. “What happened to horrid, abominable, and gruesome?” “Just for the first five minutes.” Matilda said weakly before putting another one in her mouth as her face contorted. “Did you rub them in your armpits before putting them on my plate?” Jennifer rolled her eyes. “It’s been hot enough to cook them under my arms.” said Jennifer. “I can’t wait for summer to be over, this humidity is awful.” She picked the last brussel sprout off Matilda’s plate and popped it in her own mouth. Matilda sank in her chair with relief before taking a bite of her sandwich. One more of Satan’s testicles and she might hurl again. “Can I put in a movie?” Hortensia asked after they finished lunch. “If you can find something appropriate. I don’t think Miss Trunchbull had any kids movies. We never bothered going through her collection. It might just be war movies.” Hortensia made a face. “You don’t have movies?” “We have books.” Jennifer said with an apologetic smile. “Other than a few minutes of the news before I go to bed, neither of us even turn the telle on.” Hortensia looked as if Miss Honey had just slapped her. “You’re both aliens!” Hortensia said before she went to look for something to watch. “How did they make so many movies about World War 2, jeeze!” “Find anything?” Matilda asked, taking a seat on the couch. She’d rather play outside or kick their butts at Scrabble again. She crossed her fingers, hoping there was nothing but boring old war movies, but Hortensia was pulling a few Video Cassettes down. “What’s ‘Silence of the Lambs?” Hortensia asked. “No.” Miss Honey said. “Pick again.” “What’s it about though?” “Pick again.” “A cadet in the FBI interviews a cannibal serial killer in hopes of catching another serial killer obsessed with moths.” Matilda said. Miss Honey gave her a look. “Why do you know that?” Miss Honey asked. “What? It’s a book!” Matilda said. “I can’t believe Mrs. Phelps let you check that out.” Jennifer said with a shake of her head. “What else do you have?” Hortensia held up another cover with a man holding a briefcase standing under a lit streetlamp surrounded by fog. “No.” Miss Honey said again. “Why do you keep picking horror movies?” “Is it a horror movie?” Hortensia asked looking at the cover. “Ominous fog isn’t on happy movies.” Matilda said with a laugh. “I liked the book though.” “Matilda! The Exorcist? Really?” Miss Honey asked. “Do I need to have a talk with Mrs. Phelps?” “It had medical stuff in it…” Matilda said. “It was educational.” she said with a grin. Sure she couldn’t sleep for a week after, but that was beside the point. “Is everything a book first?” Hortensia asked. “Not all, but a lot of them are.” Miss Honey said. “Can you try and pick something PG?” Hortensia looked at the back covers of what was in her hands and began shelving them. “Everything’s mostly R.” Hortensia said. “How about this? It’s Pg-13.” She held up a copy of Jurassic Park. “It’s about Dinosaurs. ” “And a book.” Matilda said. “I like the part where the lawyer gets eaten. That’s what he gets for abandoning the kids.” “Can you handle it?” Miss Honey asked Matilda. “I read the book.” “I know, but movies can be much more intense than books.” “Then I’ll stop watching it.” Matilda said. She’d give it five minutes before she got bored and found something else to do anyway. Hortensia put it in and plopped down on the couch. She laughed and cheered every time someone got eaten. Matilda made it to the part where the T-rex was looking in the car window before she began finding great interest in what was currently present underneath her finger nails. When the raptors got out, she went to the restroom and took her sweet time. “What did you think?” Hortensia asked Matilda, who was staring at the television looking shell shocked. “That was nothing like the book.” Matilda mumbled horrified. “The second one’s coming out next year! I can’t wait!” “I can.” Matilda said. “You’re not going to have nightmares tonight, are you?” Miss Honey asked. “Rapters and severed arms will be an improvement.” Matilda said softly. Miss Honey put an arm around her and held her close for a moment before the phone rang. She sighed and stood up. “I’ll be right back.” … “Hello?” Jennifer said into the receiver. There’s was a loud static and crackling noise before an automated message began to play. “This is a collect call from Aylesbury Detention Facility from, Evelyn” Another hiss of static cut off the last name. “To accept the charges, please press one.” Jennifer quickly pressed the number on the receiver and put it back to her ear. “Miss Honey?” “Hi, yes, I’m here. How are you doing?” “Another day in paradise.” Eve said sarcastically, before clearing her throat. “Is everything okay? Cynthia told me she ran into you guys today and Ten’s said she was sick. I mean, I know Ten’s loves to say that to her to freak her out, but…” “Nothing to worry about, I promise. The girl’s were a little under the weather last night, but her doctor said it was just some minor food poisoning. She’s been fine today.” There was silence on the other end and Jennifer worried if she had said something wrong. “You took her to the doctor?” Eve asked sounding alarmed. “Well, yes, should I-” “Did she bite anyone?!” Eve asked in a panic. “I know she’s behind on her vaccinations, oh god, I hope they didn’t try.” “Ah, well, yes. They did catch her up on those. She wasn’t thrilled, but she needed them for school. I hope you don’t think I overstepped, I just figured, since you were currently…indisposed we’d take care of it.” “How many people did she bite? Are they threatening to sue? Oh god.” “No, no, I mean, it took, well, everyone to hold her down, but she didn’t bite anyone.” It wasn’t for lack of trying though. “Jesus, Jen. I can’t believe you got that done.” Eve said with a sigh. “She’s not being a little shit head is she? Just say the word and I can have Cynthia come take her off your hands for you.” Jennifer grimaced. So that’s where Hortensia got her foul mouth from. “No need, she’s been fine.” “She’s been…fine?” Eve asked, disbelief evident in her voice. “You don’t have to lie on my account. I know how she can be.” “No, really, everything really has been okay. Matilda’s happy to have the company. We’ve gone camping, and well, that was a disaster. NOT because of Hortensia!” Jennifer quickly threw in. “Has she had any of those…fits?” Eve asked cautiously. “A couple.” Jennifer admitted. “We’re working on it though. I’ve been brainstorming ideas to help her during class, and she’s been doing a few worksheets in math to get her caught up for the new school year.” “You’ve got her doing math? In the summer?” “She’s making fast progress.” She heard Eve let out an exasperated sigh. “Jennifer, I- I don’t know how I could ever repay you.” “Repay me?” Jennifer asked confused. “You’ve watched Matilda for me several times, even when she got all of you sick.” She heard Eve laugh darkly. “You’re so clueless, it’s sad.” “What?” Jennifer said. “I don’t mean that in a bad way.” Eve said quickly. “I mean, my daughter is difficult-” “Umm, have you met mine?” She may have to worry about Hortensia breaking things, but Matilda could take down the whole foundation. “Yet you’re taking the time to take her to the doctor and teaching her math.” “It’s not a big deal.” “Yes, it is. She’s been thrown out of every other school and daycare. You think I wanted to send her to a school run by your aunt after everything that happened? I didn’t have a choice!” “So it was true.” Jennifer said. “I don’t remember much. Carol recently filled in the blanks.” “Yes. It’s true.” Eve said. “Does Hortensia remember?” “No. Well, it’s complicated. She remembers you.” “She does?” “Well, not you specifically, but she remembers the ‘nice lady who read to her.’” “Have you heard anything?” Jennifer asked. There was silence on the other end before Eve began to break down. Jennifer’s stomach felt like it was about to fall out her butt. “Eve?” “I-I h-had my arraignment this morning.” she choked out. “Their charging me with three felonies, including your aunts death!” “WHAT?!” Jennifer asked, floored. “Jen…I didn’t! The only contact I had with her was when she held us all hostage! And I went to the police right after!” “Y-you did?” Jennifer asked. “I sent Hortensia into the station with a letter, since we never agreed she couldn’t tell anyone. Did no one ever follow through?” “No, not that I’m aware of.” “Their saying they found this letter in my safe I was using to blackmail her with. It’s not even the one the four of us wrote up. It’s completely different! I have no idea where it came from, or if they really found it in my safe at all. I don’t know what’s going to happen now.” “D-did the judge grant bail?” “750,000 pounds.” Eve whimpered. Jennifer’s head spun. “He may as well as denied it.” Eve said, breaking down into sobs. “I don’t have 75,000 pounds, and my house is ineligible to use as collateral because I used your aunts money to buy it! Now they’re saying it’s going to get repossessed!” “D-do you have a lawyer? You can get a public defender-” “I didn’t qualify for a public defender and it’s costing every pound I have to hire a decent lawyer.” “What can I do?” “I know it’s a lot to ask, but can you keep watching Ten’s for me? She doesn’t need someone who flinches everytime she coughs. She needs someone who actually cares. Cynthia…she’s my best friend, but she’s not a good long term fit for her.” Wait…long term? Jennifer closed her eyes. What was she getting herself into? “Yes, of course Ten’s can stay.” She could hear Eve begin to break down again. “Thank you, Jennifer. Thank you! Can I talk to her? I should be the one to tell her.” “Yes, let me get her.” She let the receiver fall and she walked numbly back to the living room. “Ten’s? Your mom’s on the phone. In the kitchen.” She took a seat on the couch and stared shell shocked into the telle. She winced as she heard running footsteps pound up the stairs before a door slammed. “What happened?” Matilda asked puzzled. “I think our family just got a little bigger.” Jennifer whispered. … Matilda was talking a million miles a minute about all the things they could do together. She listed off bike riding, roller blading, and for some odd reason, base jumping. Hortensia simply nodded half heartedly as she stared at her half eaten slice of pizza. “Are you not hungry?” Jennifer asked. She had seen her put away half a pizza just by herself last week, but that could have been the drugs doing. She herself had devoured an unholy amount of food that day. Hortensia shrugged. “I made you an appointment tomorrow to go see Dr. Reinfield.” Jennifer said between bites. “No shots. I promise.” Hortensia didn’t respond, only continued to stare off into space. “Finish what’s on your plate and you can watch cartoons, if you want.” Jennifer offered, unsure what else to do. She practically had to drag her downstairs for dinner. If pizza, ice cream, and cartoons couldn’t cure what ailed her, she was at a complete loss. “More telle?” Matilda complained. “Can’t we play a game or something?” Jennifer shot her a look. “Let Ten’s pick the activities tonight, she’s had a hard day.” “We’ve been watching it all day!” Matilda grumbled. One movie was not all day. Perhaps Dr. Reinfield had a point about using time as a punishment. “Do you want to go to bed?” Jennifer warned. Matilda quickly shook her head. “You don’t have to watch it; you can go do your own thing. You can go read, or work on your stories.” Matilda hung her head in obvious disappointment. “She’s not here to entertain you.” “I know that.” Matilda growled. “Then give her her space.” “I think… I just want to go to bed.” Hortensia mumbled. Jennifer frowned as she looked at the clock hanging over the stove. It was only seven. She had been in her room alone for several hours ever since she had talked to her mom. “Why don’t you stay down here for a little longer? You won’t sleep through the night if you go to bed too early. If you still want to sleep when I put Matilda to bed at eight, then you can.” “Eight?!” Matilda complained. “My bed time’s not ‘til 8:30!” “You want it to be seven?” “No.” Matilda whined. When they had finished eating and the leftover had been placed in the fridge, the three of them made their way to the living room. Hortensia turned on the television and began flipping through the channels until it landed on something animated. Jennifer took up a spot on the recliner, kicked her feet up and picked up the book she had been reading. Not ten minutes in, she could tell Matilda was already getting antsy. Jennifer couldn’t blame her, to her it had been a lot of telle, but she wasn’t about to tell Ten’s to turn on a documentary. “What are you reading?” Matilda asked. Jennifer showed her the cover. “Oh! I’ve read that one.” Matilda said. Jennifer didn’t doubt it. She had probably seen her name on the check out card in every other book in the library. “That’s the one where she-” “Ah!” Jennifer said, holding up her hand. She hadn’t read it yet. “And then he-” “Ah!” “And then they-” “Ah!” Matilda giggled as Jennifer shook her head. After another five minutes and Matilda was climbing up the recliner and into her lap. “Can I help you?” Jennifer asked as Matilda made herself comfortable. “Would you read to me?” “Ten’s is trying to watch her show.” “It’s fine.” Hortensia mumbled from the other end of the couch. “It’s a re-run.” She flicked the telle off and tossed the remote aside. Matilda stared wide eyed at her. “Since when has that ever stopped you?” Matilda asked. “You want me to read or not?” Jennifer asked. “Yes.” Matilda said, snuggling up against her chest. “Hey, where are you going? It’s good!” “Just going to grab something.” Hortensia said softly as she stood and slowly made her way upstairs, shoulders slouched and head hung. “She’s not acting right.” Matilda said with a frown. “Nice of you to get with the program.” Jennifer said with a sigh. “She’s going through a hard time right now.” “Over a shot?” Matilda asked puzzled. “No, Matilda, this is a lot more serious than a shot.” Jennifer said. “Her mom’s in a lot of trouble over something she may or may not have done.” Matilda still looked confused, but she could hear Ten’s coming back down the stairs. “Don’t worry about it. You remember how rough it was when you first came to live with me?” “But I wanted to come live with you?” Matilda said, looking even more confused. “Yes, but change is still difficult, even if you did choose it. Remember how frustrated you were when you learned you couldn’t just go anywhere you wanted by yourself? Hortensia didn’t choose to be separated from her mom, which is only going to be that much more difficult for her. If Eve’s lawyer can’t convince the district attorney to drop the charges, life as Hortensia once knew it could be over.” Jennifer didn’t know if Hortensia knew how serious the situation was. A long time to her could be a month or two, but even if Eve was cleared of all charges at the trial, it could take years. The justice system moved at a snails pace. If Eve was convicted…Jennifer didn’t want to think about that. Hortensia’s own children would be grown before Eve ever saw the outside of a fence. What on earth had she just agreed to? Matilda had been an easy choice. She had fallen in love with the idea of being her mom from the moment they met. They had so much in common. They both loved books, museums, and learning. Minus Matilda’s far superiour IQ, Jennifer almost saw her as a younger version of herself. Hortensia? She knew nothing about her, other than her violent tendencies, ability to cause mischief, and strike fear in the hearts of all the teachers at school. And that was when things in her life had been going well. As far as she knew anyway. When Hortensia returned a few minutes later with a blanket and her stuffed dog, she stretched out on the couch with her head on the opposite arm rest away from them. “Ten’s, do you want me to start from the beginning?” Jennifer asked. “I’m not listening, do whatever you want.” she mumbled, burying herself underneath the blanket. Jennifer started from the beginning anyway. After a few minutes of reading, she noticed Hortensia switch ends of the couch, so that her head was now closest to them. Not listening, hmm? By 7:30 she could hear Matilda’s deep even breathing and Hortensia’s snores. She supposed she just had a boring voice. She had put them both to sleep in less than 20 minutes. Jennifer set the book aside and rested her arms around Matilda, enjoying the comforting weight against her after the long stressful day. It never got old. She closed her eyes and relaxed, unwilling to break the spell of contentment she felt holding her sleeping daughter in her arms. When she heard Hortensia begin to stir, she reluctantly opened her eyes to find her sitting up and staring at her with a peculiar expression. She gave her a questioning look, but Hortensia only continued to stare with wide eyes as her mouth hung slightly ajar. “What?” Jennifer finally asked. “You’re…her.” Hortensia whispered, now wide awake. “The burned lady.” Jennifer racked her brain searching for something to say before settling on the truth. She nodded. Hortensia’s eyes grew even wider at the revelation. “So…so…that means…” Hortensia said, struggling to come up with a complete thought. “Let me put this one down for the night.” Jennifer said. “I think my voice bored you two to sleep earlier.” Hortensia frowned. “It’s not boring.” Hortensia said as Jennifer stood with Matilda wrapped in her arms, her head resting on Jennifers shoulder. “It’s more like that green goo.” Jennifer’s eye brows rose. “My voice is like green goo?” Jennifer asked amused as she carried Matilda up the stairs. “She means your voice is soothing, like aloe vera.” Matilda mumbled sleepily. “Oh?” Jennifer said, surprised before chuckling softly. “Good thing one of us speaks Hortensia.” “What did she mean? You’re the burned lady?” Matilda asked as Jennifer laid her down in her bed. “You were supposed to be asleep.” she whispered. “It means she and I are overdue for a conversation.” Jennifer admitted. “You might have company tonight.” After tucking Matilda into bed and turning off the light, she made her way back downstairs to find Hortensia waiting for her. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I think a strong cup of tea is in order.” Jennifer said, leading the way. They sat in silence for a few minutes, each sipping their drink before Hortensia seemed to realize what she was doing. “I shouldn’t have drank this.” she mumbled. Jennifer brushed her concerns away. “Don’t worry about it tonight.” “What happened to ‘Matilda’s six; your eleven.’?” Hortensia mumbled. “You went to the doctor; and you’re starting therapy tomorrow. As long as you’re in treatment and doing your part…” Jennifer shrugged. “That mattress has to be over twenty years old anyway.” They sat in silence a few more minutes before Hortensia finally asked. “What happened? I’m so confused about…everything. How is my mom responsible for Trunchbull’s death? I don’t get it.” “The Trunchbull happened.” Jennifer said softly. “I got hur-” She stopped, cleared her throat, took another sip and continued. “Miss Tunchbull hurt me to the point I needed serious medical care, so she put an ad in the paper looking for a mother of a young child. Your mother answered the article thinking a disabled child needed a babysitter and…” “And what?” Hortensia asked. “Are you sure you want to know? Maybe I should check with your mom first…” “No! Tell me! Does it have anything to do with what’s happening now?” “It does.” “Then tell me!” Hortensia demanded. “I’m sick of not knowing what’s going on!” Her voice began to crack with emotion. Jennifer rubbed her temples. Maybe not knowing was doing more damage than knowing. “Miss Trunchbull held you, your mom, myself, and Mrs. Rodgers hostage in a bedroom for five days.” Hortensia stared at her wide eyed. “I don’t remember this.” “You were young, younger than Matilda. I honestly didn’t know it was you, any of you, until your mom was arrested. Mrs. Rodgers had to tell me. I was on a lot of pain killers.” Jennifer explained. “If you don’t remember, how did you figure out it was me?” “I remember a little bit. I don’t remember being held hostage, I just thought I was with my mom at work.” Hortensia said. “When you were reading earlier, it reminded me of then. You read to me.” “You were probably the only thing that kept me sane through it all. Your mom was the one who suggested I become a teacher in the first place.” “She said you taught me how to read.” “Just a few words. You already had the basics down.” Jennifer said. “Can I see your stuffed dog for a minute. I want to show you something.” Hortensia stood and went back out to the living room before returning with her stuffed animal and her notebook. She handed Jennifer the dog, which was dirty, ruffled, and much loved. She took it and looked at the tag. There, faded and barely visible was a small “J”. She pointed it out to her. “He was yours?” Hortensia asked. She stared at the dog for a long minute before hugging it to her chest. “Where were we when this happened? Weren’t we out in the countryside?” Jennifer shook her head. “Here.” “Here?” Hortensia asked. “How were we here? We couldn’t have been here. We didn’t have plumbing. I remember an outhouse.” Jennifer laughed bitterly. “That was my closet.” Hortensia’s face soured. “Wait, so this all happened in the room I’m sleeping in?!” Jennifer sighed. She had been waiting for her to make the connection. “That’s why it felt so familiar! It was driving me crazy!” Her face began to lose color. “It’s haunted.” She whispered. “I saw it! There’s a monster in there!” Jennifer frowned and raised a brow. “I’m serious! I remember it! I’ve been dreaming about it ever since!” “Are you sure you just didn’t dream it in the first place?” “No! It was there in the room! The face!” Hortensia opened her notebook and thrust it towards Jennifer. She took it and studied the drawing. “I promise, there’s nothing like that in there. Monsters aren’t real, Ten’s.” “I know what I saw!” Hortensia said, beginning to grow angry. “If monsters aren’t real, then explain Trunchbull.” “Okay, you’re right. She was a monster.” Jennifer said, palms up. She could sense another one of Ten’s fits coming. “There’s a good chance this isn’t what you saw though.” She slid the notebook back. “You were very young, and very traumatized. I don’t know if you remember, but she snapped your arm.” “She did?” Hortensia said. She thrust her arm out. Jennifer could tell it hadn’t been set properly by the way it jutted out in an odd direction. “You could have seen a movie, a painting, a cartoon character, or anything around the same time and your brain merged the memories together.” “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” “Some things aren’t worth remembering.” “So why is my mom in prison then if she was a hostage?” “We were afraid Miss Trunchbull was planning to kill you all once I was back on my feet to keep you quiet. She had already proved how violent she was. She broke your arm, beat up Mrs. Rodgers, and threw your mom down the stairs.” “What did she do to you?” “I’d rather not talk about it.” Jennifer said. “We came up with the idea of making her feel like she could buy our silence. We wrote up a contract and agreed never to talk about it if she paid your mom and Mrs. Rodgers. This was maybe… six years ago?” “Then why did she only name my parents? I mean, I haven’t heard from my dad in like seven years.” “I don’t know.” Jennifer answered truthfully. “All of us are confused.” “So she did target me! I knew she had it out for me since my first day of school there!” Jennifer doubted it. It probably had much more to do with Hortensia pouring maple syrup in her chair than anything her mom may have been involved in. “Is that why you’re all scarred?” Hortensia blurted out. Jennifer’s face began to pale. “I saw when you went streaking towards the lake.” “I-I don’t want to talk about it.” Jennifer stammered. “She did that to you?” Hortensia asked. “Is that why you asked me about all that stuff then? Did she-” “Stop!” Jennifer said, more forcefully than she had meant to. She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath, but when she opened them again she found Hortensia on her feet. Jennifer flinched. Hortensia’s eyes looked wild and filled with rage. “Ten’s…” Jennifer tried to say, but in one quick movement Hortensia had grabbed the kitchen table and shoved it onto its side. Their half-drunk mugs of tea crashed to the ground, sending broken shards of porcelain scattering across the kitchen floor. “Hortensia!” Jennifer was on her feet too. “YOU’RE JUST LIKE THE REST OF THEM!” Hortensia began to scream. Small footsteps began to race down the stairs. “Mom! What happened?” Matilda called from the foot of the stairs. “STAY IN YOUR ROOM, MATILDA!” Jennifer yelled before taking a deep breath. “Backyard. Now.” … “What did I get myself into?” Jennifer moaned into her hands. She was back on Dr. Reinfield’s couch, Hortensia was waiting in the lobby alone. “You can always tell her mom ‘no.’” Dr. Reinfield said. “You are allowed to change your mind.” Jennifer rubbed at her face before looking up. “Especially if you feel Matilda’s in danger.” Jennifer gave a sad laugh. “She’s furious with me for even considering it.” “Who? Hortensia? Or Matilda?” “Matilda.” Jennifer said. “She heard me on the phone with Cynthia last night discussing our options. I thought Cynthia was willing to take her in, but now she’s suggesting putting her in a group home.” “Who’s Cynthia?” “It’s Eve’s friend. As soon as she heard it might not be temporary she backed off. I feel like I’m her last option, and I don’t want to just abandon her.” “Do you know what might have happened last night?” “We were just talking and then she… lost it. She flipped the kitchen table. It had to weigh at least 45 kg!” “What were you talking about?” “Her mom and…” Jennifer sighed. “She kept asking all these really personal questions about things I didn’t want to talk about, and I might have raised my voice a little.” “I see.” Dr. Reinfield said. “Feelings of rejection, whether real or only perceived, are a common catalyst for these types of attacks. Do these attacks happen when she doesn’t get her way? Or is this more of a build up?” “Umm, I’m not really sure.” “Say she wants pizza, but you made chicken. Will the attack stop if you give her pizza? Is there a goal in mind?” “No, it’s not like that.” “So it’s more like something that has to run its course and get out of her system?” “Yes, it’s more like that. After the table and I sent her out in the backyard and made her do jumping jacks until she calmed down.” “That’s a healthy way to handle it.” Dr. Reinfield praised. “Exercise is a good, safe, outlet. The screaming, and breaking things is caused by the energy built up needing to escape. The trick is to find healthy and safe ways to channel this sudden out of control energy. I have one patient who set up a punching bag in the garage.” “I think I saw one of those in the basement.” Jennifer mused. Although she wasn’t sure she liked the idea of her getting even better at throwing a punch. Still, it was a better alternative than breaking everything in the house. “Some people’s reaction to seeing a child in one of these fits is to restrain them, but I would advise against it. It increases the chances of injuries both to the child, and yourself.” “She’s a biter.” Jennifer cringed. She thought of her conversation with Cynthia. “What do you do when she’s like this?” Jennifer had asked. “Pin her.” “Jennifer, the good news, you’ve come to the right place.” Dr. Reinfield said. “This is the first step. While I can’t make them stop, I can teach you both strategies to help manage them, and if need be, I can refer you next door if I feel medication is necessary.” “Thank you.” Jennifer said. “If you’re serious about trying to help this girl, then bring her in and let’s see if we can work out a treatment plan.”

Jennifer sat with a wince on one of the hard chairs in Dr. Renfields waiting room. It had already been a week since the disastrous camping trip and she still couldn’t sit comfortably. “You see a shrink? Isn’t that for, like, crazy people?” Hortensia asked Matilda. “We see a family psychologist.” Jennifer said, emphasizing the we. “And no, they aren't. She’s more like a mediator.” “Huh?” Hortensia asked. “We just talk.” Matilda said with a shrug. “Sometimes we play with marbles.” “You go to the doctor to play with marbles?” Hortensia said. “Everytime I go to the doctor I get a shot.” she grumbled. “Different kind of doctor.” Jennifer explained. “She works as more of a go between. Sometimes we don’t always see eye to eye on certain things and it's helpful to have a neutral party to ask for advice. Therapists can help you see things in a different way and explain things you couldn’t normally put into words.” Hortensia made an uninterested sounding noise as she cracked open her notebook. Jennifer frowned as she took a peek at what she was drawing. It was that horrible face again. She must have seen her drawing it ten different times in the last week. “Is that all you ever draw?” Jennifer couldn’t help but ask. Hortensia mumbled something unintelligible before closing her note book. Before Jennifer could inquire further, Dr. Reinfield came out to collect them. Matilda was about to stand up, but Jennifer stopped her. “Do you mind if I go first this time?” Matilda shrugged and remained in her seat. “Is something the matter? You look like you’re in pain.” Dr. Reinfield asked as Jennifer slowly lowered herself down on the couch inside her office with a wince. “We went camping last week and I got bit by a bunch of fire ants and had an allergic reaction.” Jennifer explained. “It’s still a bit difficult to sit.” “Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you sit next to an anthill?” “Something like that.” Jennifer said sheepishly. She felt no desire to explain her desecrating their home. “So is there something in particular you wanted to talk about today? What’s on your mind?” “Yes,” Jennifer said with an exasperated sigh. “It’s Matilda, she’s done a complete 180 and I'm concerned. All summer she’s wanted almost nothing to do with me, and now she won’t leave my side. I can’t even get her to sleep in her own bed. I tuck her in every night, but she won’t stay put. I wake up in the night and there she is in my bed. I don’t know what’s going on with her.” Dr. Reinfield seemed to ponder this for a moment. “Did something happen?” “She says she keeps having bad dreams about me not wanting her anymore. I don't know where this is suddenly coming from. I’ve never done or said anything to make her think I would ever abandon her. Now she’s saying she doesn’t want to go to college anymore.” “Hmm, unfortunately, this isn’t a new fear of hers.” Dr Reinfield said. “She has expressed these concerns to me before.” “She has? But why? I’ve never…I would never…” “I doubt it has anything to do with what you have or haven’t said, and much more to do with her biological family. While you may see her as special and wonderful, she doesn’t see herself that way. She feels abnormal and different from the other children. Her biological family often treated her with contempt, and it has greatly altered her perception of herself. She sees her mind as a flaw rather than a gift.” Jennifer’s heart sank at this. She had been steadily growing more concerned throughout the week, but after last night, she had gotten on the phone first thing in the morning and arranged to have an earlier appointment. “So what did happen last night?” Dr. Reinfield asked. “You sounded upset on the phone.” Jennifer sighed and recounted the nights events. … Jennifer awoke out of a dead sleep. She frowned, bleary eyed as she lifted her head off the pillow. It was one in the morning. She thought she had heard something. She listened intently, but the night was quiet. She put her head back down. Just when she was convinced she had only dreamt it, there it was again. A knocking on her bedroom door. “Matilda? Is that you?” She asked, confused. She had been waking to find Matilda in her bed more nights now than not, but Matilda had never knocked. She just came in and climbed into bed. “Umm, Miss Honey.” the voice said. Hortensia? Why was she knocking on her door at one in the morning? “Matilda’s calling for you.” Jennifer immediately pushed herself up and opened her door. Hortensia stood awkwardly in the hallway and pointed down the hall. Now Jennifer could hear sobbing coming from Matilda’s room. She hurried down the hall, worried she had taken ill in the night. “Matilda?” she asked softly, standing in her doorway. There was no reply. “I’m going to turn your light on, okay?” She flipped the switch, relieved to find she wasn’t coated in throw up. “Mommy.” she cried. Jennifer stiffened. Matilda never called her mommy. She froze for a moment at the obvious red flag before coming over to sit on the edge of her bed. “Honey, what’s wrong? Did you have another bad dream?” Jennifer asked. Matilda nodded her head. She could hardly breathe from crying so hard. “Oh, sweetheart. It’s okay, shh, it’s okay.” Jennifer scooted closer, but Matilda pulled away and curled herself into a ball. “What is it?” The other two times this week she had nearly thrown herself into Jennifer’s arms. Red flag number two, she thought. She gently rubbed circles on her back for a few minutes. “Why don’t you roll over and talk to me?” Matilda shook her head before throwing the covers up over her head. Jennifer sighed as the smell of urine greeted her. She gently pulled the blanket away to reveal Matilda’s wet pajamas. “It’s nothing some laundry can’t fix, honey, you know that.” Jennifer whispered, gently stroking her head. To prove her point, she picked Matilda up and hoisted her into her lap. She wrapped her arms tightly around her and began to gently rock back and forth. “Was it the same dream as last time?” “Yes.” Matilda sobbed, her head now resting in the crook of Jennifer’s neck. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m here. Mommy’s here. I’ll always be here for you.” Jennifer whispered in her ear, before kissing the top of her head. “I’ll take care of the sheets. Why don’t you go hop in the shower?” Jennifer suggested once she had finally gotten Matilda to calm down enough to breathe evenly again. She lightly brushed her hair back with the palm of her hand, but Matilda showed no signs of moving. “C’mon, honey, you can’t stay in those wet clothes. Go get cleaned up, and you can come back to bed with me.” Again she wouldn’t budge. Finally, she offered, “Would you like me to give you a bath?” Slowly, Matilda nodded. Red flag number three. She stripped Matilda down, leaving her wet pajama bottoms and underwear with the sheets and picked her up. Jennifer carried her back to her room, passing Hortensia in the hall. “Thank you for waking me.” Jennifer said as she passed by. “She’s okay, you can go back to bed.” She was almost to her room when she heard the sound of Hortensia sprinting behind her. Jennifer spun around and let out a defeated sigh as she heard the bathroom door slam followed by the sound of the older girl vomiting. And here she had been worried Matilda was sick. “Go wait for me in my room.” She said, setting Matilda down on her feet and making her way towards Matilda’s bathroom. She knocked gently on the bathroom door before opening it to find Hortensia on her knees in front of the toilet. “I don’t feel so good.” Hortensia mumbled letting her face rest against the toilet seat. Jennifer pinched the bridge of her nose. “Is it your stomach?” Hortensia nodded before retching again. “And my head.” Jennifer wanted to curse. Instead, she went down stairs and fetched something to help settle her stomach and a glass of water before walking her back to bed. She didn’t like how unsteady she seemed on her feet. “Ten’s, what happened to your sheets?” “In the wash.” she mumbled. “Did you get sick earlier?” “Uh, sure.” she sat on the bare mattress and put her head in her hands. “I’m dizzy.” “Both of you in one night? What on earth is going on?” Jennifer said. “Hortensia, this is the third time!” “Sorry.” she mumbled. “You don’t have to apologize, it’s just, I am going to have to talk to your mom about this. Once was a fluke. Three times is a pattern. ” “No! Please! Don’t do that!” Hortensia begged. Jennifer could see the color drain from her face. She wasn’t sure if she was about to be sick again or just scared of her mom finding out. She handed over her old bucket just in case before fixing the bed with another change of sheets. “You told Matilda it was nothing a load of laundry couldn’t fix. I heard you!” “Matilda is six, Hortensia, you’re eleven. Matilda just had a bad dream.” “So did I.” she scoffed. “And I’m sick!” Jennifer sighed. “Okay, Ten’s, what did you dream about?” Hortensia wordlessly pointed a finger. Jennifer followed it till her eyes fell on the notebook sitting on the nightstand. “I don’t understand.” “Forget it, I’m tired.” she plopped down on the bed and threw the blanket over herself. Jennifer stood and made her way towards the hallway but stopped when Hortensia said, “Please don’t tell her.” “Fine.” Jennifer said with a defeated sigh. “I’ll let this one slide since you’re obviously not feeling well, but if it happens one more time, I don’t have a choice.” … “...And then by the time I made it back to my room, Matilda was throwing up too!” Jennifer shook her head. “Come morning, they were both fine. I think they had food poisoning, but I’m taking them both to the doctor after this just to be sure. They don’t know though, I’m not worried about Matilda, she’s the only kid I know who likes going to the doctor, Hortensia though…” “That sounds like quite the night.” “I don’t know, maybe it was just because Matilda wasn’t feeling well. She just seems so out of it all week, like she’s been in a fog. She’s so sharp and on top of things usually. Now she has no energy, and just wants to lie down all the time.” “Maybe she is sick, especially if the other one was sick as well.” “Yeah, but I don’t know. All these nightmares and waking up crying in the night. She’s so scared I’m going to abandon her, all because we met another family while camping. It doesn’t make sense to me.” “Did something happen with this other family? Did one of them say something to her that would give her this idea?” “No, It’s…” Jennifer sighed. “He was a single dad with his three kids. We had him over for dinner, and he was nice enough to drive me to the hospital. Now she thinks I’m going to marry him or something.” She shook her head. “He gave me his phone number and she broke his windshield. We all went to the Roald Dahl Children’s Muesum in Ayelsbery yesteryday. I thought it went really well, but it just made her have another nightmare.” “So do you think she was jealous?” “I don’t know if jealous is the right word. She definitley doesn’t like his daughter. They’re the same age, but she’s a little…behind. Her mom died last year and it set her back. She’s very shy.” “Well, it sounds like there’s a lot going on here. Is she not used to you dating?” “Dating? Woah, no no, we’re not dating!” Jennifer said in a panic. “It’s not that kind of situation.” “Do you want to?” Dr. Rienfield asked. Jennifer opened her mouth to speak. Closed it. Opened it and cleared her throat. “T-this isn’t about me. It’s about Matilda.” “This is your time to talk as well, Jennifer. Not everything has to revolve around the kids. You’re an adult, it’s okay to want that kind of relationship.” “N-no, I-I don’t. I don’t!” Jennifer said quickly before looking away. Dr. Rienfield stared at her a moment in silence. “Are you trying to convince me? Or yourself?” Jennifer bit her lip. “It doesn’t matter, it’s not going to happen.” “Why are you so sure?” “I don’t want to talk about this.” Jennifer said before she could stop herself. “Sorry, I-” she started to say, wringing her hands together in a tight grip. “You don’t have to apologize, but I think it’s something we should talk about eventually.” “Not now.” she mumbled, eyes down at her lap. “Okay, well before I ask Matilda to come in, I do have one question. Is the girl staying with you the friend you didn’t want her assosiating with?” “Yes, it is.” “What made you change your mind? A few weeks ago you wouldn’t even let them talk to each other and now she’s living with you?” “Yes, it’s…complicated. She called us from my friends house. Her mom got arrested and she’s refusing to stay with her neighbor. We’re still waiting on the arraignment. I don’t know why it’s taking so long, but I’m not familiar with this sort of thing. Matilda really wanted her to stay over.” “Is her dad not in the picture?” “No, he ran out a long time ago I guess. I don’t really know.” “And how’s it going?” “Not as bad as I thought it would be. The hardest part is getting her to stop swearing, but I guess that’s the teacher in me. And of course there’s…”Jennifer furrowed her eyebrows. “How common is bed wetting in older children?” “I would definitley check with the doctor about that if you’re taking her in, especially since it’s happened so many times in a short period. It’s probably stress, but the doctor will want to check other things.” “Oh, one other question.” Jennifer said. “Do you think Matilda might be autistic?” “I think it would be best if you asked her doctor privately.” Dr. Renfield said, emphasizing the privatley. “She feels different enough as it is. I think labeling her as such would do more harm than good for her self esteem.” “I see, thank you.” Jennifer said as she stood from the couch. “Next week, I’d like to see you open up more about yourself.” Jennifer grimaced. “ I know your worried about you daughter, but these appointments are for both of you.” “Th-there’s really nothing to talk about.” “Then why are you trying so hard to avoid the subject?” “I was abused. My abuser is dead.” Jennifer said with a shrug. “Problem solved.” “If only it were that easy.” Jennifer gave her a pained, forced smile before walking out in the waiting room and taking a seat. “Matilda? Are you ready?” … “Are you mad at me?” Matilda asked for the hundreth time as they walked back to the car. Jennifer sighed. “Of course I’m not mad at you. Why would I be mad at you?” “Because I got you in trouble.” Matilda mumbled. Jennifer gave her a sad smile before wrapping an arm around her. “You didn’t get me in trouble. I got me in trouble.” Jennifer said. She had certainly gotten scolded over her improvised punishment. “You did exactly what you were supposed to do, alright? That’s what these appointments are for. To talk about these sorts of things that are bothering you. I’m glad you were honest with her.” Matilda didn’t look convinced. “I don’t want you to be like Hazel, or anyone else. I love you, Matilda. I want you to be you and I want you to be comfortable being you.” “Why am I different?” Matilda asked in a quiet voice before opening the back seat. “I won’t lie to you, Matilda; you are different, but being different doesn’t mean bad. You have a gift, even if it doesn’t always feel like that sometimes.” “I guess.” Matilda said slumping into the back seat. “Being smart is borning.” “How so? If you wern’t so smart, you wouldn’t have all those books to read. You’d be stuck in this world all the time. Now that sounds boring.” Jennifer said. She could see the corners of Matilda’s mouth twitch into a smile before falling again. “Because once you know how everything works, there’s no magic left in the world.” “Fine, smarty pants.” Hortensia said. “How do you move things with your mind?” Jennifer laughed as the two came up with suggestions of how Matilda could do what she did, each one sillier than the next. “The real Matilda was abducted by aliens as a baby and was swapped with you. You’re here to enslave the human race.” Hortensia said. “Can I start with my brother?” Matilda asked. “Is he super smart too?” Matilda scoffed. Hortensia was about to say something, but her face fell when she noticed where she was. “You okay? You got really quiet all of a sudden?” Matilda asked. “No, please no!” Hortensia begged. “I’m sorry about the bed, please don’t do this!” Matilda looked out the window. “Oh, we’re at your house.” “Do what?” Jennifer asked puzzled as she pulled her car in the driveway.. Surely she couldn’t know she was taking her to the doctor just because they were at her house. “You’re making me go to Cynthia’s!” Hortensia said. “No, please, I’ll do anything!” “I… wasn’t.” Jennifer said. “I need you to find your insurance card. Do you know what that is?” “Uh, no.” “It’s a card that has your medical insurance information. Does your mom have a drawer she keeps important stuff in?’ “Oh, yeah, I think so. I’ll go check.” They watched Hortensia dart out and retrieve a a key underneath the flower pot and let herself in. “I’ll bet you pizza for dinner she comes back with her birth certiificate.” Matilda said. “And if she comes back with her medical I.D?” Jennifer asked. “I’ll cook?” “You like cooking. No, oh, you know what sounds good for dinner? Brussel sprouts.” Jennifer teased. She laughed as Matilda made a face. “And you have to eat everything I put on your plate.” “I’ll lick one of them.” “Five.” “Three.” “Deal. Oh, here she comes! And she’s carrying…Ack! No! My waistline…” “Woohoo!” “Wait, she’s got more than one thing…” Jennifer rolled down her window as Hortensia showed her what she brought. “I don’t know which it is, so I grabbed everything with my name on it.” “This is a library card.” Jennifer said with a shake of her head. “Oh, it looked like a hospital.” “...Movie Palace, Dominoe’s discount card…” “We’re going to need that.” Matilda snickered. “Not so fast, this is it.” Jennifer said holding up a small white card and waving it at Matilda. “Uh-huh, and what’s that paper in your other hand?” “Umm, nothing,” Jennifer said, handing the other things back to Hortensia. “You can put these back.” Jennifer said with a sigh. “Except for that one.” she held on to the Dominoe’s card as Matilda laughed triumphantly. “It’s a draw.” she said, turning to look in the back seat. “Pizza AND brussel sprouts for dinner.” “Eww.” Hortensia said. “Just for her.” Jennifer said. “What? No fair!” “A deal’s a deal.” Jennifer said with a laugh before frowning. Oh no. She’s coming. The neighbor. She thought of making a break for it, but she was already blocking her path. “Run her over.” Hortensia said once she had seen her coming. “I’m not running her over.” Jennifer said before rolling down her window. “Sick of her already?” Cynthia asked. Jennifer gave a weak polite smile. “No, just came by to get her insurance card.” Cynthia frowned. “What do you need that for?” “In case something happens and she needs the doctor.” Jennifer explained. She wasn’t about to admit she already needed to take her. Cynthia made a dismissive gesture. “What would she need the doctor for?” “Kids get sick and hurt.” “The only time I’ve ever seen her sick is from being around your kid. ” Jennifer gave another forced smile. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something about this woman rubbed her the wrong way. She wanted to pull out and leave, but doing so would be rude. Maybe it was the way the woman towered over her that reminded her of growing up with aunt Trunchbull. “I was throwing up last night.” Hortensia piped up from the back seat. “We all were.” Jennifer watched Cynthia’s face begin to lose color before she jumped away from the car as if it had burned her. Jennifer gave a polite nod before rolling the window up and pulled out of the driveway while Hortensia snickered. “She’s a germaphobe.” Hortensia explained. “How can you be a germaphobe with a toddler?” Jennifer asked as she cruised out of the neighborhood. “She doesn’t let him be around other kids, not like any other kid would want to be around that little arse.” Jennifer rolled her eyes. “Language.” she warned. Not like it would do any good. What was she going to do? Make Hortensia stand in the corner? It’s what Dr. Reinfield wanted her to do with Matilda from now on. She had been scolded about sending mixed messages. She sighed as she drove to the hospital. She hadn’t meant to confuse her, but she had taken it so personally. Time was her weapon, Dr. Rienfield explained, not being someone else, even if it was only pretend. No matter how smart Matilda was, she was still only 6 and ten minutes could feel like an hour to her. “Where are we going?” Matilda asked. “I made you a doctor appointment this morning.” Jennifer said. “Sucks to be you.” Hortensia said. “I like going to the doctor.” Matilda said with a shrug. Jennifer had to stifle a laugh at the look on Hortensia’s face. “You’ll probably get a shot, you know.” Hortensia said. “So?” Matilda asked. “Trust me, once you get a tube of saline up your butt, shots are easy.” “What are you?” Hortensia scoffed. “And why’d they stick a tube up your arse?” “Cause I was wetting the bed…just like you.” Matilda stage whispered. She saw Hortensia’s face lose color. “You’re not taking me to get a tube up my arse, are you Miss Honey?” Hortensia asked in a panic. Matilda chuckled. “No one is getting tubes up their butts.” Jennifer said. “What she had done was called an enima because she was impacted.” “That’s what she told me too.” Matilda said. “What’s impacted mean?” “Couldn’t poop, so it built up in my intestines and was pressing on my bladder.” Matilda explained. “Remember when you had to go get my mom for me cause I couldn’t bend over?” “Oh yeah.” Hortensia said. “You know you could have just used your powers.” “I did realize that.” Matilda said before adding. “The next day.” “I pooped this morning, so no one’s coming near my arse, right?” “Good for you.” Jennifer said, shaking her head as she pulled into the parking lot. “Now you just have to worry about the horse traquilizer.” Matilda snickered. “What?!” “She is not getting a horse tranquilizer.” Jennifer said, rolling her eyes. “Stop trying to scare her.” Hortensia breathed a sigh of relief. “She’s getting a Horsetensia tranquilizer.” “Hey!” “Sorry, it was right there.” Jennifer laughed. “I thought you were supposed to be nice.” Hortensia scowled. “I’m off the clock.” Jennifer said opening the back door so the girls could climb out. “That’s what you get for saying my butt looked like a baboon.” “It did.” Both Hortensia and Matilda said in unison before laughing. Both the good and bad thing about living in a tiny village was there was only a small number of doctors, and only three pediatricians. She had a thirty three percent chance Hortensia was already in their system and as Jennifer whispered a hurried explanation of their situation to the front desk, it turned out luck was on her side today. The girls saw the same doctor afterall. “If you wouldn’t mind only calling Matilda’s name…” Jennifer whispered. “The other one doesn’t know she’s being seen as well.” “How old is she?” “Eleven.” “She will have to have a gaurdian present during the examination since she’s under 13. Do you want them to be seen together or seperatly?” “Together’s fine. It’s mostly for the same thing.” She didn’t trust Hortensia to be left alone. She maybe older, but something told Jennifer she didn’t do well at the doctor’s. If she left her alone, she might make a break for it. She took a seat with the girls. Matilda seemed relaxed and at ease. Hortensia was jostling her leg up and down. She must suspect something was up. The door to the back opened, making the girl jump into the air. Jennifer was reminded of a cat, hackles up and hissing as the the man looked at his clipboard and read, “Matilda?” Jennifer and Matilda stood. “You too, Ten’s.” Jennifer said. “They don’t let kids wait by themselves; you’ll have to come in with us.” Hortensia narrowed her eyes suspiciously and followed them back. … Jennifer climbed into the front seat and let out an exasperated sigh. Four nurses, Hortensia? Really? It took four nurses to hold her down over a simple series of boosters. Hortensia climbed in behind her, arms crossed and glowering. Matilda was still snickering. “It was just a shot.” Matilda said before giggling. “It was three! You could have told them ‘no’.” Hortensia grumbled. “No, I couldn’t, you couldn’t go back to school without it.” Jennifer explained for what felt like the millionth time. “I don’t know how you were even allowed to get this far in the first place. You were years behind in your vaccinations.” “Cause I bit them everytime they tried.” Hortensia mumbled before turning to Matilda. “Spill.” Jennifer was sure Ten’s was going to start biting if it hadn’t been for Matilda’s quick thinking. She was curious if Matilda would hold up her end of the bargain though. She wasn’t sure if she had just blurted it out or if she had thought it through. Matilda groaned. Well that answered that question. Matilda mumbled something Jennifer couldn’t quite hear only for Hortensia to scoff. “That’s it?! THAT’S the big secret? You piss yourself all the time!” “I do not!” Matilda said. “In my backyard, in class, in the chokee, in bed…” Hortensia began to list off multiple places. “Not to mention you shat all over our front porch!” “I was sick.” Matilda mummbled. “And on me! And on our carpet. Seriously, why arn’t you in diapers?” “Hey!” Matilda scowled. “I don’t do it anymore.” “You wet the bed just last night!” “So did you.” Matilda said. Hortensia went quiet for a moment. “Are you really going to make me go to that Dr. too?” Hortensia mumbled. “You won’t get a shot.” Jennifer offered. “Not today, but it might help.” Their pediatrician had diagnosed them with mild food poisoning, and for Hortensia, stress. He suggested Jennifer make her an appointment with Dr. Rienfield, but they had just come back from there. She had a feeling Eve wouldn’t send Hortensia to therapy. She hadn’t even been on top of Hortensia’s vaccinations. She couldn’t imagine her being anti-vax given her history in the medical field. Jennifer imagained she didn’t think the effort was worth it. It had taken their whole office team to hold her down. Whatever the matter was, Hortensia seemed terrified of her mom finding out. “I’ll make you a deal.” Jennifer said turning around to face her. “You go to therapy and make an effort, and whatever happens at my house will stay at my house. Does that sound reasonable?” “You won’t tell my mom about…?” Hortensia asked, letting her words fall in the air. “Not unless she specifically asks me if you are, which I don’t see why she would…unless this is a problem at home?” Hortensia shook her head. “I mean, when I was little, I guess.” she said. “Then I won’t bring it up unless she does.” Jennifer said. “But you can’t just sit there and refuse to answer her questions, even if the topic is uncomfortable.” …Even though that was exactly what she had done this morning… “Okay…” Hortensia said. “All I have to do is talk? No needles?” “No needles.” Jennifer assured her. “You’re going to bring up three things. You’re going to tell her about the bedwetting, your rage attacks…and those drawings.” Hortensia averted her gaze. “Why?” she mumbled. “You’re obsessed with that face.” Jennifer said. “If she says it’s nothing to be concerned about, and you like to draw it, then fine, draw away, but I want her to be aware of it. Deal?” Hortensia considered it for a moment before nodding. “Are you going to make me wear…those?” Hortensia asked quietly. Matilda giggled. “Wear what?” Jennifer asked. “You know…” “She wants to know if you’re going to make her wear diapers.” Matilda laughed. “Oh.” Jennifer chuckled. “No, I’m not going to make you wear diapers, just clean up after yourself if it happens. I won’t make a big deal of it.” Matilda scowled. “Hey, why’d you make me?” Matilda asked. “Because 1,” she held up a finger, “we didn’t have laundry in the apartment, I had to go to the communal laundry room. Two,” she held up another finger. “We were sharing a bed.” Matilda frowned. “Let’s go. I believe I lost a bet and owe you a pizza.”

Matilda couldn’t believe it. She was finally at uni. She looked up at the exquisite architecture in wonder. Oxford University was even more impressive in person. It was ranked the top college in the world and it wanted her. She gripped her backpack straps tight in her clenched fists as she prepared to take her first step onto campus, but suddenly she was surrounded by adults. Hundreds, no thousands of them swarmed around her, pushing and jostling her. “Get out of the way!” “Go back to preschool!” Matilda looked around. Where was Jenny? She looked behind her to find her mother throwing her bags on the sidewalk before climbing back into the passenger side of the car. Matilda bolted back. What was she doing? Where was she going? She was supposed to stay here with her. “Mom, you’re not leaving, are you?” Matilda asked. “Of course I am. It’s a long ride back to Buckinghamshire.” Jennifer said without looking up as she slid her seatbelt back on. Matilda’s mouth hung open. “But you can’t go! We were supposed to find an apartment here together!” Matilda said. “Matilda,” Jennifer said with a frown. “This was our agreement, remember? You’d stay with me until it was time to go off to college.” “But…but i’m only six! You can’t just leave me here!” Matilda’s eyes began to well with tears. “Matilda,” Jennifer said, now sounding annoyed. “You can’t just expect us all to pack up and move for you. You were the one who wanted to be an adult, now's your chance.” “Us?” Matilda asked. She noticed all the other people in the car now. There was a man behind the wheel and three kids in the back seat. Where had she been sitting? “I have a family.” Jennifer said. Matilda’s eyes began to sting as her cheeks dampened with tears. “But…I’m your family.” Matilda croaked. Jennifer sighed. “Honey, we need to leave if we’re going to beat traffic.” the unknown man said. “Look, we had our fun. It was good practice, but it’s time we went our separate ways. I can’t raise a baby here. My husband's job is in Aylesbury; we can’t stay with you. ” “A baby!” Matilda shouted. Her eyes went wide. Jennifer was pregnant! And what was that about a husband? “Goodbye, Matilda!” Jennifer yelled out the window as the car pulled away, leaving Matilda behind. Forever. … “Oy, what are you sleeping for? You’re not the sick one!” Hortensia said. Matilda jumped. “Did you have a nice nap, sweetheart?” Jennifer asked. Matilda blinked, confused. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Jennifer was already on her feet and looking a bit better than she had earlier that morning. Her face was still pale and her eyes were glassy, but she didn’t look like she was in danger of collapsing. “Sorry it took so long. I found their camp, but they weren't there. They had gone for a hike.” Hortensia explained. So that’s how it was already the afternoon, Matilda thought. “How long have you been up?” Matilda asked. “About twenty minutes.” Jennifer said. “I gathered up what I could of our stuff, but we’ll have to come back for the rest.” “You should have woken me up.” Matilda scowled. Here she was sleeping while her sick mother was doing all the work. “How are you feeling?” Jennifer flashed her a pained smile. “Better than earlier, thanks to you.” Jennifer said, but Matilda could tell she still felt pretty miserable. “Honey, what’s wrong? You look like you’ve been crying.” “No?” Matilda said, sounding more like a question than an answer. She touched the side of her cheek. She could feel moisture trailing down her face. Then she began to remember the horrid dream she had been having. She swallowed the lump in her throat as fresh tears threatened to spill. “Matilda, what’s the matter?” Jennifer asked with a frown. “Are you sad because the trip is getting cut short? I’m real sorry it didn’t work out, but we can do something just the two of us before school starts again.” “No, I’m not upset.” Matilda said, wiping her eyes. “It’s just bright.” she lied. “It’s fine. Camping’s lame anyway.” Hortensia chimed in. Matilda knew she had been having a blast last night, especially when the glow sticks had come out. Matilda was just glad to be going back to civilization, modern medicine, and away from single men. “Matilda, can you fix my dress? It feels like it’s caught on something. Can you even it out? It shouldn't be this tight.” Jennifer asked as she spun around. Hortensia began to snicker. “What? What is it?” “Well, it is caught on something.” Matilda said, trying her best not to laugh as well. “Your backside is a little swollen…” “A little?” Hortensia laughed. It was huge. Comically so. “It’s like I R Baboon.” “I don’t know what that is, but I don’t like the sound of it.” Jennifer said before sighing. “I couldn’t get my underwear back on.” “There’s no way it would fit.” Matilda said. Jennifer cringed as they stepped out and met Brian, who was waiting for them in his minivan. “Are you alright?” Brian asked. Matilda watched with an uneasy feeling as what little color began to drain from Jennifer’s face as her eyes bugged out. There were two things Matilda knew for sure. It was Brian Jennifer had been dreaming about last night. And Matilda hated him. … “You don’t have to stay.” Matilda said icily. “I’ve got it from here.” “No, I-I can’t just leave.” Brian said. “You’ll need a ride home after.” “We can take the bus.” Matilda said flatly. “I’m sure Hazel doesn’t want to stay here.” They looked over at Jennifer, who was lying on her stomach on the couch in the E.R waiting room reading a children’s book to Hazel, who sat next to her listening with rapt attention. The scene infuriated Matilda. “Mom, don’t touch that. Put it back. It’s full of germs.” she scolded Jennifer. “I’ll live.” Jennifer said before going back to the story. Anger coursed through her. She ripped the book out of Jennifer’s hands and threw it in the basket of magazines. “Matilda? What was that for?” “Your immune system is compromised!” Matilda said with a scowl. “Do you have any idea how many germs are on the children’s toys in a hospital?” “Don’t just take things out of my hand! That was very rude!” Jennifer said. “I get that you’re worried, but it isn’t anything like last time.” Her eyes began to droop as she talked, before finally putting her head down. “If you’re so concerned, then you finish reading the story.” “You can read?” Hazel asked. “You can’t?” Matilda scoffed. “Matilda!” Jennifer said, pushing herself up. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you better knock it off! She’s six!” “So am I.” Matilda grumbled. Jennifer glared at her. “Sit down. I don’t want to hear another word out of your mouth.” Jennifer said. Matilda let herself fall into a chair as she crossed her arms and seethed. Why wouldn’t they leave already? Hortensia had to have packed up the camp by now. She sighed. “Do you want me to go find a payphone and call Mrs. Rodgers about getting a ride home later?” Matilda asked. “No, I do not. I want you to sit there and be quiet.” Jennifer said sternly. “Then how are we getting home? You can’t drive, you can’t even sit.” “Matilda!” Jennifer snapped. “If I hear another word out of your mouth…Where do you think you’re going?!” “The restroom! Or can I not even do that right?” Matilda shot back. Jennifer was about to reply, but Brian’s approach stopped her. “I’ll take you home after. It’s okay.” he said. “Then i’ll double back and get Hortensia. Her and the boys should be done packing by the time you’re done.” Matilda’s hands clenched into fists by her side when she saw the look of gratitude cross Jennifer’s face. Oh, so she gets scolded for offering a way home, but he gets sappy googly eyes. “I appreciate that. Thank you so much for everything, even though we’ve only just met.” Jennifer said before making eye contact with Matilda. “Sit. Down. Now.” “I. Need. The. Restroom.” Jennifer let out an exasperated sigh before giving her a dismissive wave. Matilda was about to storm away, but Brian cut her off. “Would you mind taking Hazel with you? Please?” Matilda eyed the girl, who was sitting on the floor holding her crotch, with distaste. She wanted to say no, but one look from Jennifer told her she wouldn’t be sitting comfortably for the rest of the day if she ignored him. She wasn’t in the mood to put her “no spanking policy” to the test. She was sure she had already stretched it to its limit. “Fine.” Matilda marched to the bathroom, Hazel trailing along beside her at Brian’s request, and locked herself in the furthest stall. She really had just wanted to be alone. She sat on the toilet, ripped off some paper, and let it float in the air. Her powers had become like an extra bodily function, but instead of waste needing to be expelled, it was energy. Like other bodily functions she found if she didn’t let it out in regular intervals, accidents tended to happen. Accidents that took the form of broken glass and property damage. She didn’t know what was more unbearable to her, the pressure behind her eyes from the power needing to be expelled, the burning pain when she released it, or watching Jennifer attempt to flirt. Jennifer had lied to her. She had said she had no libido, no desire whatsoever to date, or get married. She had said it would always be the two of them. Tears began to stream down Matilda’s face as she realized which of the three hurt the worst. All she could see when she closed her eyes was the car driving away and leaving her behind. “I’m done.” “Go on ahead of me. I’ll be out later.” Matilda croaked out. She let out a relieved breath as she heard the heavy door open and then close. She snatched the floating toilet paper out of the air and held it to her eyes. Now she could finally fall apart. … Jennifer awoke in the night with another pounding headache. Her body hurt, her butt was still swollen and itchy and for some unknown reason, Matilda was refusing to speak to her. She was in too much distress to figure out her daughter’s mood swings at the moment. She cursed herself for leaving her medication on the kitchen counter. No matter how she positioned herself, she couldn’t get comfortable. She could feel her nightgown wrapped tightly around her backside, and with an annoyed huff, she wriggled out of it and tossed it onto the floor. After another few minutes of tossing and turning, she cursed herself again for doing that. There was no going back to sleep like this. She was too miserable. She needed to get up and go downstairs for the bottle of Tylenol. Reaching blindly in the darkness, she felt for the switch on the lamp on her nightstand and flicked it on, eliciting another moan when the dim light hit her eyes. She pushed herself up and froze. There on her nightstand was her medication, the bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water. Had she brought it up with her without remembering? No, she didn’t think so. She struggled to remember the events of yesterday. She could remember laying on her stomach in the back of Brian’s minivan, as the uneven dirt road jostled and bounced her every which way. She could remember the hospital, where she definitely remembered getting a shot in the butt. That had been a less than thrilling experience. She had also remembered Brian handing her a scrap of paper with his phone number on it when he had dropped Hortensia off. She smiled at the memory. Jennifer had also given him hers. She frowned as she remembered the rest of the evening's events, like when a large crack had suddenly spider webbed across his windshield. She had sent Matilda to bed without dinner as punishment. It was one thing if she had just admitted she had lost control, but she hadn’t. She swore up and down it wasn’t her, but Jennifer wasn’t buying it. She had been throwing a tantrum all afternoon since they had left the campsite. She had even gone as far as to lock herself in the handicapped stall and refused to come out until Jennifer had had to march in and drag her out so a old lady with a walker could get in there. She reached for her medicine and swallowed it down with a long drink. No, she hadn’t brought it up with her, it was still cold. Had someone been in her room while she was asleep? She’d ask the girls about it in the morning. Right now, she just wanted to go back to sleep. She was about to reach over and turn the lamp off when a sniffling sound made her snap to attention. She looked to the foot of her bed and found the culprit. A small lump was curled up at the foot of her bed. “Matilda?” Jennifer asked. A small face poked it’s head out from underneath a towel she had been using as a blanket. She had so many questions. “What are y-” she stopped as she noticed her tear streaked face. Jennifer sighed. “You’re not still upset about the camping trip?” Matilda glared her before flinging the towel away and lowered herself off the bed. She was halfway towards the door when Jennifer called out to her. “Matilda, stop. Come back, please. Let’s talk about this.” Matilda stood rooted to the spot, looking between the door and the bed. Jennifer flipped the covers over next to her and patted the spot beside her, but Matilda continued to back away looking a mixture of furious and hurt. “Matilda?” Jennifer called, but the girl had taken off. Jennifer sighed. She had clearly said the wrong thing. She looked at the alarm clock on her bedside table. No wonder her brain wasn’t working, it was two in the morning. She briefly considered going back to sleep, but she couldn’t leave things as they were. This wasn’t normal behavior for Matilda, Jennifer should have known better. She looked at her nightstand, with the medicine and half drunk glass of water and felt a pang of guilt. THAT was her normal behavior, not acting out because they had to cut the trip short. She had even gone so far as to rub ointment on her butt. She didn’t understand. Matilda hadn’t started acting out until they had left, so if it wasn’t about the trip, then what was it? Jennifer let out an exasperated sigh and climbed out of bed. Only one way to find out. She bent down and picked up her discarded nightgown, slid it back on, and made her way to Matilda’s room. She flicked on the light, before quickly shutting it back off again with a hastened apology. Wrong kid. Had they switched rooms? She went to the other bedroom, but when she turned on the light, she found an empty bare mattress stripped of its sheets. Jennifer pinched the bridge of her nose as she turned off the light. Again Hortensia? If she wasn’t in any of the rooms, it only left downstairs. She slowly eased herself down each step until she reached the landing. She scanned the room, and there, on the sofa, she could just make out a lump curled up on the sofa in the darkness. “Matilda, come back to bed. I didn’t mean to upset you.” No answer. “Matilda?” No answer. She patted the lump on the sofa and frowned. She had been talking to a blazer. “Go away.” A small voice sobbed. Jennifer turned and saw another lump in the armchair. “Matilda? Or are you another article of clothing?” She came closer and could just make out the child sized shape. “What’s got you so worked up, sweetheart?” “Nothing.” The lump rolled over so her back was now facing her. “Go back to bed.” “Not until you tell me what’s got you so upset lately.” “It’s nothing.” she repeated with a sniffle. “It’s not nothing.” She tried to stroke Matilda’s hair, but when she placed a hand on her head, her hand was batted away. Jennifer winced. She must have really messed up. “Matilda, please, talk to me.” “Do you really…think i’m so… petty…to be upset… over a camping trip…when you were …so sick?” Matilda sobbed, still facing away from her. “No, I don’t. I'm sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Jennifer said softly. “Please, tell me. Something had to have happened when we left.” “You…lied to me.” Matilda said. “What? When? Matilda? Please turn around.” “You-you said it would always just be us!” “Matilda, I don’t understand. I thought you wanted Hortensia to stay.” “N-n-not Hor-hor-hortensia.” “Then who are you talking about? It’s just the three of us.” Now there was nothing but silence. “Matilda, you’re really going to have to explain, because I really don’t understand.” “Brian.” she heard Matilda mumble. Brian? What did Brian have to do with this? Was that why Matilda was being so rude to them? Because she didn’t like Brian? “What about Brian?” Jennifer asked. Only, Matilda once again dissolved into sobs. “Can we talk about this in bed?” No response. “Matilda?” No response. “Please don’t make me carry you.” No response. “Okay.” She bent down and hoisted Matilda up from behind her knees and arms. “I saw that your bed is currently occupied.” She huffed as she inched up the stairs. “You can sleep with me tonight, how does that sound?” Matilda didn’t respond, only sniffled. Jennifer’s legs were shaking by the time she set Matilda down and tucked her in. Before climbing in on the other side, she grabbed the glass of water and downed it before panting. “Was that you who left this for me?” Jennifer asked, motioning towards the pill bottles. Matilda nodded. “Thank you, that was very thoughtful.” “I saw them… when I was…washing the sheets.” Matilda said softly in between gasps for breath. Jennifer gingerly got into bed beside her, wincing as her backside came into contact with the bed. “It’s still too tight.” Jennifer lamented before sighing and stripping off her nightgown. “What was it ‘Tens called me? A baboon?” Matilda didn’t even crack a smile. Jennifer frowned. She hadn’t seen Matilda this inconsolable since she had pushed her away in the bathroom. “Come here.” Jennifer scooted closer before Matilda could run away and wrapped her arms around her and held her against her chest. “It’s alright, Matilda, whatever it is, it’s alright.” she said softly as one hand stroked her head and the other rubbed her back. “Now tell me, what is it about Brian that’s got you in such a state?” Jennifer asked once Matilda’s sobs had finally turned into sniffles. “A dream.” Matilda mumbled into her chest. A dream? Was that all this was about? Jennifer had been afraid it was something she had done to her. “What did you dream about?” “I got into Oxford.” “That sounds like a good dream though.” Matilda shook her head. “You married him, and all his kids were there, and you were pregnant, and you told me since I had gotten into college our relationship was over and we…we weren't a family anymore because you had one of your own now.” “Oh, Matilda, no.” Jennifer said. She tightened her grip around her as Matilda began to bawl again. “Y-you said I was only practice! Then you- then you threw all my stuff on the curb and drove away with him!” “Oh, that’s a terrible dream.” Jennifer said, rocking her back and forth. “But it's only a dream, sweetheart. I promise. The only thing plausible about any of that is you getting into Oxford someday. I adopted you. You know what that means, don’t you? It means we’re a family. Forever. No matter what happens, or who comes into our lives. Nothing is going to change that.” “You said it would just be us.” Matilda whimpered. “Probably.” Jennifer said. “But I don’t know what the future holds. I can’t say for sure or make any promises. All I do know is there isn’t going to be a baby.” She brushed Matilda’s hair back. “Did you dream about this tonight?” “This morning.” Ah, so that explained it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Brian or that he offended her. She felt threatened by him, so she had lashed out. “I can’t do it!” Matilda sniffled. “You can’t do what?” “Be a normal kid, like Hazel. You looked so happy playing with her and I can’t do it!” “Who says I want you to be like Hazel?” Jennifer asked with a frown. “I like small children, yes.” Jennifer explained. “But it’s you I love, you understand? That’s what I like about teaching. I can play with all the children I want, but at the end of the day, I get to send them all home. At the end of every day, you’re the only one I want to come home with. ”

Brian was waiting for them by his tent with a large welcoming smile. Jennifer tried her best to seem upbeat despite the morning she was having. The girls had been bickering with each other non-stop, and Matilda refused to speak to Jennifer at all. Her heart gave a pang of sadness. She thought Matilda was more mature than that. This was supposed to be a fun trip, but it had been nothing but miserable since the moment they had woken up yesterday, before they had even left the house. Jennifer turned to tell the girls to behave themselves, but there was no one there. She spun around in a panic. Where were the girls? They had been right beside her a minute ago. “Matilda? Hortensia?” She called. She scanned the horizon, but there was no one and nothing for miles. “I sent them off to play.” Brian said. Jennifer was startled. He had been wearing a green t-shirt and blue jeans a moment ago, but now he was decked in nothing but his running shoes and itty bitty bicycle shorts. Jennifer’s face felt flush. “Look, they’re over there.” He pointed toward the water where the girls were riding atop of the inflatable alligator clad in their bathing suits. But wait, they hadn’t been wearing their bathing suits, had they? And they certainly hadn’t brought, or inflated, that beast of a water toy. Did Brian’s kids have one as well? “Come with me.” Brian urged. He beckoned her forward towards the tent, but now he was fully dressed in a Tux. “I’ve been thinking about you all night.” He whispered in her ear before pulling her by the hand to the front of the tent and opening the flap. “After you.” Jennifer stepped inside, but instead of canvas and mesh lining, it was a fully furnished hotel room with a king sized canopy bed, chandelier, television, lush white carpeting, and a mini fridge. Seemed legit. Jennifer turned to ask how he had electricity without a generator only to let out a startled shriek. He was naked! She stepped away from him until she felt herself back up against a wall. She looked down at herself. She was naked! Panicked, she tried to cover her lower half with her hands, only for him to press his mouth against hers. “Don’t look at me!” Jennifer gasped. “It’s…It’s not right anymore.” “Oh, I don’t mind it.” He whispered before going in for another kiss. “I don’t mind at all.” Her breath caught in her throat. He was kissing her neck. And her throat. And her shoulders. “In fact, let me show you how much I don’t mind.” He was on his knees in front of her, spreading her legs apart and… …. Matilda groaned softly as something shook her awake. She slowly opened her eyes to find Hortensia kneeling over her. Oh great, now she wanted to talk to her. “Wha?” Matilda asked groggily. “Dude, something’s wrong with Miss Honey.” Hortensia whispered. “She’s making a lot of weird noises.” Matilda lifted her head before lowering it and closed her eyes. “She talks in her sleep.” Matilda mumbled. “She’s fine.” She was about to tell her off for waking her, but a sudden unrecognizable noise coming from her mother made her stop. She propped herself up on her elbows and had a look. She did appear to be in distress. See, just another bad dream. She watched Jennifer bite the corner of her lip and let out another one of those strange noises. Well that was certainly an odd expression for a bad dream. “You think she’s in pain?” Hortensia asked. “My mom makes that same noise from the bathroom when she knicks herself with the electric shaver. I wish she wouldn’t drink wine while she shaves.” Matilda made a face at her. “And does that shaver go ‘BZZZ’?” “It’s electric, duh. Aren’t you supposed to be a genius?” Hortensia asked sarcastically. Matilda frowned as she stared. So if that was what was going on then… She looked down at Jennifer and let out an involuntary flinch back. “Mom, wake up.” Matilda said, lightly shaking her shoulders. “You’re having a bad dream,” before whispering “I hope.” Jennifer let out a startled yell as she opened her eyes. “Is everything okay?” Jennifer mumbled groggily. “What is it?” “It’s fine, you were having a nightmare.” Matilda said. Jennifer screwed up her face seemingly deep in thought. “I can’t remember what I was dreaming about, no wait, you two were in it. You were riding that inflatable alligator, except you were flying in the air and I was trying to knock you down with a broom.” “Dude, do you think you could actually make it fly with your powers if I was riding it? That would be so cool!” Hortensia said. “Don’t.” Jennifer mumbled before she fell back asleep. … When Jennifer opened her eyes again the sun was shining down through the tent. She grimaced in pain as her senses came back to her. Her butt! She winced as snuck her hand back and began to scratch. The regret was near instantaneous. Jennifer jumped and let out a whimper. Hortensia lifted her head up and gave her a bleary look. “What’s wrong?” Hortensia asked half asleep. “The bites are a little tender.” She said with a grimace. Hortensia mumbled something Jennifer couldn’t quite understand and lowered her head back down. “Where’s Matilda?” she asked when she noticed her side of the sleeping bag was empty. “Dunno.” Hortensia mumbled without opening her eyes. Jennifer groaned as she rolled onto her stomach. She should get up and look for her, but she felt like she had been run over. Her body ached. The temptation to close her eyes was winning. She mentally chastised herself, but remained in her sleeping bag. A few minutes later, the tent flap opened and she saw Matilda return. “Where were you?” Jennifer mumbled. “Went out to pee.” “You should have woken me up.” Jennifer said. “I can manage by myself.” Matilda said with a frown. “What’s with you?” “I don’t feel well.” she admitted. She didn’t have the energy to argue with her. She let her head fall back down and closed her eyes. “Mom?” she felt a cool hand gently press against her forehead. “You’re hot.” She heard Matilda exit the tent before coming back before something heavy fell to the ground next to her head. She opened her eyes to find Matilda digging through the first aid kit. “Hey, stay out of there.” she mumbled half-heartedly. “Then I guess you don’t want anything for your fever.” Matilda said. “Tylenol, in the red bottle.” She could hear her struggle with the bottle. “Press down and turn.” Matilda grunted and strained to get the lid off. “Why do they have to… make these… so hard to open?” Matilda grunted. “To keep kids like you out of it.” Jennifer said. She stuck a hand out. With a defeated sigh from Matilda, the bottle was placed in her outstretched hand. Jennifer opened it and shook out two capsules for herself. “Can you bring-” she started to ask but Matilda was already holding her canteen out to her. “Thank you, honey.” She took the pills and handed the bottle back. “Can you put these back in the first aid kit?” “How’s your butt?” Matilda asked with a snicker. “It burns.” Jennifer admitted. “Are ant bites supposed to hurt this much?” she groaned into her crossed arms, hiding her face into the dark. She could hear Matilda rummaging around in the first aid kit. Too much noise to just be putting the Tylenol away. “Leave it. Come back to bed.” The sleeping bag began to unzip, but instead of Matilda climbing inside, the half covering her was pulled away. What was she up to? She lifted her head up when she suddenly felt her nightgown get pushed up before her underwear began to slide down. “Hey! Don’t just pull my clothes off! There’s other people in the tent!” Jennifer said, only a small fraction of concerned as she would have normally been. “The other people are asleep.” Matilda said. “Stay here, don’t move.” She got to her feet and started to make her way out. “With my butt hanging out?” Jennifer asked incredulously. “Yes.” Matilda said firmly before she left. Jennifer let out a sigh and looked over at Hortensia, who had curled into a ball and buried herself down in her sleeping bag. She wondered what other parents had to do to amuse their six-year-olds. When she imagined having a daughter, she had thought of tea parties, dress up and dolls, yet here her daughter was wanting to play Proctologist with her. She buried her head back into her crossed arms. “What are you doing?” Jennifer asked as Matilda came back carrying their pack of wet wipes. “It needs to be cleaned.” Matilda said. Jennifer frowned. “You’re not washing my butt.” Jennifer said pointedly. “I’ll wash up in the lake later once the Tylenol kicks in.” “Stay out of the water.” Matilda said, ignoring her concerns. She watched Matilda pull out a few wipes before Jennifer let out a cry of pain. “Stop! Stop! That hurts!” Jennifer said. She was about to push herself up, but Matilda put a hand on her back and forced her in place. “Did you clean this at all last night?” “I rinsed off in the lake.” Jennifer mumbled. Was she really getting scolded about hygiene from a six-year-old? “I think you’re having an allergic reaction. Either that or it’s all infected. It's not as bad as the spider bite, but I don’t think ant bites are supposed to look like this.” “Terrific.” Jennifer mumbled sarcastically. “Well, it’s a good thing you brought half the drug store.” She had brought all that for Matilda, not herself. She heard a box getting ripped open, but her head hurt too much to keep craning her neck around. “What are you getting into?” She asked without opening her eyes. “Benadryl, the box says it helps with bug bites.” “No, it’s going to make me sleepy.” “Would you rather stay awake like this?” Matilda asked doubtfully. “No, but someone needs to watch you two. I can’t just sleep all day and let you two run amok.” “You’re no good as is.” Matilda said. Jennifer knew she was right, but she couldn’t sleep now. What if they got kidnapped? Or drowned? How could she ever live with herself if something happened because she was sleeping instead of being vigilant? “I’ll be okay, Matilda, really.” She pushed herself up enough to pull her underwear back up, her eyes tearing up as the cotton material came in contact with her raw skin. Maybe going commando would be better. She pulled them back down and slid them as far as she could before Matilda pulled them off the rest of the way. “Do you want a clean pair from your bag?” “No, i’ll keep them off for now.” Jennifer said before covering herself back up with her nightgown. She pushed herself up, ignoring the dizziness and Matilda’s protests. She pushed the tent flap open and made her way outside, Matilda scrambling after her. “Hey, where are you going?” Matilda demanded. “The field.” Jennifer mumbled. She squinted and shielded her eyes. It was so bright. The sunlight made her headache pound even worse. Her mouth began to salivate. She froze, swallowing down the nausea and braced herself, taking slow deep breaths until the feeling passed. “I’m okay.” She said to Matilda, who watched her with a look of deep concern etched on her face. “Mom, you should lay back down, you look terrible.” “I’m okay.” She repeated more to herself. “I’m fine, I just need to pee and then I'll lay back down.” She looked towards the field and frowned. Had it always been so far away? The trail seemed to stretch on for miles. Or was that her vision tunneling? Oh no, she was going to fall. Her skin broke out in a cold sweat as her legs began to tremble. Yep, she was going down. She threw her arms out in front to break her fall and braced for impact, but it never came. Instead, she seemed to fall in slow motion until she was gently set down by a pair of invisible hands. She could hear Matilda cry out in pain. Jennifer grunted her frustration into the dirt. She was supposed to be looking out for Matilda, not the other way around! She wasn’t supposed to be using her powers, she was supposed to be resting! She rolled over and sat up before letting out a gasp. “Your eyes!” “It’s fine. They're still just sore from yesterday.” Matilda said, rubbing them furiously. “You should have let me fall!” Jennifer said, slowly sitting up and dusting her face off with the crook of her arm. “Are you okay? Do you want some water? Don’t get up! Just sit there for a minute.” Jennifer sighed as Matilda fussed over her. This wasn’t normal six-year-old-behavior. “You’re grounded, Matilda.” Jennifer said half-heartedly. “Stop worrying about me and go play. You have to act your age, remember?” she said with a wince as she tried to move. She just needed a minute to rest. Once the world righted itself, she’d get up, pee, and go back to bed. “Okay.” Matilda said flatly. Okay? Was she really going to listen? Now of all times? She was staring at her with narrowed eyes as if studying her. Then, without a word, she turned and left. Jennifer let out a defeated sigh. She must have really made her angry last night. There’s no way the Matilda she knew would have left her side. Good, she thought, letting her head fall into her hands. What was she going to do? Everyone expected them back tomorrow. As she sat there thinking, the realization that she wasn’t fine was quickly dawning on her. It was the same symptoms as last time, but milder. Matilda was right, she was having an allergic reaction. She could feel her throat closing up. Stop it, she chastised herself, you’re panicking and that’s why you can’t breathe. There was no way she could hike back like this. Jennifer looked up as she heard footsteps approaching. Matilda was hurrying back with the first aid kit. She gave a weak smile. She knew Matilda wouldn’t leave her like this. “Mommy, will you play with me?” Matilda asked. Jennifer blinked in surprise. What? Right now? Under normal circumstances she would have found that adorable. “Umm, wh-what do you want to play?” Jennifer asked in a shaky voice. She was breaking out in another sweat. She needed to lay down for a second. “I want to play pretend.” Matilda said. “I want to act out those stories on my desk like you said I should last night.” Jennifer let out a shaky, yet relieved laugh. The stories about the six-year-old doctor. Matilda had found a loophole. Of course she would. Jennifer had told her to go play like a six-year-old, so she was. “Doctor, I don’t feel so good.” she said as she closed her eyes. “Hmm, it says in your chart you're sixteen, with a history of adverse reactions to insects. Is that correct?” Matilda said, pretending to hold a chart. She wondered why sixteen, but then she remembered Matilda’s character was a pediatrician. “Yes.” “And what are your symptoms?” “Headache, nausea, sweating, weakness, fever and a really really itchy arse.” Even amidst all her other symptoms she couldn’t help but scratch. “I got bit by a lot of fucking fire ants yesterday.” she could see Matilda trying not to crack a smile. She could swear this once. She was a sixteen year old after all. Matilda had set the rules. There were things she couldn’t normally say, or even allow herself to think about these last two days that she could in character, so you know what? “FUCK NATURE!” she yelled before letting out a breath. That was surprisingly cathartic. No wonder kids cussed so much. It was all just a game of make believe. “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” Matilda asked, gasping against her clenched fist as she tried unsuccessfully not to laugh. It took her a second to get back into character. “Any shortness of breath? Chest pain? Loss of consciousness? Recent falls.” she said, putting emphasis on the latter. “I’m not sure. I’m not sure if I’m having shortness of breath because I’m in the beginning stages of anaphylaxis shock, or because I’m panicking at the thought of it and giving myself an anxiety attack.” Jennifer admitted, breath starting to quicken. Matilda froze for a moment. “Do-does the patient have their Epi-pen?” “D-do you have one in that kit, doctor?” There was the sound of frantic rummaging before silence. “Did the patient go camping, while knowingly severely allergic to certain, if not all bugs, and not pack her EPIPEN?” Matilda asked with clenched teeth. Jennifer let out a sad sounding laugh before saying, “Oops.” The moment she had filled that prescription, it had sat in her nightstand and never thought of again. “The patient packed a PREGNANCY TEST, BUT NOT AN EPIPEN?” Matilda asked before digging into the first aid kit. “Benadryl. Now. Doctors orders! It’s chewable.” Jennifer accepted them without a fight this time. “The good news is, umm, in my professional opinion, if you were going to go into anaphylactic shock, it would have happened last night, but I implore you to get a second opinion from a specialist.” Jennifer figured that was code for packing up and heading home to a real doctor as soon as possible. Except how? She’d never make the hike. She doubted she was even going to make it to the field. Her shortness of breath came back again. “It’s only an anxiety attack,” Jennifer said with a wince. Matilda knelt down next to her and began to stroke her head. “They feel bad enough even when you aren't sick.” Matilda said breaking character. “Hortensia can get Brian. He has his car, remember? It’s okay.” Brian! She had forgotten about Brian! She wouldn’t have to hike back! If he was willing to drop them off at her car. She sighed in relief. At least one of them was thinking clearly. “I want to wait and see if Benadryl and Tylenol help. He’s expecting us later anyway. Whether it's all of us or just Hortensia flagging him down.” “Fifteen minutes. That’s all i’m willing to wait. Then I will be sending my assistant to catch my coworker for a second opinion on whether you will remain here or be transferred to another, more modern facility for your treatment.” Matilda said resuming the game. “Fifteen minutes?” Jennifer looked down at herself. “I would suggest the patient relieve themselves and come back to the tent and be made decent.” Jennifer agreed. She slowly and shakily got to her feet holding Matilda’s hand and began to make her way back towards the field when Matilda stopped her. “Do it here and come back to the tent and lay down.” Jennifer frowned. The thought of trying to make it to the field was daunting, but they were so close to the tent… Another wave of dizziness threatened to topple her and she clung onto Matilda for support. Here it was. “Don’t squat all the way down.” Matilda warned. “You’re shaking.” She was feeling too weak to swear, so she just nodded. “What shapes do you see in the clouds?” Jennifer asked as she turned and hiked up her nightgown. “There aren't any clouds.” Matilda said, craning her neck and looking up in the sky. “Well, just keep looking.” Jennifer mumbled, feeling too sick to be bothered by the splattering beneath her. After she finished and cleaned herself. Matilda helped her back to the tent where she laid out on her stomach. She frowned as she felt her nightgown get raised again. “This will help with the itching.” She watched Matilda unscrew a lid and begin to squirt an ointment on her fingers. “N-no, let me, you don’t ha-” the words died on her lips the moment the ointment made contact with her skin. Her body went limp. She let Matilda finish. “What’s going on?” Hortensia asked slowly. Jennifer made an unintelligible noise into her arms. “Mom’s sick.” “Uh-huh… and you’re rubbing lotion on her ass…why?” “It’s medicine.” “Uh-huh, again, why?” “Because she’s in pain.” Hortensia gave her a strange look. “Wouldn’t you do this for your mom if she was in pain?” Hortensia looked like she’d rather eat dog shit. “We’re playing doctor.” Jennifer mumbled. “Do you have any idea how wrong that sounds with what I’m seeing?” Hortensia said with a snort. “We need you to go find the guy from last night and tell him to bring his car. Tell him it’s an emergency. She needs to go to the hospital, she’s having a bad allergic reaction.” “It looks like you sat on a wasp nest.” Hortensia said. “Will everyone please stop looking at my ass?” Jennifer groaned. “Miss Honey…” Hortensia said in shock. “Did Miss Honey just swear?” “Do I look like I’m ‘Miss Honey’ right now?” Jennifer said. “Please, get…help.” she said before closing her eyes. “What would be easiest for you to wear?” Matilda asked as she shimmied Jennifer’s nightgown up over her head, leaving her naked. The air felt good on her overheated skin. She wished she could just stay like this. “Too hot for clothes.” she grumbled. “Give me a minute.” “Do you want Brian seeing you like this?” Matilda asked skeptically. She did not. “There’s a dress in my bag.” Matilda scrambled to fetch it, and with some difficulty, managed to get it over Jennifer’s head and down her body. She wasn’t feeling very co-operative at the moment. “Would you lay down with me until they come?” “Sure, mom.” Jennifer wrapped her arms around Matilda and held her close. “What would I do without you?”

The fire was dying out now, the last glowing embers giving their final bursts as Hortensia pushed their smoldering remains around with a stick. The girls hadn’t spoken to each other since Hortensia’s return, and while she didn’t seem in danger of internally combusting, Jennifer noticed she sat off by herself, hunched over and looking sullen. Jennifer stood from her spot on the ground and stretched before taking a seat next to her. “You did well keeping yourself together, thank you.” she said softly, her gaze fixed towards their dwindling source of light. Hortensia didn’t respond. Instead she prodded harder, sending sparks and burnt chips of wood flying off in different directions. “What do people usually do when this happens?” “Throw me in the Chokey.” Hortensia grumbled. Jennifer frowned. She was hardly the child expert , but it seemed poor judgment to place a rampaging kid in an environment where they could hurt themselves. Could? More like would! “That doesn’t sound very safe.” Jennifer stated. “It isn’t easy standing still enough even on our good days.” Hortensia thrust a bare arm out as if to keep Jennifer from flying forward, but even in the dim light, Jennifer could see specs of shiny skin up and down her arm, so she rolled up her own sleeve and showed Hortensia her own collection of scars. She was quiet for a moment while she took in the sight as if now finally having permission to stare. They had been seen but not acknowledged. She never went around showing this much skin at school. “You’ve been in the Chokey too?” Hortensia asked surprised. “Yes, many times.” Hortensia screwed up her face in disbelief. “I don’t see you being a rule breaker.” “I didn’t need to be. I lived with her until I ran away at 19.” “It’s not ‘running away’ if you’re over 18.” Matilda called out. Jennifer pinched her eyes shut before putting on her “Miss Honey voice” “Sweetheart, play with your dolls, mommy’s busy.” Hortensia snickered at Matilda’s near open mouthed expression. “Yeah, the adults are talking.” Hortensia chuckled, laughing even harder as Matilda’s shocked face turned into a scowl. “What I’m trying to say is, I understand.” Jennifer said, steering her attention away. “And you’ll never have to go back in there. I promise. I already had it torn down.” She saw Hortensia’s smile falter for a moment as she gave a small nod. “I’ll meet with your new teacher and we can work something out. Maybe you can go for a run outside when you feel out of control.” “Even during class?” Hortensia asked doubtfully. “If it helps, then yes.” Jennifer said. “They’ll never let me leave class to ‘go run’.” “Yes, she will.” Jennifer said firmly. “I’m sort of the boss now.” She whispered conspiratorially. “I told you, there’s going to be changes.” She could already picture Old Mrs. Marshall raising a fuss. “If I let her out to run amok, then I'd have to let everyone. No. It will be chaos.” Jennifer pictured her saying. She didn’t want to pull rank, but she would if she had to. They were just going to have to learn expectations did need to be made for certain students. Would Jennifer trust Hortensia to run off by herself during class? Absolutely not. One of the school prefects would have to go with her and make sure she didn’t light another trash can on fire. She glanced over at her daughter. What would have happened to Matilda if she had followed school policy and not made exceptions for her? She’d certainly come to see school as a prison, not a place of learning, but of boredom. And speaking of Matilda… “Where do you think you’re going?” Jennifer asked as Matilda was about to make her way out of camp. “A walk.” Matilda said. “No, you’re not. You need to stay here.” Jennifer said. “You’re grounded, and even if you weren't, it’s too dangerous at night.” Matilda pursed her lips together in annoyance. “I was just going to go over there, not that far.” Matilda said, pointing out to the field. Jennifer knew where she was headed. She could see the wipe clutched tightly in her fist. “Not by yourself you’re not.” Matilda flashed her a panicked look before eying all the people in camp. Her shoulders slumped. “Fine.” She stood in place watching Jennifer expectantly. “You’ll have to wait, I'm busy.” “Hortensia?” “I don’t think she’s in the market for doing you any favors.” Jennifer said before hiding her grin behind her closed fist. A little teasing wouldn’t hurt. “Ask me.” “Will you come with me?” Matilda said between clenched teeth. “Ask me properly.” Jennifer said, unable to hide her amused smirk. “Will you please come with me?” “Try again.” Jennifer said. Matilda gave an exaggerated slump forward and she groaned. “I don’t know what you want.” Matilda complained. “Think. How did Hazel address Brian?” Matilda’s eyes narrowed. “Fine, Daddy.” Jennifer rolled her eyes. She could see Brian pop his head up in search of the voice. “Hazel, did you need something?” He asked. The little girl shook her head. “Sorry, it’s mine. She’s just being a little smart alec.” Jennifer said before turning back to Matilda. “You want to try that again?” “Mooom, why can’t you ground me like a normal person?” Matilda grumbled. “What am I going to do? Stick you in your room? You hardly come out of there anyway. Punishment isn’t something you enjoy. It’s not supposed to feel good. Now ask me again what you want, but without the attitude.” “Mommy…” Matilda said after a five second pause, something else they had learned from therapy. “Yes, darling?” “Would you please come with me to the field?” “Hmm, but we’re having fun over here, why would you want to go to the field?” Jennifer teased. “Because I need to go to the restroom.” Matilda hissed. “‘Restroom’ sure is a big word for someone as young as you.” Jennifer said. Matilda’s mouth hung open. She knew she was pushing it, but this was too much fun. “No! I’m not saying it.” Matilda said. “Then I guess you don’t want to go for a walk that badly.” “Mom, please stop.” Matilda said. “If you want me to stop, then all you have to do is tell one story.” “Why does it have to be that one? Why can’t I just say I used to be a bed wetter?” Matilda pleaded. “Because that was a medical condition and it wasn’t your fault.” Jennifer said. “You have no one to blame but yourself for what happened in the corn field maze.” “Ugh, forget it!” Matilda said, throwing up her hands in frustration before going back to sit with Hazel. “Wait, what happened in the corn field maze?” Hortensia asked. Jennifer shook her head. “It’s not my story to tell.” Jennifer went back to chatting between Hortensia and Brian before Matilda approached again, looking much more contrite. “Can I borrow that pen and paper?” Matilda asked Brian. She took the offered items and scribbled a note before handing it to Jennifer. She took it and had to bite back a laugh. “Matilda, just say it outloud and I’ll take you. Stop making this harder for yourself.” She watched as Matilda stood there, fighting with herself to get the words out. Finally, with her head hung in embarrassment she said so softly Jennifer wouldn’t have been able to make out what she was saying if she hadn’t been listening for it, “Mommy, will you please take to the field so I can go potty?” “Yes, I will take you potty.” Jennifer said, making Matilda wince. “You didn’t bring one?” Brian asked. Jennifer shook her head. “Not even for the little one?” Matilda scowled at being referred to as “the little one” but a quick warning glance from Jennifer kept her mouth shut. “She can manage fine without it. We only brought the essentials.” Jennifer said. He looked to the giant, deflated alligator lying by his feet before giving her a sly smile. “I can see that.” He said. “Hazel, what about you?” The little girl looked up in question. “The ladies are making a potty trip, do you need to go as well?” Hazel shook her head. “Would you mind taking her? She hasn’t gone since we left earlier this evening. Just have her take everything off first, I don’t think she can do it without making a mess on herself.” “I don’t mind.” Jennifer said. Privacy wouldn’t be an issue for her, it was dark enough out there. Only their outlines were visible in the low moonlight. “Please no.” Matilda begged. “It’s dark, no one will see anything, you know that.” Jennifer said. “Hazel, please go with them.” Brian said to his daughter. “Thank you so much, she can-” she saw Brian’s face fall. “Hazel.” He groaned. “Why didn’t you say you needed to go potty?” Jennifer turned and saw what Brian was talking about. Even in the low light of the moon she could see the front of her pink sweatpants were streaked with a dark, wet stain down the front. “You’re not going to make me do that too, are you?” Matilda whispered. “Umm, no…?” Jennifer said incredulously. “Do you really think I’d go that far?” “You said I had to do everything she did. I didn’t know how far you were going to take this.” Matilda hissed back. “I was only teasing you.” Jennifer said. “Consider it part of your punishment.” “I knew you were enjoying this too much!” “Okay, a little.” Jennifer admitted. “I missed hearing you call me mommy.” “I never called you mommy.” Matilda insisted. “Yes, you did, for a little while, anyway.” Jennifer said. Matilda frowned. “When you were sick.” “Does this mean you’ll stop?” Matilda asked hopefully. “Not a chance. I’m going to enjoy this.” She let out a low laugh at her daughter’s sullen face. “Well, I guess we should take this as our cue to head back to our side of the lake.” Brian said, taking his daughter by the hand. “Zack! Nick! We’re going! Will we see you tomorrow? Maybe you can come to our camp around lunch time?” “Sounds good.” Jennifer said. “It’s a date.” She could feel her face burn at his words. Did he just say it was a date? Calm down, Jennifer. It’s just an expression. “Say bye, Hazel.” Brian said. The little girl waved. “Say bye, Matilda.” Jennifer said with a grin. “Stop it!” “Later!” One of the boys called from the darkness. Jennifer stood rooted to the spot silently waving to their backs as they walked away. She only glanced back when she heard Matilda moan and tug on her arm. “Mom, seriously, I really have to go!” Matilda said, marching her feet in place. “I had to pee since before they got here, remember?” Jennifer winced. Matilda had wanted to come with her earlier, but Jennifer’s bowels were about to blow. She had meant to come back for her, but she had gotten distracted by the many creatures which had collectively taken a chomp from her backside. And now that he was gone… She stuck her hands in the back of her underwear and began to scratch while eliciting a loud moan. Finally. Sweet relief! “I’ve been wanting to do this all night.” Jennifer said as she furiously scratched. “Ahh.” A voice from right behind her made her heart drop. “Uh, sorry, I forgot my sunglasses.” Brian said. She spun around, hand still down the back of her pants and froze. Brian stood behind her with a large amused grin on his face. “Here, thank you again.” Matilda said, handing them over. They both looked at each other before beginning to cackle. Jennifer stood, horrified as she watched him run away. “Any chance he found that attractive?” she mumbled. “Not one bit.” Hortensia said through gasps of air. Jennifer groaned. “Girls, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for this day to be over.”

In less than ten minutes, the fire in front of their campsite was roaring to life. “Thank you for setting this up for us.” Jennifer said as she stepped out of the tent in dry clothes. “Oh, it wasn’t me.” Brian said, holding up his hands. “One of your girls had it handled already.” Jennifer immediately looked to her blind folded daughter, who sat cross legged on the ground a few feet away. “The older one, of course. I would have stopped the little one. Hazel gets into things she shouldn’t all the time, can’t take your eyes off them for a minute.” Her gaze flicked to Hortensia, who gave her a knowing smirk. Jennifer audibly gulped. “Oh, I can start a fire juuuuust fine.” Hortensia said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Maybe she would have preferred if it was Matilda. She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of the Queen of Mischief knowing how to set fires. A memory of the school office needing to be evacuated from smoke flashed through her mind. Jennifer narrowed her eyes. “What’s that look for?” “I think i’ve just discovered the identity of a certain school pyromaniac.” Jennifer said. “That wasn’t me!” Hortensia scoffed. “Like i’d let myself get caught. That was all Bogtrotter.” “Uh-huh, and Bruce was in the girls restroom because…?” “He’s a…crossdresser?” Hortensia offered up. Jennifer shook her head. She’d deal with her later. “Well he’s already got tits.” Hortensia patted her mosquito bite sized chest. “They're bigger than mine.” “So, both your girls are a handful?” Brian asked with a grin. Jennifer smiled back and shook her head. “Only one of them is mine.” She forked her thumb over towards Matilda. “A handful and a half, really. Don’t let her size fool you.” “I see your girl and raise you two boys.” “Did their mother not want to come?” Jennifer asked. She saw a flicker of pain cross his face, and she wished she hadn’t said anything. He began to stroke his ring finger where there was an indentation on his skin of a previously worn ring. “She died last year.” He said softly. “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Jennifer said. He waved her condolences away. “What about you? Where’s her father at?” “My biological parents aren't in my life anymore.” Matilda interjected. He gave Jennifer a puzzled look. “I adopted her.” Jennifer explained. “It’s just her and I. Well, and Hortensia for the time being while we wait for her mom’s situation to calm down.” “Oh, so you’re like a foster mother.” He said with a grin. She smiled. “Well, I never intended to foster this one.” She said with a nod towards Matilda. She wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her closer while Matilda let out a startled yelp. “I never intended to give her back, even if they came knocking.” “Can I take the eye patches off now?” Matilda whined. “I want to see the fire and cook my own hot dog.” “Hold that thought.” Jennifer said as she stood up from the ground, wincing as she did so. This would be such a nice evening if her butt wasn’t so itchy. “Eye drops first, and I’ll see how their looking. If they still look too irritated you’ll have to keep them on.” “What? No!” Matilda complained, getting to her feet. “The smoke is only going to irritate them further.” “What happened to your eyes?” Hazel, Brian’s six-year-old daughter asked. Brian tried to chastise her for being nosey but Matilda spoke up. “I strained them.” Matilda mumbled. “I got too photosensitive earlier and couldn’t keep them open.” Hazel gave her a look between pain and confusion. “What’s pho-to-sen-si-tive?” She asked Brian, sounding out every syllable as if that would make it make sense. “It means she’s sensitive to the light.” Brian said. “Sometimes people get headaches when it’s too bright. You remember how mommy used to get headaches and have to lie down in the dark?” “Oh.” Hazel said. “You have cancer too?” She asked Matilda, who shook her head and frowned. Another pained look crossed Brian’s face. She had clearly divulged too much information. Jennifer chose that moment to come collect Matilda. “Let me have a look before the sun goes down.” Jennifer peeled one of the patches up and had a look, before doing the same for the other. “They still look irritated.” “I’m fine, really!” Matilda explained. “A few more eye drops and i’ll be back to normal.” Jennifer sighed. “Alright, but the moment they start to burn, you better put those patches back on. Can I trust you with that?” “Yes, fine.” Matilda said, taking the bottle from Jennifer’s hand and administering the drops herself. She blinked her eyes rapidly before moving to the next eye and doing the same. She tried to hand the bottle back but Jennifer insisted she keep it with her. They returned to the fire but Jennifer could clearly see her struggling to keep her eyes open. “Matilda, if the fire’s too bright for you, maybe you should sit somewhere else.” Jennifer said. “We can play with the football instead.” Hortensia offered from her conversation with Nick and Zack, foam ball already in hand. Matilda and Hazel both stood up to join them, but Brian’s voice stopped them. “Hazel, not you. Please stay with me and let the big kids have their fun.” He said. Hazel pouted but sat. Matilda was halfway out of the camp before Jennifer decided to stop her as well. Would she look like a bad parent if she let Matilda join them? “You too, Matilda.” She spun on her heel and gave Jennifer a disbelieving look. “My little one always wants to join the big kids too.” Brian said, as if Matilda was just another little kid about to get in the way. “HEY, PLEASE BE GENTLE WITH HER! DON’T TACKLE HER!” “Oh, I’m more worried about Hortensia hurting them.” Jennifer gave a dark chuckle. “Mom…” Matilda said. “You can’t be serious. It’s a foam football, it’s not even that hard synthetic leather.” “Why don’t you play with Hazel here?” Jennifer offered. “We can play with my Polly Pocket.” Hazel said, pulling a pink heart shaped box from her pocket and held it up. Matilda looked at Jennifer with a look that said “please, save me.” “Use your imagination, Matilda. You can act out a scene from one of those stories you like to write. You know, the ones you keep in your desk .” Matilda’s face turned a shade red and Jennifer winced. Perhaps she hadn’t been meant to read them, but she had found them quite good, and much sillier than what Matilda normally showed her of her work. She had a series going about a six-year-old Pediatrician Jennifer had found rather amusing, especially in a particular scene when the main character in question diagnosed a certain teen boy named Michael with worms because he was, at thirteen, still “retarded enough to eat sand from his elementary school’s sandbox, which he had still not graduated from.” At which point his parents admitted they all ate sand. She was clearly still harboring some resentment, but Jennifer was relieved to find she had found a more creative outlet than smearing fecal matter on the walls. “How old are you, Matilda?” Brian asked with a frown. Jennifer noticed he suddenly looked worried. “Six.” His frown deepened even more at this answer. He looked to Matilda, then to Hazel, and then gave a desperate glance to Jennifer. His look confused her. Was he pleading for them to play together or not? “Sorry?” she asked. He dropped his eyes and gave a sad smile. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’m doing half the time.” He said, waving a hand through his hair before stopping and pulling a pair of sunglasses off his head. “Matilda, would these help?” Jennifer saw her eyes go wide and a look of appreciation crossed her face. “Yes! Please, thank you so much!” She accepted them eagerly and slid the oversized glasses on. Jennifer chuckled at the large aviator glasses on her small face. “I can see!” she cheered and raised her fists into the air. “We can play by the fire now if you want.” Matilda said to Hazel as they settled themselves across from their parents. They played contentedly until it was time for dinner, Jennifer only having to stop Matilda twice from giving Hazel’s dolls mortal, and oddly specific, wounds and illnesses. This family didn’t need to be reminded of death. When the older kids huddled in they took turns roasting hot dogs over the fire, passing prongs as Jennifer had only enough for three. Matilda told the boys about the comic Hortensia and her planned to write together, with Matilda authoring and Hortensia illustrating. The boys seemed interested, but Jennifer could see Brian slump out of the corner of her eye. In fact, his mood seemed to sink lower and lower throughout the evening. Jennifer frowned. She thought they were all getting along quite well for people who had just met. The evening was quite enjoyable, except for the nearly inescapable urge to stick her hand down her pants. She audibly chuckled before covering her mouth in embarrassment, face turning red. She couldn’t believe she had just thought that sentence into existence. “Something you want to share with the class?” Matilda asked. Jennifer adamantly shook her head and squirmed against the ground before bursting into giggles. She had to say something. “My butt itches.” she admitted to the laughter of the group. “You-you have to tell them why!” Hortensia said, nearly tipping over. “Go on, go on, do it or I will.” “Hey, what happened to female comradery?” Jennifer said, feigning heart ache before hanging her head. “Go on, tell them. I can’t do it.” “So I was sitting outside sketching for our comic. I hear this high pitched scream, I look up and see my school's headmistress bare arse come streaking by and she practically belly flops into the water.” Jennifer groaned into her closed fist as the group erupted into laughter. “It gets better! It gets better! The reason? She pissed on a fire ant hill! And they sought revenge!” “Yes, that’s quite the story telling, thank you for that.” she said with a wince between embarrassed chuckles. “Hortensia wet my bed last night with me in it.” Matilda said through gales of laughter. The chuckling subsided, except for Hazel, Zach and Nick. Jennifer was on her feet the moment Hortensia was. And there it was. There was that rage she had heard so much about. “Go! Walk it off! Walk it off!” She pushed against Hortensia’s shoulders. “She… she just!” Hortensia screamed, red faced, spit flying a vein pulsing on the side of her head. She looked angrier than Jennifer had ever seen a child. “I know, I know she did. She doesn’t understand these things yet.” She said softly and held her hands up in surrender. “Stop making excuses for her! She knows fucking everything!” “Let me deal with her, please. Take a lap and try to calm down.” “I’m gonna-” “Don’t finish that sentence.” Jennifer warned. Hortensia let out an angry grunt and stormed away. Matilda sat still looking shell shocked and shaken. “But…but I thought we were telling funny stories?” She looked to Jennifer for confirmation, but she shook her head and sighed. “No Matilda, there’s a big difference between the story she told and the story you told.” Matilda creased her brow in confusion. It was an unfamiliar look for her. “Matilda, I told her she could tell that story. I gave her permission. You’ve really gone and embarrassed her in front of everyone.” She watched Matilda’s face fall. “I should apologize.” Matilda said, getting to her feet. “Not right now you're not. Do not go looking for her.” Jennifer said firmly. “Why not?” Matilda asked. “She’s either having, or about to have, one of her fits.” “What fits?” Jennifer shook her head. Hortensia had never been in Jennifer’s class, so she hadn’t witnessed them first hand, but she had heard stories from the other teachers. The last time this had happened it had taken three adults to hold her down, and one had walked away with a black eye and a bloody, swollen lip. She wasn’t notorious so much for her pranks, it was her rage attacks. According to her file, it was what had gotten her expelled from her last school. It was the reason Jennifer had been so hesitant to let Matilda around her and why she had jumped to conclusions when Matilda had gotten hurt. Here she had been starting to think it was all a bunch of nonsense, but that look on her face… She looked like she was about to tear Matilda to pieces if Jennifer hadn’t stepped in when she had. It was a good thing she had been paying close attention. A sudden thought struck her and she was reminded of Carol’s story of the out of control girl thrashing about and screaming in her closet. Tonight's episode had only further validated Mrs. Rodger’s version of events. “Just leave her be, she’ll come back when she’s ready and you can apologize then.” Jennifer said before eying her daughter. “And you better make it a good one.” Matilda sank lower into the ground. Sensing that the fun was over, the boys stood and went back to resuming their game of catch. Jennifer turned her attention back to Brian and frowned at his lost expression. “Is everything all right?” “I’ve never really spent much time with another girl Hazel’s age, playdates were my wife’s thing.” He said in hushed tones so the girl’s wouldn’t hear. Jennifer nodded her head to show she was listening. “I know this is off topic, but, is she…is she behind?” he asked, worry evident in his voice. Jennifer frowned and watched Hazel for a moment. “Not that I’ve seen, but I haven’t spent much time around her. Did something happen to make you worry?” “Well, it’s just, I’ve been watching Matilda and in comparison Hazel seems…” The light clicked on in Jennifer’s head. She was so used to Matilda, it didn’t feel unusual anymore to hear her larger vocabulary. Surely he must have suspected something when he heard Matilda diagnose one of his daughter's dolls with “encephalitis lethargica”. “No, no, no.” Jennifer said, waving her hands in a panic. “Matilda is the exception, not the rule. You really can’t use her as a baseline.” Brian seemed to mull this over in his mind. “So it’s okay that she isn’t reading and writing fluently yet?” “Yes, absolutely. I’m a year one teacher, well I was, but yes, my students aren't picking up novels or writing stories.” He seemed to let out his breath and relax at this. “Typically, children her age are learning to read, write and spell basic words.” “Well, I mean I picked up that she might be a little ahead of her peers, but then she said that, and it seemed pretty on par with her age, so I was confused.” Jennifer gave him a tight lipped smile. Matilda was more than a little ahead. “She excels in almost everything, except for tact and dexterity.” Jennifer admitted. “There’s just some things you can’t learn from a book. ” She watched Hazel for a few more minutes before leaning over. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. She seems on par with all my other students. I’m not trying to show off, but I think you need to understand something.” She stood up and fetched Hortensia’s notebook before tearing off a page. She picked up a pen and handed it to him. “Come up with a math problem and solve it, but don’t say what it is out loud.” Brian raised an eyebrow, but Jennifer urged him on. Finally, she watched as he wrote 27 times 13 and worked out the answer. “Now ask her.” “Seriously?” Jennifer nodded. “Uh, what’s 27 times 13?” “351.” Matilda responded without pausing or looking up from the dolls. He eyed Jennifer suspiciously. “You’re messing with me.” He said. “You can do something harder if you’d like.” He narrowed his eyes before dipping his head and began to scribble down numbers. Finally, after a minute he looked up. “Turn around and face the tent first.” He said. “So I know you two aren’t pulling something on me here.” Matilda shrugged and turned around. “2,876 DIVIDED by 253.86.” “11.33, if we’re rounding up to the nearest 100th place, if not, 11.329079.” “I thought I was having a stroke when I first met her.” Jennifer admitted with a laugh as he saw the shock etched on his features. “Showed up to class with a copy of Wuthering Heights and threw a fit when I tried to confiscate it.” She cleared her throat. She was toeing the line between explaining and bragging. “Anyway, I just wanted to show you don’t have anything to worry about. Matilda isn’t a good baseline.” “I see. What grade is she in?” “Ah, that’s kind of complicated, really. She was technically in year one, but I was giving her work to do from the other classes. It’s how they wrangled me into this new position. I ran out of coursework. They’re in the process of adding a high school and they offered to let me keep tutoring her privately if I agreed to be the new headmistress for the primary school. The school has a bit of a negative reputation so I think they were struggling to fill it in time. I’m sure they’ll find someone more fitting by next year and I can go back to working with the little ones.” “A bad reputation? What school are you teaching at?” “Crunchem Hall.” “Isn’t that the school for all the bad kids? Ah, I see what you mean.” “It really isn’t. I mean, yes, some of them have been expelled before. I only know of three off the top of my head, but their good kids. The reputation is because of the old headmistress. She was a vile woman who didn’t tolerate anything or anyone stepping a single toe out of line. I want to change that. School shouldn’t be a place of fear.” “Was she really that bad?” “She’d strip search us and throw us in a box in her office with nails and glass sticking out.” A voice said. Everyone turned to find Hortensia standing a few feet away. Jennifer jumped to her feet and slowly approached her. “Are you feeling better?” She asked as calm as possible. Jennifer could see her bloodshot eyes from the light of the fire. Hortensia didn’t respond, but instead looked away and shrugged her shoulders. “Do I need to separate you two tonight?” Before she could respond, a blur ran past her and tackled Hortensia in a bear hug. “I’m really really sorry I said that!” Matilda said into the front of her t-shirt. Jennifer let out a panicked yelp as Hortensia raised a fist. Jennifer sprung forward to yank Matilda away, but was surprised when it lowered and returned her embrace in a one armed hug. Jennifer was more than surprised. She was stunned. All those adults couldn’t stop Hortensia’s rampages… “Please say you’ll still be my friend. I can’t take any more Polly Pocket!” Matilda moaned. Jennifer tugged Matilda back by the arm. She had been trying to devise a suitable punishment. Hortensia was right, she couldn’t keep making excuses for her. She was never going to learn if Jennifer kept brushing off every mishap as, “It’s her condition.” She didn’t even know for sure if she had a condition. It was time to put her foot down and be a mother. “Brian, would you be interested in getting together again tomorrow?” Matilda raised an eyebrow as if to ask “When had you gotten so bold?” “Uh, yes, please, that would be nice. With the kids, right?” “Yes, and would you mind calling the boys in? I’d like a word with everyone regarding my daughter’s behavior.” Matilda’s face faltered. “But I wasn’t trying to be mean, I really thought-” Matilda started to say but Jennifer held up a hand to stop her. “Matilda, you want to be treated as an adult so I’m going to give you an adult lesson. In the real world, when you damage something, whether you intended to or not, there’s consequences. It’s called paying restitution. That’s what you’re going to have to do for Hortensia. You’ve broken her trust and hurt her, so now you’re going to have to pay her.” She could see the older girl's head pique in interest. “I don’t have any money.” Matilda said. “And I already apologized.” “Saying ‘sorry’ doesn’t work in the adult world, and I’m not telling you to pay with money.” She could see Hortensia’s shoulders deflate at the news that she wouldn’t be getting a monetary payout. “You’ll be paying with your pride.” “I don’t understand.” Matilda said slowly. The boys came in and looked for the cause of their game's interruption. “You’re going to tell the group a story about a certain little girl who was too stubborn to ask for help before she ventured into a corn maze.” Jennifer said. Matilda’s eyes went wide with panic. “No, please, not that!!” Matilda begged. “Everyone’s waiting…” Jennifer said. “I’ve gathered them just for you.” Matilda’s eyes began to well with tears and her voice cracked with emotion. “No!” She begged before letting out a choked sob. “Or…” Jennifer said. Matilda’s head shot up. “You’ll be grounded starting now until we get back home.” “Grounded! Grounded! Please!” “Don’t you want to know the terms?” Jennifer asked. She turned to Brian. “This is where I’m going to need your help. Hazel’s help, really.” The little girl looked up with interest at hearing her name. “I need her as a baseline to help Matilda.” She looked back to her daughter. “Tell the story, or you’’ll be spending the rest of the trip acting, talking, and being treated as a six-year-old.” Matilda looked at her confused. “But I am a six year old?” “Daddy, we’re the same age!” Hazel cheered. Jennifer saw the slump in Matilda’s shoulders and smiled. Mommy’s back in town.

The ground was littered with poles and canvas material when Matilda came to see what was taking Jennifer so long to come swimming with them. It had been nearly an hour since they parted ways, but it looked like nothing had changed in their “camp”. She said she would come play with them once she had finished setting up the tent, but little progress had been made. Jennifer was sitting cross legged on the ground, instructions in hand and mumbling what Matilda almost thought were curse words under her breath. “Do you want some help?” Matilda offered. Jennifer looked up from the instructions and gave her a look that almost made Matilda want to run back into the lake. Periods sure were scary, Matilda thought. She held up her palms in surrender. “Sorry, I’m just frustrated.” Jennifer said. “How are your eyes?” “Better.” Matilda lied. She had really over done it. She couldn’t be sure, but she might have popped a blood vessel. The left side of her head pounded. What she had really come for was headache medicine, but she doubted there was any. She hadn’t thought of bringing anything for pain. She had been so excited about coming here she had done a lousy job of packing. Realization of just how badly she had packed hadn’t dawned on her until she saw there were only two sleeping bags, and three of them. There was a large one for Jennifer and a smaller one for Hortensia. Her mom had been in such a bad mood all day, she was dreading bedtime. There was no way to hide the fact she had forgotten bedding when everyone else was nestled in their sleeping bags and she wasn’t. Jennifer was sure to throw a fit. It wasn’t just the bedding she had messed up. Before they had left, Jennifer had asked her to grab the bottle of hand sanitizer off the counter and pack it in her bag for her. Matilda had seen a bottle and packed it, but it hadn’t been hand sanitizer. It had ended up being some strange lotion. Her mom must have been furious because Matilda saw her face change many colors. Lots of pinks, and purples before it had finally settled on a shade of red that reminded her of a cherry tomato. “Can I see?” Matilda asked. She reached for the instructions, but Jennifer held it aloft. “You’re wet.” She grabbed a beach towel out of the bag and wrapped herself in it before sitting down cross legged on the grass to watch. After ten minutes, Jennifer threw the instructions on the ground in frustration and stood up. “I’m going for a walk.” Jennifer announced. “Maybe it’ll make more sense when I get back. At this rate, we might be sleeping outside.” She shielded her eyes and looked over the horizon. “Where’s Tens?” “She said she had to go ‘lay some pipe’” Matilda said. “Her words, not mine.” Jennifer crinkled her face in a mixture of amusement and disgust. “I hope she’s being careful, there’s more people out this way than I’m used to seeing.” She took one more look at the pile of tent parts before shaking her head. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. If you want to help me, you can start on that alligator of yours. If you start blowing it up now, we might have it full of air by the time we need to leave.” Matilda watched as she walked towards the edge of the water before following along the shore. She looked at the alligator and frowned. It didn’t seem necessary at the moment. She bent down and picked up the instructions. What was so hard to understand about this? Matilda looked left and right before she went to work. She tried to use her hands at first, but quickly gave up. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t get the poles into the slots, but when she used her powers, they slid right in place with a soft click. In less than ten minutes the tent was erected, oh but her eyes! The light burned terribly and her head pounded with an angry beat. Matilda layed down inside with her towel and closed her eyes. It was as if she had rubbed them with jalapeno juice on her fingers. She could feel tears streaming down the sides of her face. “Hey, the tents up!” Hortensia said from outside. She could hear the rustling of the tent flap before Hortensia stepped inside and dropped to her butt. “This is so cool!” Matilda groaned in response. “What’s wrong?” “My eyes!” Matilda whimpered. “I think I used my powers too much.” “Oh, shit.” Hortensia said. “Your eyes aren't gonna like, pop out and explode, are they?” “No, but everything above my nostrils feels like it’s on fire.” “You want me to get Miss Honey? I just saw her a couple minutes ago.” She was about to say, ‘no’ but Hortensia was already on her feet and out of the tent. She covered her face with her hand and laid in the comforting darkness. Her body stiffened as she heard footsteps approaching a few minutes later. Would her mom be mad at her? “Girls, how on earth did you get the tent up? I was only gone a couple of minutes.” She heard Jennifer ask. “It wasn’t me.” Hortensia said. “But I don’t think she’s doing so hot. Says her eyes hurt.” She could hear someone step inside before a gentle, cool hand was softly brushing her hair back. “Are you feeling okay, sweetheart?” Matilda shook her head. “Can you look at me? What hurts?” “My eyes and head.” Matilda complained. She squinted up at Jennifer. “Tens’ get me the first aid kit! It’s in my backpack.” Jennifer said. “Matilda, you should have left the tent to me.” “I wanted to help.” “Oh my god, what’s in this thing?” Hortensia yelled. “What do you want from it?” “Just bring the whole thing, and some water.” There was a soft thump as Hortensia set the box inside. There was some more rustling. “Did you bring the entire drug store with you?” Hortensia scoffed. “Just a few things in case of an emergency. I’ve learned you can never be too prepared with kids.” Jennifer said. Through her squinted eyes, Matilda could see Hortensia bend down and pick up a tube. “Hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids are an emergency?” Hortensia asked. “I hear they’re very painful.” Jennifer said. “I brought a bit of everything and I’m glad I did. You wouldn’t think you’d need to bring eye drops camping, but here we are. Matilda, can you roll onto your back for me and open your eyes nice and big.” She had to physically hold her own eyes open with her fingers since she couldn’t get them to open on their own. She flinched as cool drops hit her eyeballs. All she could picture was the liquid bubbling against her irises, but after a few blinks, the burning began to slowly subside. “How’s that feel?” “Better.” Matilda said softly. Her eyes were still shut tight, but it no longer felt like they were in danger of melting out of their sockets. She frowned as she felt something press against one eye and then the other. She tried to open them, but everything was still black. She felt her face. Bandages? “I want you to keep these patches on.” Jennifer said. “Your eyes need a break.” “But now I can’t see.” Matilda complained. “You don’t need to see, you need to rest. We hiked for five hours, and then you immediately went swimming. Here, sit up a little, I’ve got some Tylenol you can take.” She felt a pill set into her palm. “There’s water here when you’re ready.” She put the pill in her mouth and Jennifer held her canteen to her lips. She swallowed the pill on her first try and laid back down. She felt her hand guided to the left of her. “Your water’s here. Make sure you stay hydrated. I’m going to finish unpacking.” … “‘Tens, would you mind giving me a hand so Matilda can rest?” Jennifer asked. Hortensia sprung to her feet as fast as if she was burned with a cattle prod. They both exited the tent and surveyed the mess. “You can stick your personal belongings in the tent, but the toys can stay out here. After that, let's go for a walk and collect things we can burn for a fire tonight.” “I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier.” Jennifer said as they walked along the shore, arms full of dead cat tail stalks, sticks, and paper trash. Hortensia gave her a puzzled look as if she had just asked her a complicated math problem. “What?” “Are you really an adult?” Hortensia asked with narrowed eyes. Jennifer gritted her teeth. She may not have her life together, and she may not always do or say the right thing, but this kid sure had some nerve… “Cause adults just don’t apologize to kids.” Oh. “Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you’re perfect.” Jennifer said after a moment to collect her thoughts. “I know, but they never admit it.” Hortensia grumbled. “You’re like a double agent.” Now it was Jennifer’s turn to give her a blank stare, but she didn’t elaborate. “She gets hurt a lot.” Hortensia said after a few minutes of silence. “She’s delicate. She doesn’t think she is, but she has a weak constitution. It’s almost like everything went to her mind, and there wasn’t enough for the rest of her. It scares me seeing how much her powers have grown. Part of me is afraid it's sapping the strength from her body.” Jennifer admitted. “Nah,” Hortensia said. “She ain’t made of glass.” “But do you understand why I was so upset? Almost every time she’d go to your house, i’d have to either take her to, or pick her up from, the hospital. Can you imagine what went through my mind when I heard you threatened to beat her? My imagination ran wild.” “I never hurt her!” Hortensia nearly yelled before dropping her voice and adding, “on purpose.” “You have a history of picking on the younger students, sometimes violently.” “Yeah, well, sometimes I need them to do things.” Hortensia grumbled. “It’s not like I do it for fun.” “What do you mean? What kinds of things?” Hortensia began to list a chain of events that made Jennifer’s head spin. What it boiled down to was she needed the younger children to act as a distraction. Every child was a moving cog in a machine and Hortensia was turning the wheel. “It’s not like I did it to steal their lunch money.” Hortensia said. “Then why?” “To get at the Trunchbull, obviously.” “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?” Jennifer said with a disapproving frown. “She was capable of a lot more than just locking you in a closet you know.” “I know.” Hortensia said solemnly. “But it’s not like the adults would do anything.” She added bitterly. Jennifer didn’t like the look on her face. She couldn’t decide if she looked older or younger than her eleven year old self. Her features held the weary look of someone who had fought long and hard against an opponent she knew she stood no chance against, but her eyes were full of righteous indignation. “Can I ask you something important? Would you be honest with me?” Jennifer asked after a minute of silence. She was afraid to know, but at the same time, she needed to. “Uh, okay.” Hortensia said cautiously. “Did Miss Trunchbull ever touch you?” Jennifer asked in a low voice. Hortensia gave her a puzzled look. “Sexually, I mean, you, or anyone else you know of.” “No?” Hortensia said, staring at her as if she had grown a second head. Relief flooded through Jennifer's body. “Was she, like, secretly a man or something?” “You don’t need to be a man to do bad things.” Jennifer said. “Oh. So, was she like a lesbo, or something?” “There’s only two things I know she liked for sure. Power and control. I don’t know if anything else mattered.” “Is there something wrong with the bedroom?” Hortensia asked, changing the subject. Jennifer's face fell. “No, it’s just a bedroom. Did something scare you last night? Is that why you went to Matilda’s room?” “No, I just couldn’t sleep. You said Matilda wanted nothing to do with it and it made me wonder.” “Honey, Matilda’s six, she also wants nothing to do with brussel sprouts and bell peppers, it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with them.” “Yeah, but she’s not a normal six year old.” Hortensia insisted. “She has, like, superpowers.” Jennifer sighed in defeat. “It was my room growing up. There were some… modifications to it that I needed to change when we moved in. The window was stuck and there was a lock on the door.” “That’s it?” Hortensia asked suspiciously. “That’s it.” Jennifer said. She left out the part about the nails and what side of the door the lock was on. “I think we have enough material for now, let’s head back. I don’t want to leave Matilda alone for too long.” In truth, her stomach was curdling and she wanted at the bottle of Midol in the first aid kit. Ugh, if she knew she was going to be on her period she would have packed much differently. Less shorts and more oversized t-shirts and sweatpants, but if she knew she was going to be on her period she wouldn’t have agreed to this at all. She patted her stomach. Oh how she longed for modern plumbing. She could have been in her upstairs bathroom with a crossword puzzle right now. Period poops. Out in the open field. She cringed. Could this day get any worse? If there was a God, He had truly forsaken her. When they returned fifteen minutes later, they found Matilda sitting outside the tent waiting for them. So much for slipping away for a few minutes. If she had to do this she’d much prefer waiting for the cover of darkness anyway. She could wait. “You’re supposed to be sleeping.” Jennifer said softly. “Can I take the bandages off yet?” Matilda asked. “How about you wait a little longer. The sun will be setting soon.” Matilda scowled. “Was there something you needed?” “No, I just don’t want to waste the trip blindfolded.” she lamented. “It would be more of a waste if we have to pack up and leave because you’ve hurt yourself.” Jennifer said, making Matilda’s face sour. “Let’s wait a little while longer. I’ll put some more drops in your eyes and we’ll see how you're doing then, okay? I won’t even make you take a nap.” “You already made me take a nap.” Matilda said, arms crossed across her body. “Did you sleep?” Jennifer asked doubtfully. “We weren't gone very long.” She took Matilda’s silence as a ‘no’. They had been working together in therapy about being more honest with each other, no matter how small. No more little white lies. Her silence, while not outright coming clean, was still a step in the right direction. Jennifer could tell she was about to say ‘yes’ but stopped herself. She was proud of Matilda’s willingness to take therapy seriously and work on their issues. And there were issues. They hadn’t just jumped into each other's arms and lived happily ever after. Happily Ever After took work and communication, something neither of them were very good at. The outside help was needed. And now that their therapist actually believed her about Matilda’s abilities and intellect, she had helped them come up with rules and boundaries they could both live with. There had been compromises on both their parts. Matilda couldn’t be as independent as she wanted. She had helped Jennifer explain just because she was mature enough to be left home alone, and yes, Jennifer knew she was, the law prevented her from doing so. She’d either have to tag along or deal with the indignities of having a babysitter like all the other kids her age. That and she couldn’t go farther than the front yard by herself. This had infuriated Matilda. Before coming to live with her, she was used to going whenever and wherever she wanted. Now she understood Matilda felt like a caged animal at times. Jennifer’s big compromise had been what Matilda called “babying her”, but Jennifer just called it “being a mother.” No more telling her to brush her teeth, or bathing her, or reminding her to go potty, or even calling it ‘potty’. It was a hard habit to break. She really was self sufficient enough to take care of herself without being reminded. As long as she wasn’t hurt or sick. That’s when the deal was off. Because Matilda was too stubborn to ask for help if she needed it, and maybe because Jennifer enjoyed it a little more than she should. It made her feel guilty for being even a tiny bit happy when she wasn’t well. It was the only time she really felt like her mother and not just a financial supporter, roommate and friend. Sometimes she worried Matilda only saw her as a close best friend. Especially when she asked Jennifer awkward personal questions you wouldn’t even want to know about your mother. “I forgot to bring bedding and I can’t sleep without something covering me” Matilda mumbled. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I brought sleeping bags. I thought you’d be too hot to want to crawl inside.” “But I only saw two.” Matilda said. “The big one is ours, I figured we could save space and share one.” She wasn’t sure if sharing a sleeping bag was a break of their earlier agreement, but Matilda looked relieved rather than perturbed. “Do you want to take a nap if I lay it out?” “No way.” Matilda said. Jennifer silently laughed in amusement. She usually took naps without being told. In her attempt to look older in front of Hortensia, she was only making herself look more her age. She’d give her two hours tops before she dropped for the night. “Well, I’ll lay it out anyway, in case you change your mind.” She was in the middle of unraveling the sleeping bag when Hortensia called from outside. “Someone’s coming.” Curious, Jennifer stood and peeked outside. Sure enough, there was a man jogging towards them from a distance. “Oh, he’s just exercising. He’s only passing through.” “But he’s waving at you.” Hortensia said. Jennifer looked back up to find the stranger waving calmly towards her. She smiled and gave a polite wave in return. Jennifer stood and waited to see if he would keep running by, but she was surprised when he slowed and stopped for a chat. “Are you here camping as well?” he asked. He was wearing running shorts and tennis shoes and to Jennifers embarrassment, nothing else. “I’m here with my kids, down a little farther that way.” He pointed out towards the direction he had come from. “Last hoorah before school starts again.” “Same here.” Jennifer said with a smile. “How old are your kids?” “Six, nine, and twelve.” “Oh, it must have been quite the hike.” He looked at her puzzled for a moment. “No, we drove.” “What?” Hortensia called. “We could have driven here?” she complained. “There’s a road, but it is a little ways back.” He said. “It is a bumpy ride. It’s not paved or anything.” Jennifer shut her eyes and grimaced. All the times she had hiked here and there had been a road. He looked at each of them in turn. “Did you three really hike here? With all this stuff?” “Yes.” Jennifer admitted with a pained expression. “We left first thing this morning and got here about two to three hours ago.” He gave her an appreciative glance. “You must be in great shape.” Jennifer let out a small sarcastic chuckle. There had been lots of breaks, moaning and complaining from all three of them. “Don’t look at all the junk food in the cooler. We brought way too much for three people.” He grinned. “I think my monsters could help with that. Would you be interested in all of us having dinner together? I could start a fire and the kids could play together. Mine are already regretting choosing a remote campsite over the campgrounds with a pool and playground.” Jennifer had been so startled by the request she had agreed without thinking things through. “Great.” He smiled wide. “How about I bring them by in about twenty minutes?” Jennifer nodded. “I’m Brian by the way.” She shook his outstretched hand and introduced herself before she waved in shock as he took off the way he came. “Looks like we’re having company.” Jennifer said. Her eyes widened in panic as her earlier predicament made itself known. So much for waiting till dark. She had twenty minutes to take care of everything she needed to and make it back. She sprang to her feet and started grabbing necessary items. “Hortensia, can you stay with Matilda for me until I get back?” “Sure.” Hortensia said. She had already picked up her notebook and was sketching something. Hortensia’s indifference to Jennifer’s whereabouts was a relief. “Where are you going?” Matilda asked. “The field.” “Can I come?” Matilda asked. Jennifer pursed her lips. “Why don’t you stay here for now and get a nap in before the guests arrive.” “I don’t need to sleep, I need to pee.” Matilda said. Jennifer grimaced. “Then maybe if you ask Hortensia she’ll walk you down to the water.” “No!” Matilda complained. “If I can take these patches off so I can see, no one will have to take me.” She said, a hopeful note in her voice. “Nice try. If you really need to go, I'll take you when I get back.” She left before Matilda could argue further. She had a feeling she just wanted to see more than anything. She sprinted far into the field as she dared leave them, before digging a hole and getting to the task at hand. She shuddered. If she ever had to do this again it would be too soon. Visions of falling back into the mess haunted her, but she managed to get through it without any trouble. She pulled the wipes out of her pocket, cleaned herself, and buried everything before standing back up. She was halfway back to camp when she felt the unmistakable sensation of something or more like somethings crawling on her skin. She swiped at her bare legs as she walked, growing more and more uncomfortable with every passing second. That’s when the burning started. Something was wrong. She looked around before lowering her shorts. She was covered in little red ants. She let out a scream before batting her waist, but it was doing her little good. They were everywhere. There was only one option. She pulled her shorts off and made a half naked sprint for the water. She put on a burst of speed, ignoring Hortensia’s yell of “STREAKER!” as she ran past camp and threw herself into the lake with as much grace as a golden retriever darting into the water for a stick. She shuddered with relief as she came up for air. She could see Hortensia making her way towards the water, laughing hysterically while Matilda begged to be clued in on what had just happened. “Would you mind bringing me a towel?” Jennifer asked. “You suddenly have the urge for an evening swim?” Hortensia said between gales of laughter. To make matters worse, she could see Brian and his kids making their way towards camp. Now it was her turn to be remarkably underdressed. “Please get me a towel.” Jennifer begged. “He’s coming.” Hortensia ran back and returned with a towel, a large grin on her face. “What happened?” Hortensia asked as she held up a towel as instructed so Jennifer could climb out of the water and quickly cover herself. “I think I dug up a fire ant hill.” And she had done unspeakable acts to their home. She didn’t blame them for attacking. “Be careful where you pee.” This only seemed to reignite Hortensia’s laughter. No sympathy for her from this one. “Is everything okay?” She turned to find Brian and the kids staring at her. “Just went for a swim.” Jennifer said with a pained smile. “In your trainers?” Brian asked. She looked down at her sopping wet shoes. “A very, um, spontaneous swim.” Jennifer said sheepishly. “I’m just going to, um, change real quick. Please, make yourself at home.”

Which of them was going to be the first to cave, Jennifer thought as she walked behind the two girls. “Is there really a lake out here?” Hortensia asked with a grimace as she turned around to face her. “There’s a lot of…nothing.” “A small one.” Jennifer said. They had been hiking for several hours and the sun was now high overhead. Her back was coated in sweat and she kept fighting with the pack over control of her shirt, which kept shimmying up her back. There were apparently worse things to carry than a bag of rocks. This tent. She shouldn’t have eaten so much junk food yesterday. It was sitting in her stomach like a rock. Now she felt bloated and miserable underneath the hot scorching sun. “How are you two holding up?” Hortensia shrugged. “Fine.” She said. “What about you, Matilda, you need a break?” Jennifer asked. She could tell she did. She was squirming, but she had promised she wouldn’t nag her about it in front of her friend. If she had an accident that was on her. “I’m o-okay.” Matilda huffed. Jennifer looked up. The floating deflated alligator had been sinking lower and lower over their heads. Matilda was too tired, or too preoccupied, to keep it up in the air. “No, we’re taking a break.” Jennifer announced. “You look like you’re going to drop.” She let the tent with the straps fall to the ground. Ahh, that felt good to get off her back. “Let it fall.” The empty alligator drifted to the ground. Hortensia went and found a rock to sit on before chugging a few mouthfuls of water. Jennifer took a few gulps of her own water as she watched Matilda struggle to drag the green rubber skin off the trail. “What are you doing? Just leave it there.” “I need it for something.” Matilda grunted as she pulled it along. She watched her try again and again to get it to lay on its side upright, only for it to collapse. She grunted in frustration. “Mom, can you help me?” Surprised, Jennifer got to her feet. “What are you trying to do?” “Can you hold it up and cover me for a moment?” She said before looking nervously over at Hortensia, who seemed just as curious as Jennifer was, and whispered. “I need to pee.” “Oh okay, like this?” “Thanks.” Matilda said before disappearing behind the rubber material. “What about you, Tens?” Jennifer asked, craning her neck to glance her way. “Huh?” “Need to go potty?” Jennifer asked. Hortensia’s face soured in the way Matilda’s did when she used infantile language. “Sorry, habit.” “Uh, yeah, I just, umm, have a question.” Hortensia mumbled. “What’s that?” Hortensia squirmed uncomfortably before waving her closer. “Can’t, I’m the wall.” Hortensia bit her lip before getting up and walking over. “What is it?” She leaned over and whispered in her ear. Jennifer frowned and looked at her. “I don’t know.” She said honestly. “I’ve never used them. Matilda might know.” “Why would Matilda know?!” Hortensia asked horrified. “I doubt she uses them either!” “Why would I know what?” Matilda asked from behind the alligator. “She gets curious about things and looks it up. Maybe she read it somewhere.” “Read what? Why are you talking about me?” “I’m not asking her!” Hortensia said, “Forget I said anything.” “Where did you get those? How do you even know how? You didn’t know what a period even was yesterday. Should you even be using them at your age?” Jennifer asked in rapid succession. She watched Hortensia’s face begin to turn a bright shade of red. “Mrs. Rodgers.” she mumbled, before shuddering. “Too much information. Way too much information.” “You and me both.” Jennifer chuckled. “I understand, it’s very awkward.” Hortensia scrunched her face in confusion. “You got The Talk too?” “Yeah, you could say that.” “But you’re an adult, don’t you like, already know everything about that?” Jennifer let out a cynical sounding laugh. She didn’t even know if you had to take a tampon out or not before you peed. “I didn’t have anyone around to teach me these things.” She admitted. “I’m just figuring things out as I go.” “Oh.” Hortensia said. “You can always take it out if you’re not sure.” “It’s such a pain to put a new one in.” Hortensia grumbled. She couldn’t argue with her there. She shuddered at the thought. “Don’t you have pads?” “Yeah, but it feels like I'm wearing a diaper or something.” Hortensia’s face soured. “The thought of hiking in it…” The thought of walking in a pad bothered her more than sticking a giant Q-tip inside of herself? Jennifer thought puzzled. “If you’re talking about tampons, you don’t have to take them out.” Matilda called. A look of relief washed over Hortensia’s face before it scrunched in confusion. “Why do you know that? That’s kinda… weird.” “Welcome to my world.” Jennifer said. “Sweetheart, are you done yet? My arms are getting tired and I think Hortensia would like a turn.” “I can’t go with you guys talking right there!” Matilda complained. Jennifer flashed Hortensia a sympathetic smile. “Well, how about you switch for the time being? She needs the privacy more.” “No!” Matilda complained. Jennifer sighed and rolled her eyes. “Sorry, give her a minute.” She could see Hortensia begin to shift her weight from foot to foot as she teeth sunk into her bottom lip. “Hun, just go over there if you really need to go, I’m preoccupied over here.” Hortensia turned her head where she was pointing before she vehemently shook her head. “I can wait!” she said. “Are you sure? I won’t look.” Hortensia looked as if Jennifer had suggested she dart across the highway blindfolded. “Can you do me a favor then? Can you go into my pack and hand me the wet wipes and plastic bag? I have my hands full here. They should be in the front pocket.” Hortensia dug around until she found them. “Thanks, take some for yourself and throw the pack over to Matilda.” “Hey! That landed on my head!” Matilda complained when Hortensia tossed it. The older girl snickered. “How about this? If Matilda finishes sometime this year, we’ll hike up a little farther and you can catch up when you’re ready.” Hortensia’s face relaxed. “Y-yeah that works.” “Hey! Why couldn’t you leave me behind?” Matilda complained as she came around from the other side. “I’m not leaving you to get snatched by a mountain lion or something. You’d make the perfect fun sized treat. ” Jennifer said, as she moved the alligator to one shoulder and shook out her trembling arms. Matilda scowled. “There’s no mountain lions here! They aren't native to this area!” “Leave it to you to get eaten by a non native animal.” Jennifer said. “A giraffe just comes out of nowhere and tramples you.” Hortensia said, making Jennifer snort. “A shark falls from the sky and gobbles you up.” Jennifer said. “A gorilla charges in-” “You should be more worried about a Gorilla than me, it might recognize you as its own kind and want to make you its bride.” Matilda said. Jennifer wasn’t positive, but she thought she saw a look of hurt crossover Hortensia’s face before disappearing. “Enough.” Jennifer said and gave her daughter a gentle nudge forward. “Let’s go.” she said before picking up her own pack. “Come find us when you’re done.” She called over her shoulder. She waited until they were a good distance away before she stopped and started in on Matilda. “That wasn’t very nice, you know.” “I was just joking.” Matilda said defensively. “Now isn’t the time to be joking like that. She’s very sensitive right now.” “What’s with her? She’s been all mopey and crying all the time.” “It’s called hormones. This is what you have to look forward to when you’re older.” Jennifer smiled as Matilda made a face. “You should enjoy being young while you can. One day you feel strong and independent, and the next, you’re crying because you stepped on an ant and can’t stop thinking about how devastated its ant family is going to be. Your emotions can change like this.” She snapped her fingers. Matilda laughed. “I’m serious. In another five or six years you won’t think it's so funny.” “Who cries over an ant?” “You’ll be crying because there’s only one cloud in the sky and it doesn’t have any friends. Anything can set you off.” “Is that what happened this morning?” “Hmm, I think that might have been a combination of stress and giving you girls pop before bed.” Jennifer said. “Thank you for being so mature about that. I’m sure she appreciates it. I don’t think I need to remind you, but just in case, please keep it to yourself. ” Matilda shrugged. “She said she’d beat my ass if I told anyone so…” Jennifer’s sympathy for her changed to seething anger in a blink of an eye. “She said what?” Jennifer growled. “Wait here.” She stormed back down the trail and met Hortensia halfway back. “You!” Jennifer called out. Hortensia flinched and froze. “Look at me.” Jennifer ordered. Hortensia met her eyes and audibly gulped. “I don’t care if you have an accident, and I can put up with your foul mouth and attitude, but if I ever hear you’ve threatened my daughter again…” “I-I didn’t-” Hortensia stuttered out in shock. “Did you or did you not tell her you would ‘beat her ass’ if she told anyone you wet the bed?” Jennifer demanded. Hortensia’s face turned a deep scarlet. “I-I- I wasn’t really going to!” She protested. “How many times have I told you not to threaten the younger children? I will not tolerate this behavior! Do it again, and I won’t hesitate to send you to your neighbors.” Hortensia’s eyes widened and began to water. “No, please…I-I’m sorry!” “Do not threaten people who are weaker than you!” Jennifer said firmly. “She’s not weaker than me! She could beat me up without even touching me!” Hortensia protested. “She’s right, I could.” Matilda said. Jennifer spun around to find her standing behind her. “Matilda, I told you to wait over there!” Jennifer said, frustration evident in her voice. “What the heck, mom? Here you’re telling me to go easy on her, and then you go make her cry?” “I’m not crying!” Hortensia lied as she wiped her face with the crook of her arm. Jennifer scowled. Maybe she had gone in a little stronger than necessary, but she had to get the point across. “I will not tolerate bullying.” Jennifer said. “She wasn’t bullying me! She was just panicking.” Matilda said, staring at her with a look of disappointment. “She just says empty words.” Tell that to her seven classmates who’ve run to her crying because they had their heads dunked in the toilet last school year alone. “Are you really showing her that threatening people is wrong…by threatening her?” “No! That’s not how it works. I am conveying I am serious about this matter and there will be consequences if she does it again!” “Uh Matilda…” Hortensia said. “And I’m saying that's exactly what she was doing.” Matilda said with a frown. “Miss Honey…” “The difference is physical violence!” “GUYS, THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING AND THE ALLIGATOR IS IN THE AIR!” Hortensia yelled. They stopped arguing at once and spun around as the float fell to their feet. Sure enough, Jennifer could hear the sound of something, or more like many somethings coming. “ON YOUR LEFT!” a distant voice yelled. Jennifer spun around. There was a hoard of mountain bikes coming towards them. They all jumped to the side as a group of twenty or so people on bikes passed by them with a loud woosh.. “COOL KITE!” One voice shouted as he passed. Jennifer let out a shaky laugh as the last biker passed them by. This area wasn’t as secluded as she thought. “Looks like we better carry this thing from here on out.” She hoisted it up and winced. “How on earth were you making this float for so long? It’s heavier than it looks.” Matilda gave a mischievous laugh. “I take it you’ve been practicing.” “Yes, but that’s not it. The water is tied to it.” Matilda explained. Jennifer opened it up, and sure enough, there were several gallon water jugs strapped to the inside by bungee cords. “How?” She started to say, but stopped. She didn’t want to think about it right now. How had she not noticed when she was lifting it up earlier? Maybe it was because she had them so evenly spaced out. “Let’s take these off and put them in the cooler.” “There’s no room in the cooler. That’s why I tied them to the alligator.” “Well, we can’t have a giant alligator floating in the air with people around.” “Hmm, I have an idea. Bend down.” Matilda said. Jennifer did. She could feel her rummaging around in one of the bags strapped to her back. “Hey, don’t play around with that. We need that for the tent.” Jennifer said as she saw Matilda step away clutching one of the tent poles. “I’ll just hold this. If anyone passes by, they’ll think it’s a kite.” Matilda said. Jennifer gnawed on the inside of her cheek as she considered it. It wasn’t like she could carry three gallons of water and a giant inflatable lizard by herself. “Fine, but keep it off to the side and not over our heads. I don’t want the water falling off and hitting one of us.” Matilda grinned and sent the reptile back overhead. They walked on for another minute before Matilda spoke up. “Hey, mom?” “Hmm?” “Are you on your period too?” Matilda asked innocently. Jennifer let out an annoyed breath of air and gave her a weary glance. “No, why do you ask?” “Cause you’re just as moody as she is.” Matilda said matter of factly. Jennifer shut her eyes and silently counted to ten. “Dude, how can you be so smart, but like, so dumb at the same time?” Hortensia said. “What?” Matilda asked defensively. “You can’t ask people that, especially not your mom!” Hortensia explained. “If I asked my mom if she was on her period, I wouldn’t be sitting for like a week.” “Huh? I don’t get it. I was just curious.” She looked to Hortensia then to Jennifer. “It’s a rude question to ask.” Jennifer explained. “But you said I could ask you anything.” Matilda said with wide innocent looking eyes. She was feeling the irritation growing inside her, about to pop like a large bubble. “Both of you! Go! Keep walking. I need a minute alone.” She said, exasperated. This heat was doing a number on her. She needed to collect herself before she snapped. Jennifer looked up as Hortensia offered her something. The trash bag. Jennifer was about to say no, but it seemed like a good enough excuse. She took it and shooed them away. Jennifer waited until they were both out of sight before covering her mouth with her hand and let out a dampened, muffled scream of frustration. Being a parent was nothing like being a teacher. Teaching came natural to her, parenting, not so much. How did the other parents do it without wanting to strangle them? And it seemed like no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t do or say the right thing. Jennifer let out another exasperated sigh, before looking left and then right. Since she was alone, she might as well pee. She wiggled her butt towards the edge of the boulder she was sitting on and shimmied her shorts down, the heat from the rock toasting her bottom. She dug through her pack while she went, pulling out a wet wipe. She stood, and cleaned herself. She looked at the wipe in her hands and let out a frustrated groan. “You’ve got to be kidding…” She lamented. Matilda was right. She really was on her period. She stood and pulled everything back up, flinching in disgust as her soiled underwear touched her skin. She turned around and took in the damage. It looked like she had made a blood sacrifice on the side of the rock. Oops. Only thing she could do was run away from the scene of the crime before someone came looking for a body. Now came the hard part. Asking the girl she had just made cry not five minutes ago for a favor. She caught back up to them quickly, her need to feel clean far outweighing any irritation she felt with the pair. “Hortensia, can I have a word?” She called out. The older girl spun around, before slowly making her way back to her as if she was being led to her execution. Jennifer could feel the heat of embarrassment radiating from her face as she asked, “Can I have a pad?” “Oh, uh, yeah.” She spun around. “They’re in the front pouch.” Jennifer opened the front pocket and frowned when all she could find was a box of tampons that looked older than Hortensia. “They’re not there.” Jennifer said, sounding worried. Hortensia shouldered her pack off and dropped to one knee as she began digging through all her pockets. Finally, she looked up with a wince and handed her a tampon. “Sorry, that's all I have. I must have forgotten them.” Jennifer stared at the wrapper in her hand incredulously. She couldn’t use a tampon! She had never used them, even before, when she was normal. “I-I can’t.” She whispered more to herself. “Why not? They’re annoying to get in, but you forget it’s there after a while. It’s better than nothing.” Jennifer sighed. She didn’t have a choice. She felt disgusting as she was. “Thanks.” she let out a dejected sigh. Hortensia handed her something else from the box. The instructions. She winced with embarrassment, but accepted them. She felt twelve again. She sent Hortensia back with instructions for them to hang out and have a snack before she dug in her own pack for a change of underwear. She opened up the instructions and grimaced. Oh geez, how was she going to do this? By the time she had managed to get everything situated twenty minutes had passed and she was walking with a noticeable difference. She didn’t like this. She didn’t like this at all. Her cheeks ached from all the faces she was making. She rubbed at her face and grimaced. She was glad she had been carrying the wet wipes. Her hands had looked like there had been a massacre, but no matter how many times she wiped them, they never felt clean enough. Being a woman was nasty business sometimes. When she found the girls, they were on the ground, cooler open besides them each drinking a soda pop. “Are you okay? You look pale.” Matilda said. “I’m okay.” She winced as she sat down on a nearby rock. This couldn’t have come at a worse time. It was her fault. Her periods had always been so sporadic she had never bothered to track them. When was the last time she had had one? Two months? Three months? “Oh, I found the pads.” Hortensia said. Good. She wouldn’t have to do this again. If this was what sex felt like she’d gladly die a virgin. “So you were on your period!” Matilda said. “Do you have a death wish?” Hortensia asked her. “What are you, a bloodhound?” Jennifer said with a shake of her head. Matilda grinned. “Hey, look at me.” She stood up and looked closely at Matilda’s face. “Why are your eyes all bloodshot? I didn’t make you cry too, did I?” Matilda shook her head and pointed to the alligator. “They just burn.” Matilda said as she rubbed them. “I need a break.” “I hope you didn’t overdo it.” She was surprised by just how much weight she had been able to lift and for so long. “Should we have lunch now, or wait until we get there?” “Now.” came their unanimous reply.

When Jennifer finally found the will to get up and get dressed, much thanks to her daughter (she loved saying that, especially today) begging her to come to the backyard with her. Carol had set up a tarp underneath the sprinklers and her and Hortensia had been sliding down it. So that was why she was all wet. “It sounds fun, but give me a few minutes. I need to help Mrs. Rodgers clean the kitchen. We, sort of, made a mess this afternoon.” But when she stepped inside, all the paper airplanes had already been disposed of. Only one now, the Horsetensia, sat on the kitchen table. “Your kid's little magic trick really comes in handy for clearing clutter.” Carol explained. “All I had to do was hold the bag. They all just flew right in.” “I don’t like her relying on them too much.” Miss Honey explained, although she had found the same to be very true. It made cleaning out her house, her therapist was trying to get her in the habit of referring to it as hers instead of her aunts, a tremendous amount easier. Despite their earlier altercations, Matilda had always been eager to use her powers, even if it was only to help Jennifer move some boxes or dust somewhere out of reach. “Why not? It’s bloody useful. I didn’t have to bend down once.” Carol went to the kitchen cabinet and pulled down a mug. “You want some tea? I need to tell you about today.” Jennifer poked her head out. Matilda was back outside and seemingly content. She could periodically hear the girls laughing and screaming. She smiled. It warmed her heart to see Matilda doing something that didn’t involve sitting alone in her room. A sudden thought occurred to her. “You didn’t have anything to do with them being friends, did you?” Jennifer asked out of curiosity. “Not really.” Carol said. “I did call Eve that day Matilda was sick before you did to explain she was currently in your care. I know Eve asked Hortensia not to pick on her, she does like to give the younger students a hard time, but telling Hortensia anything...” She raised her shoulders in a shrug. “We’re all just as surprised as you are.” “Why did Eve send Hortensia to Crunchem Hall if she knew her literal kidnapper was the headmistress?” This was something that made little sense to her. “Because Hortensia got herself expelled from her last school and she had no choice. I was shocked to find her there myself. When I first started, I snuck into your aunt's office while she was out to see if what you told me was true about locking kids in a cell. Heard someone screaming, opened the Chokey door, and there she was. I looked up Eve’s phone number, and let her have it. Can’t say she hasn’t kept things interesting over the years. My favorite’s still the black cat in her office.” “I don’t know where she gets these ideas from. I think half the office drawer is just things we’ve confiscated from her. Bottle rockets, smoke bombs, itching powder, fart spray.” Jennifer listed off several other things. “You can order all those things through the mail.” Carol said, waving her concerns away. Jennifer narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, but who was ordering them for her? It wasn’t Eve…” Jennifer's eyes went wide. “It was you!” “No idea what you’re talking about.” Carol said with a guilty sounding laugh. “You make it sound like I let her pick something out of a brochure as a reward if she kept giving your aunt hell.” Jennifer had a feeling that was exactly what was happening. “How is Eve?” Jennifer asked, accepting the warm mug Carol offered her as they sat at the kitchen table. “Scared.” Carol answered. “She asks if you’d be willing to keep Hortensia for a few days while this gets sorted out.” “I suppose.” She had still been secretly hoping to send her off to the neighbors, but as the sounds of delighted squeals rose from outside, she warmed to the idea. She hadn’t seen Matilda look so carefree since they had moved. It was nice to see her just being a kid. “Maybe you should take them out of town.” Carol suggested. “Go somewhere she won’t have access to news about what’s going on. Maybe you could take them camping for a few days.” “Camping?” Did she forget she was practically homeless for two years? “Yeah, you know, with a tent.” “Are there campgrounds nearby?” “That’s not camping.” Carol said with a dismissive wave. “Where was it that you went yesterday?” “The lake, well, more like a pond, but it’s such a far walk.” Although she imagined it would be easier if she wasn’t carrying a backpack of rocks. “I used to hike there quite often.” “Is it secluded? It’s more relaxing if it’s secluded.” “For the most part.” She rarely ever saw other people there or on the trail. She wasn’t even sure if it was a real trail. “But I don’t own any camping supplies.” She had mostly gotten rid of the things she had used in the hut. “Although my aunt was big into survival. I could always take a peek in the basement. I haven’t been down there much.” “Roger was an avid outdoorsman. He loved hunting. I’m sure I have plenty of things.” “Who’s Roger?” “My late husband.” Miss Honey winced. She had never talked about her husband before. “His name was Rodger? As in Rodger Rodger’s?” Jennifer asked. Carol chuckled and shook her head. “I didn’t take his last name. I already had my practice up and running when we got married.” Jennifer was thoughtful for a moment. It would be nice to go off grid for a couple days. She hadn’t wanted to leave yesterday and Carol had a point. Hortensia didn’t need to be around all this when everything was so up in the air. “So, any flashbacks since…?” “No.” Jennifer said, surprised. “But I never want to do that again.” Carol chuckled again. “No one does.” It had been one of the most awkward moments of her adult life. Worse than the time she got her bare butt frozen to the plastic outhouse seat in the winter and had to explain to her aunt why she was so late for work. She had had to take a page out of her childhood after that. If it was cold enough to see her breath, it was too cold to use the doorless outhouse. Once again, she found herself peeing in a bucket. “What kind of brainless idiot takes the outhouse door off in the middle of winter?” Her aunt had yelled so loud the neighboring classrooms could hear. “If you hadn’t locked me in the Chokey so many times, maybe I wouldn’t be afraid of small, dark spaces!” is what she had wanted to yell back, but instead she had mumbled something about the wood having been rotted, and she hadn’t gotten around to replacing it. “So, are you ready to amp up the difficulty?” Carol asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Jennifer didn’t like that look. “You left this here.” She slid across a small bottle she recognized. “No.” Jennifer said. She had had enough ‘experiences’ today. “Did you only use it that one time?” Carol asked with a thoughtful frown. “Once was enough.” She shuddered. Carol began to cackle. “No wonder you had a bad reaction, you used enough for a whole orgy. You only needed to dab it on your finger tip.” “Well, I was so sure it wouldn’t do anything…” Jennifer could feel her face begin to burn. She hadn’t planned on using it at all, just squirted some in her hand out of curiosity. Next thing she knew, she had applied it without thinking. “Will it hurt?” She whispered. Jennifer had spent a lot of time in her youth daydreaming. She’d often dream of a distant, far off future while she polished the floors, washed the dishes, and massaged her aunt's yellow cracked feet. In her fantasies, she had a loving husband, a house, and a very large family, but she knew it would always be that. A fantasy. Something akin to dreaming of winning the lottery. But now she had a daughter, not in the way she had fantasized about, but one who made her feel more happy and fulfilled than she had dreamed of. And if she thought about it, her class, weren’t they all her children? If that part of her dream could come true, couldn’t the other one somehow? “Sex, I mean.” Jennifer mumbled. The last thing she wanted to hear was Carol going on a rant about the other thing. “It might.” Carol said. That meant yes, Jennifer thought. “It takes practice, communication, and for you, a fair amount of lubricant.” “It doesn’t matter; It’s not going to happen.” It was a dream best left buried and forgotten. “I was just curious.” “Why do you say that?” “I’m not interested. It sounds painful, and if I can’t have kids anyway, what’s the point?” “Sex isn’t just about making babies.” Jennifer shrugged. To her, it was. Her head spun around at the sound of the sliding screen door leading to the backyard opened. “Mom, c’mon.” Matilda said. She was dripping water all over the tiled kitchen floor, Jennifer noticed. “Out!” Jennifer pointed. “Come play with us!” Matilda begged. “Please.” “Go on.” Carol said. “Let’s see what they're up to.” They went out back. Carol sat on the back patio, she had the phone book and a legal pad and was copying down phone numbers. Jennifer stood watching the girls run and slide across the tarp. “Mom! Try it!” Matilda beckoned. “It’s fun!” “I’m sure it is, but I think I’ll just watch.” Jennifer said. Matilda pouted. “No! Come play with us!” Matilda pleaded. Jennifer sighed. “Okay. Okay.” She said. “One time.” She stepped into the wet grass, glad she had only dressed in shorts and a t-shirt from yesterday's hike. She stood at the edge of the tarp, about to lower herself onto it when Matilda stopped her. “No! You have to get a running start or you won’t go anywhere!” “If I do a running start I’ll slide right off. I’m too big!” Jennifer explained, but Matilda and Hortensia insisted. Well, If Hortensia could stay on, she figured. She took a few steps back, and then a few more before she charged. With a panicked yell, she shot forward, sliding on her stomach straight off the edge of the tarp and face first into the flower bed. Jennifer lifted her face out of the dirt only to be met with roars of laughter. Carol held her notepad in the air where a large 10 had been scrawled on a page. … After the car had been loaded with camping supplies, much to the girl's delight, Jennifer drove to Hortensia’s so she could pack a bag. Jennifer frowned as she stepped inside. The house looked like it had been robbed. The police had really gone through everything. All the drawers were open with their contents tossed around. Every couch cushion had been upended. Hortensia stood transfixed surveying the damage. “Matilda, go help her pack.” Jennifer urged as she bent down and fixed the couch. She tried to put the living room back together while she waited, but by the time they came back with a packed bag, Jennifer had hardly made a dent. “Hortensia! There you are!” A voice called out as they stepped out of the house. “Bloody hell not now.” Hortensia mumbled under her breath. Cynthia hurried across the street. “We had no idea where you were! Where have you been?” the large woman demanded, her enormous son clutched by the wrist. “Staying with friends.” Hortensia said. “I just came to get my stuff.” Cynthia looked to Jennifer, recognition dawning on her face. “Oh, it’s you.” Cynthia said. “Thank you for watching her.” “It’s no problem.” Jennifer said. Cynthia turned her attention back to Hortensia. “Why didn’t you go to my house? You were supposed to go there in case of an emergency!” She turned back to Jennifer. “I can take her from here.” “What? No!” Hortensia said. “Go!” Cynthia pointed towards her house. “I don’t want to stay with you!” Hortensia argued. “Your mom told me to find you and bring you back. You know how many people I’ve been calling trying to find you?” Now was the perfect chance to hand her over to the neighbor, but as Jennifer stared at the ever growing horrified look on Hortensia’s face, she couldn’t do it. Even Matilda didn’t like this woman, and if there was anyone’s judgment of people she trusted, it was her daughters. “Oh, her mom knows she’s with me. It’s okay.” Jennifer said. “We were in touch today.” “Well, I’m sure she’d feel better if her daughter was with someone she trusts.” Cynthia grabbed Hortensia by the arm and began to drag her forward. “Let me go!” A loud bang rocked the quiet street. “Isn’t that your mailbox?” Matilda asked. Cynthia looked up and dropped Hortensia’s arm in shock. Pieces of mail and wood scattered the street. “No, no, no!” Cynthia cried. She hurried forward to collect the pieces of mail that were beginning to fly down the road. “Get in the car.” Jennifer whispered. “Hurry.” It wasn’t until they pulled up to the house did Jennifer turn to Hortensia and ask, “What was that about?” “She’s always like that. I hate her.” Hortensia said with a roll of her eyes. “She probably never even made a phone call.” She turned to Matilda. “Dude, did you blow up her mailbox?” Matilda flashed her a mischievous grin. “Matilda.” Jennifer sighed and shook her head. “Well she just tried to practically kidnap her.” Matilda said. “That was weird.” Jennifer agreed. She didn’t like how the woman had tried to drag her away. They were both adults, they could have easily talked it over. “She lies all the time.” Hortensia explained. “About what?” Jennifer asked as she unlocked the front door. “She’ll make it sound like having me over is such a sacrifice, when all she really does is make me clean or watch her brat. Then she’ll tell my mom we did all these ‘fun’ things.” A manipulator, Jennifer thought. She was familiar with the type. She had seen enough red flags from their last encounter. “Don’t worry, you can stay with us for the time being. Are you alright? You look a little out of sorts?” Jennifer could see she looked pale and shaken. She had seen her face down her aunt on numerous occasions without a second thought to the consequences, but this neighbor had her nearly shaking. She supposed she couldn’t blame her given the last 24 hours. It was a good thing they’d be leaving tomorrow. Hortensia looked like she was about to crack. “Are you tired?” Hortensia nodded. “Matilda, why don’t you- ah nevermind, I’ll show you.” Jennifer ignored both girls puzzled glances and led the way upstairs. “You probably want to get out of those wet clothes. Here’s the upstairs bathroom, you can shower and get changed. Towels are under the sink.” Next she walked her down to a door a little further down the hallway. “Sorry, we’ve been using this room as storage so there’s stuff everywhere. Let me clear off the bed for you.” She opened the door to reveal a cluttered room full of boxes and an assorted array of things she hadn’t figured out if she’d toss or keep. Hortensia peeked her head in the room and looked around, a deep frown creasing her face. “Is this alright? I can always have Matilda switch with you.” Jennifer offered. “Or she can stay with me.” “What? No way!” Matilda called from down the hall. “It’s fine.” Hortensia said. “It’s just stuff. I can move it. Anything is better than Cynthia’s. She has plastic over all her furniture. She’s a germaphobe.” Jennifer scooped up all the things off the bed in two trips and threw it into the closet. “I’ll let you get settled. Come down stairs after you’ve had a chance to shower and change. We still need to go to the store and pick out some things to bring.” Hortensia nodded and stared out the window. “Does it open?” Hortensia asked. “Of course it does. Why wouldn’t a window open?” Jennifer said. She walked over to it and pried it up. “See?” Removing the lock and replacing the window had been one of her first projects she had tackled after moving in. Even with the improvements, Matilda had wanted nothing to do with this space. Jennifer looked behind her and found her daughter watching from the doorway. Jennifer put a finger to her lips. If Hortensia didn’t remember, it was for the best. She didn’t remember most of it herself. Dragging up past trauma could only hurt her more. She was going through enough right now. “Matilda, go use my shower and get ready.” She followed her into her bedroom and stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Bits of leaves and dirt still clung to her hair from her face plant into the flower garden. She grimaced. All three of them needed showers. Once they were all clean and dressed, they piled back into the car and headed to the local grocery store. Jennifer looked down into the cart and let out a held breath. This was a terrible idea, she thought with a small smile. “No more junk food.” She announced. “You girls are going to be bouncing off the walls for days.” She shook her head. Soda, cookies, candy. She was going to regret this, but when was the last time Jennifer had an Oreo? Well, she’d be outdoors at least, not cooped up in the house with two feral children. They had everything they needed for smores, hot dogs, pancakes, snacks, and an assortment of other odds and ends. She just needed to get a bag of ice. “Ohh, can we get toys to bring? Like balls and stuff?” Matilda asked. Jennifer stared at her a moment before nodding with a smile. In the nearly nine months since they had become a family, Matilda had never once asked to go down the toy aisle. “What’s that look for?” Matilda asked. “Nothing,” Jennifer said with a grin. “It’s just nice to see you acting like a kid for once.” Matilda gave her a puzzled look. “C’mon, maybe we can find a frisbee.” Jennifer shook her head at herself as they stepped inside the house. She had let herself get carried away by their excitement. She looked over their haul and let out a silent laugh. She had gotten a frisbee…and a foam football, pool noodles, Super Soakers, and an inflatable alligator. She had never had ‘fun money’ before, and clearly she couldn’t be trusted with it. How on earth were they supposed to get all this to the lake? “I hope you're ready for a workout, you two. I can’t carry all this by myself tomorrow.” “That’s why you were carrying rocks yesterday, you were training for tomorrow!” Matilda exclaimed. “Oh, can we have a soda?” “Not the caffeinated ones! I need you two well rested and ready to go first thing in the morning. ” “Okay!” Matilda agreed. They sat in the kitchen eating Oreo’s while Hortensia animatedly told them all about the comic she was working on. Suddenly, she was on her feet sprinting up the stairs two at a time before crashing back down them, notebook in hand. “See.” Hortensia slid a page across. “Oh wow, very nice.” Jennifer said. She leafed through the crudely drawn superhero sketches until she stopped on a page that made her pause. She took in the gruesome and disfigured monster face. “What’s this?” It was much more detailed than the others. A large boil covered one corner of its face while its eyes seemed to be leaking puss and blood. Hortensia mumbled something Jennifer couldn’t quite catch, something about a dream, before taking the notebook back. “Oh, can we play Scrabble?” Matilda asked. Jennifer grinned, but shook her head. “I don’t think Hortensia wants to play Scrabble against you. Let’s play something a little more fair.” “Huh?” Hortensia looked up. “That’s fine, whatever.” “She said it’s okay!” Matilda cheered before getting up and darting into the living room cabinet. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Jennifer asked with a grin. “This is her game.” Hortensia shrugged. “It’s not about the score in Scrabble.” Hortensia said. Jennifer raised a brow. “What it was about…” was spelling offensive words during her turn, Jennifer realized almost at once when she played ‘A-R-S-E,’ ‘F-A-R-T-’ and ‘P-O-O-P’. She rolled her eyes, but held back the urge to tell her off. At least she was keeping herself amused while Matilda played words like ‘Q-U-E-T-Z-A-L-S’ for 178 points on a triple word score. “We didn’t stand a chance.” she lamented to Hortensia. “What’s the score?” Matilda asked. “Not worth repeating.” She slid the paper across the table to the girl, who eagerly snatched it up and grinned. “How about Sorry?” They were just through their third round when Jennifer noticed the time. “Bed! Both of you!” She called out. Jeez, when had it gotten so late? And she still needed to pack! “I’ll be up to tuck you in in a bit.” “You want to stay in my room with me?” Matilda asked. “No, you’ll be up giggling all night, and I’m sure Hortensia would like her space.” Jennifer said putting a stop to that idea. “Goodnight girls.” … Matilda groggily opened her eyes. Someone was in her room. She forced herself onto her elbows and peered into the darkness. “Scoot over.” Hortensia muttered as she climbed into the bed. “Huh?” Matilda mumbled as felt herself getting pushed over. She hurried over to make room. “What’s wrong? What time is it?” “Nothing. Go back to sleep.” “Then why are you in my bed?” Matilda asked. “You said you wanted me to sleep here.” Hortensia mumbled at the wall. “Why? Is there something wrong with that room? Do you have some kind of sixth sense or something? Is it haunted?” “What?” Matilda asked as she rubbed her eyes and fought back a yawn. She wasn’t making any sense. “There’s something creepy about it. I can’t put my finger on it though. What’s that feeling called when you think you’ve been somewhere before?” “Deja-Vu.” Matilda mumbled into her pillow and closed her eyes. “I know I haven’t, but I swear it feels like- Matilda didn’t hear the rest. She was back to her dream. When she next opened her eyes, the sun was barely starting to shine light through the curtains, but that wasn’t what woke her up. She turned her head towards the sound and found a shaking lump next to her. “Tens?’” Matilda mumbled, before frowning. When had she gotten in her bed? The noise increased when she called her name. Wait, was she crying? She went to prop herself up and froze. No. No. No. No. She could feel her own eyes begin to well with panicked tears. She slowly moved her hand down. She winced at the feel of moisture. It had been months since she had last wet the bed, but now she had to go and wet herself with her best friend in the bed!? Matilda sprang out from under the blanket. “Please…don’t tell anyone.” she heard a pitiful voice moan from underneath the blanket. “What? Why would I-” She felt herself and frowned. She wasn’t that wet. “Oh.” she said in stunned silence. Hortensia had… “I used to. I-it’s not a big deal.” She lied. “You’re like fricken four! I’m eleven!” Hortensia cried. “You can’t tell anyone! I’ll beat your ass if you tell anyone!” “I wouldn’t tell anyone anyway, and I’m six.” Matilda said with a scowl. “Not Miss Honey either!” Hortensia said in a panic, ignoring the bit about her age. “I need to hide the sheets somewhere-” “Ew, I’ll just wash them. Get up and throw all the wet stuff in a pile and strip the bed.” With a final choked sob, Hortensia pulled herself up and out of the wet bedding. Her pajama pants clung to her left leg. “Those too.” Hortensia grunted before slowly trudging out the door and to her bag in the other room. A few minutes later she came back with her wet clothes and threw them on the bed. Matilda had changed as well and began pulling the sheet off. “Thanks.” Hortensia mumbled, still avoiding eye contact. “I can’t believe this happened. Please don’t tell Miss Honey.” She whispered. “She won’t be mad at you.” Matilda said matter of factly. “She might tell my mom and SHE will be.” Hortensia hissed. I think your moms got bigger problems, Matilda thought to herself as she stripped the bed. “Put a new sheet on while I throw this in the laundry, they’re in the hall cupboard.” Matilda said, scooping up the soiled bed sheets and clothes. She made it halfway down the stairs before her mom’s voice stopped her. “Matilda, you’re up early.” Miss Honey said, coming from the living room. Matilda bunched the sheets into a tighter ball as if she could make them invisible through sheer power of will. She had promised not to say anything. Maybe if she just didn’t act suspicious. “Is something wrong?” “No,” Matilda said, and resumed her trek to the kitchen’s pantry where the washer and dryer were. She could see her mom bent over a drawer. If she could just make it past without her looking too hard. She took a few steps, but Miss Honey turned around. Her smile faltered and she let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh, Matilda, again?” “What? No, I didn’t.” Matilda said, and hurried towards the laundry. “Matilda, you don’t need to lie to me.” “I didn’t!” She said firmly and tossed the bedding in the washer. “I spilled something.” “Matilda, stop it, I saw your underwear.” The look of sympathy was gone from her eyes, and in its place was a stern scowl. Uh-oh, the mom stare. “I’m not upset with you for wetting the bed. I thought I’d made myself clear that I’d never be upset with you over this.” “I didn’t!” Matilda said again. Jennifer sighed. A sad look crossed her eyes. “But I am disappointed in you for lying.” Jennifer said. “I’M NOT!” Matilda yelled. Miss Honey shook her head. “Let’s not do this this morning, just drop it. I’m going to wake Hortensia up.” Matilda watched as she slowly made her way up the stairs. Ugh, why didn’t she just say she had bled on them? Some genius she was! She raced up the stairs and hoped it wasn’t too late to change her story, but stopped just outside when she heard her mom begin to talk to Hortensia. “Oh, sweetie, no you don’t have to do that, Matilda can do- Ten’s, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” “I’m not.” Hortensia croaked out, voice thick with emotion. Matilda peeked her head around the corner to find her mom gripping Hortensia’s shoulders. Hortensia looked up and spotted her. “I told you not to say anything!” Jennifer spun around and looked at Matilda questioningly. “I didn’t!” Matilda growled, fingers clenched into claws in front of her. Why was everyone upset with her this morning? “What happened? What’s going on?” Matilda mimed zipping her lips and locking it. Miss Honey looked from her to Hortensia, who was doing everything she could to avert her gaze, and then to the bed. Matilda saw a light shine in her eyes. Was it her? Jennifer mouthed. Matilda looked at Hortensia's tear streak face and sighed. “No, it was me.” Matilda said audibly and hung her head. “I’m sorry for lying.” Jennifer gave her a solemn nod. “Oh, was that all? Well, make sure you wash everything and take a shower. I’m going to make breakfast.” Jennifer said before turning to leave, but not before she gave Matilda’s arm a gentle pat on the way out. They stood quietly until they heard Miss Honey’s footsteps retreating down the stairs. “I didn’t say anything, she was already downstairs and saw me.” Matilda blurted out. She didn’t want to be on her bad side. Mostly because she was the closest friend she had, and also because Hortensia wasn’t acting herself lately. Maybe the normal Hortensia wouldn’t rearrange her face, but this new one might. “Thanks.” Hortensia said with a sniffle. “She really acted like it wasn’t a big deal. You must wet the bed a lot.” “I do not!” Matilda bristled before mumbling, “anymore.” … She owed Matilda an apology, Jennifer thought as she whisked some eggs in a bowl. She hoped Matilda understood she didn’t think it was her anymore. She tried to make it obvious without…well, making it obvious. She was smart. She’d understand. Her thoughts drifted to Hortensia. Poor kid. She didn’t look like she could take it if it was out in the open, so she had followed Matilda’s lead. She must be under a lot of stress. It was Matilda she had worried about staying in her bed, not Hortensia. She thought she was giving her a break by telling them to stay in their rooms. Jennifer looked behind her as she heard voices coming down the stairs. “Miss Honey’s really nice. I wish I had her as a teacher. She’s not like the other shit-brained adults.” Jennifer heard. “Language!” She yelled towards the hall, but she couldn’t help but smile. That was quite the compliment coming from Hortensia. She was touched. “I thought she didn’t like me.” Hortensia said in a lower voice, but it was no match for the large echoey house. Voices carried. “I don’t think any of the teachers like you.” Matilda said with a snicker. “I’ve seen your file. It’s like this big!” “No you have not.” Jennifer called out. “Yeah, it’s that giant folder you keep on your desk.” “Those are the contracts for the teachers.” Jennifer said, biting back a laugh.”Come and eat. We need to leave soon if we want to avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day.” “Have you seen it?” Hortensia asked. “Seen what?” “My file.” she said, making air quotes with her fingers. Of course Jennifer had. She had wanted to see what kind of kids Matilda was spending time with. It was indeed quite large. She could spot her file the moment the drawer opened. It was often the reason why the drawer wouldn’t close again. “I’m assuming since a certain someone is gone, certain behavioral patterns will improve?” Three fourths of that file were infractions against Miss Trunchbull. “Hmm, I’ll probably find a new victim.” Hortensia said, before seeing the look on Jennifer’s face. “I’m kidding!” She doubted it. “Hey, since you're the new boss, think I can have all my confiscated stuff back?” “Not a chance.” Jennifer said with a grin. Her aunts, and now her, bottom left desk drawer was like a shrine to Hortensia’s shenanigans. If she gave all that stuff back she’d be walking into a warzone when school started again. There were enough smoke bombs in there to evacuate the school. “Go easy on me.” She turned to Matilda. “Did you get everything squared away?” “Yes.” “I’d like to leave by the time the bedding is ready for the dryer. Hortensia, less drawing and more eating please.” Her nose was buried in her notebook as she sketched furiously with a pencil. She speared a piece of scrambled egg with her fork before shoving it on her mouth without looking up from her notebook. Close enough. Once they were all done eating, the girls each ran upstairs and put together the last of their things while Jennifer cleared the plates. While she was wiping down the table she stopped at Hortensia’s open notebook and took a peek at what she was working on. She scowled. It was that grotesque demon face again. She picked up the notebook and flipped through it. There were at least fifteen different depictions of this creature, mostly on the last few pages. It must be some kind of comic book villain, she figured before closing it. Creepy. “You girls ready?” “Yeah!” Matilda said, backpack slung over her shoulders, muzzle of the water gun sticking out behind her head. “Hortensia, you have everything?” “Yes.” “Alright, let’s get going.”

Thanks, I like to mix light and dark scenes. It gets too depressing if its dark all the time, but also unrealistic if everything is too cheery. Matilda being on the spectrum isn't very original tbh, it's a pretty popular head cannon. This was one of those chapters I'm going to look back on and go why did I write that haha But a lot of these scenes are written because I can't get them out of my head until they're out on paper.

Jennifer sat upright in bed looking every bit as shell shocked as she felt. No. No, it couldn’t be true. She would have remembered. There’s no way all that happened! She swallowed down the bile that was rising in her throat. She stared into Carol’s face searching for any hint of a memory of her, but there was nothing. Why? “That’s not possible.” Jennifer said. “I would have remembered having three other people in my bedroom.” “Jenny, you went through a major trauma. I don’t expect you to remember everything. You were unconscious through most of it.” Carol said before frowning. “Although, it was a shock on the first day of school when you didn’t recognize me. To be fair though, we were wearing masks most of the time. The smell was horrendous.” Yes, she could remember the smell. And being force fed MRE’S. She had always thought that was her aunt though. Maybe that was partially true. “If you were a doctor, why work at Crunchem Hall?” She had skipped that part. “To make sure she followed the terms of our agreement.” “Was she not paying you? You know that money was coming from the school.” Jennifer said. “You can take it all back. I haven’t touched a cent of my share. I never wanted her dirty money.” “Then what did you want?” Jennifer asked. Carol gave her a sad smile. “You.” Jennifer’s mouth went dry. She tried to swallow, but there was a lump forming in her throat. “I don’t understand.” “Our agreement was that she never lay a hand on you again.” “And you believed her?” Jennifer scoffed. “No.” Carol said softly. “Not getting you out of that house has been my biggest regret.” “There was nothing you could have done then, if everything you told me is true.” Jennifer said, unable to hide the skepticism from her voice. “You sound doubtful.” “No one stood up to Agatha Trunchbull.” Jennifer said. “Not for themselves, not for their children, and you expect me to believe you did it for me? Honestly, it’s a bit insulting that you think I'm that gullible.” She grabbed the towel and wrapped it around herself before throwing the blanket off and standing up. “Where are my clothes?” “What do you remember?” Carol asked, handing over the loose articles of clothing that had fallen to the floor. “I remember the pain. Not much else.” Jennifer said, pushing her way past and into the bathroom with Carol hot on her heels. “But you remember Hortensia.” “I remember a blonde child curled up in bed with me. I remember being force fed those vile war rations, and I remember…” “What?” “I remember her suddenly being scared of me.” Jennifer whispered with a grimace. “She couldn’t even look at me anymore.” “Do you remember what you did next?” “I looked.” “That’s the part that keeps replaying in my mind after all these years. How utterly broken you looked from that point on. It was in the way you carried yourself. The way you never made eye contact or spoke without being addressed. The light in your eyes shut off. It was as if nothing could ever bring you joy again.” Jennifer let out a bitter laugh. “I’ve told this story to Matilda, but I’m not sure I ever told you.” “What story?” Jennifer asked with narrowed eyes. Carol pulled out a stool from under the bathroom counter and motioned for her to sit. Reluctantly, she took a seat. “Are you still high?” “Yes.” Jennifer mumbled. “Why?” “Close your eyes and I’ll tell you.” She could feel Carol begin to run a comb through her hair. It was hard to keep her mind on being angry. She had never felt anything like it. Her body gave an involuntary shudder as chills ran up and down her back. “Your sense of touch has a tendency to be heightened. Seeing as how you normally jump a foot in the air when I touch you, it must be finally doing something for your anxiety as well.” Jennifer tried to let out a “hmph” but it came out sounding more like a complacent humm. She cringed. “Relax.” Carol whispered. “Take a deep breath, lower your shoulders, you're safe now, Jen.” “What story?” Jennifer asked after a minute of silence. “You always walked the halls with your head down. You never spoke unless addressed, and you never smiled, unless you were talking to a child, but even then, it never reached your eyes. Then suddenly, I bumped into you in the hall the first day of term last school year. And there you were. Life was back in your face, and you were talking a million miles a minute.” Jennifer let out a weak laugh. “You were staring at me like I was crazy.” “I think I was in shock.” Carol explained. “Do you remember why you were so excited?” Jennifer smiled. “I met Matilda.” “Can’t say I wasn’t a little jealous.” “Jealous? Of what? Who?” She gave Carol a puzzled look. “I’ve been trying to get through to you for the last three years and nothing. You spend one morning with her and you come alive. A good thing she came when she did, one more winter in that hut of yours and I’m afraid you would have frozen to death.” “Wait, you knew about that?” Jennifer spun in her chair and faced Carol. “I knew.” “You keep saying you were trying to help me, but you knew I was living in a literal shack?” Jennifer asked with a hint of outrage.. “If you’re so concerned about my well being, where have you been? Where were you when I needed a friend? I would have killed for this three years ago. You only reached out when I told you I had Matilda with me.” Jennifer choked out in a sob. Carol gave her a sad smile before brushing a lock of Jennifer's hair behind her ears. “No, Jenny. You’ve got it backwards.” Carol said softly. “Until you met Matilda, you just never noticed me trying.” “W-what?” “You rebuffed me at every attempt to eat lunch together in my office.” “I-i thought you were just being polite, not that you actually wanted me to join you.” Jennifer said in a panic. “I’ve invited you for dinner.” “What?” “I’ve invited you shopping.” “Huh?” “I even put a thousand pounds in an empty wallet and set it in front of your hedge entrance. Then I sat in my car and watched this brunette… idiot pick it up and take it to the police station!” “Th-that was a lot of money! The owner would have been missing it.” Jennifer said softly. “I think I sat in my car for a good ten minutes cussing you out.” Carol said with a laugh. “I finally had to resort to leaving you things by the school dumpster.” “That was you?” Jennifer choked out. The kerosene lamps, the matches, the blankets, the classroom supplies, they had all been purposefully placed there…for her? “Why?” “Well, you wouldn’t accept help any other way I tried.” “No, I mean, why would you do all that for me?” Carol let out a deep sigh and remained quiet for a minute. “You didn’t deserve the things she did to you.” Carol said. “You're a special person, Jenny. The world needs more people like you.” “I’m nothing special.” Jennifer mumbled. Carol scoffed. “You were lying there, with some of the worst third degree burns to the genitals i’ve ever seen, reading to a kid you’d never met before. The children all love you, and despite having next to nothing, you gave every resource you had to offer to make sure that kid had a better life.” “How could I not? I love her.” “Can’t say you didn’t scare the shit out of me when you showed up one day in my office and told me she was living with you.” Jennifer scrunched up her face as she tried to remember when that was. “Oh, when she was sick.” “Yeah, I called her parents to come pick her up, only to be told she was living with her teacher.” Carol said with a shake of her head. “You always looked like you were one bad day away from throwing yourself in front of a bus, next thing I knew, you stole a kid.” “I did not steal her.” Jennifer said. “I just convinced them it was in their best interest to let her stay with me.” “Uh-huh, you asked them and they just gave her to you?” “They, um, may have thought she was possessed.” Jennifer said with a guilty smile. “Matilda already had them convinced their house was haunted. I just pointed out the source.” “And they’ve never come back looking for her?” “Never. I did call them once. I needed them to give up their parental rights so I could adopt her. They were annoyed that I was bothering them with paperwork, but once I told them they could stop the payments, they were more than eager to make it official. I still can’t wrap my head around it. How could they not see how wonderful she is?” “Because some people have their heads too far up their asses to see what’s in front of them, much like your aunt. I know this is a little off topic, but have you considered having her diagnosed?” Jennifer frowned. “Diagnosed? Diagnosed with what?” “You know what I’m talking about.” “No, I don’t.” Jennifer said with narrowed eyes. Carol sighed. “She’s very intelligent.” “Yes?” “But I’ve noticed social constructs seem to be difficult for her to grasp.” “She’s six.” “She’s memorized the periodic table of elements, but doesn’t understand it’s not okay to put drugs in everyone’s breakfast. You’ve also said she doesn’t socialize well with other children her age. ” “It’s difficult for her to relate to others, she sees the world so differently and…oh.” “Lots of very gifted people are on the spectrum. It’s not a bad thing, her brains just wired a bit differently, but I’m sure you already knew that.” “Yes, I just… never put two and two together.” Jennifer said before sighing. “No, that’s not true. I’ve suspected it for a while, but I keep going back and forth. Her motor skills are a little off; it’s why she hates anything to do with using her hands.” “My kitchen and I noticed.” Carol chuckled. “I used to think that she thought art class was beneath her, but she really struggles with dexterity, which is strange because she has beautiful penmanship.” “Enough about the kids. Let’s go back and focus on you for a minute.” Jennifer pursed her lips. Her least favorite topic. “You understand what kind of doctor I was, right?” “Something to do with…down there.” Jennifer mumbled. Carol let out a laugh. “That’s one way to put it, but let's be adults about this. I was a Gynecologist, my specialty was the female reproductive system and sexual health.” “It explains why you were so upset about me wanting to remove sex ed.” Jennifer said. “Sexual education is more than just about sex. Ignoring things that might make people uncomfortable will only cause more problems in the future. Take Hortensia for example, she had no idea what was happening to her.” “How did your talk with her go?” “I thought she’d be easier to talk to since she can be so…brazen, but nope. She shut right down.” “Oh, well, it’s an uncomfortable topic.” “Yes, but an important one. One that you are long overdue for.” Jennifer's face turned a shade of crimson. “M-me? What are you talking about?” “Matilda said you had a fit in front of the mirror.” “I did not! I-I just don’t like them.” Jennifer mumbled. “Come to think of it, your last attack was also in the bathroom. Why?” “W-well, it’s just…” she racked her brain and searched for an excuse. “Do these attacks happen when you are with other people, or only when you’re alone?” “When I’m alone.” She answered quietly. “Does looking at yourself still scare you?” “N-no, I’m not afraid of my reflection, I-i’m just…” Jennifer swallowed and took a deep breath. “Yes.” she whispered before hanging her head. “Would you like to get over this fear?” “Very much so.” She was so tired of Matilda finding her a crumpled up mess. She was supposed to be the adult here. “Then wait here.” Jennifer watched as Carol left. She could hear the heavy swing of the garage door opening and closing behind her. What was she getting out of the garage? Her questions were soon answered when Carol came back holding something Jennifer had hoped she’d never have to see again. “No, no!” Jennifer said. She stood to her feet. “No!” “I thought we were going to be mature about this.” Carol said, as she unfolded an absorbent pad and spread it over the edge of the bed. “I thought we were just talking.” “We will.” “No, Carol, no!” “Would you prefer I make you an appointment? There’s a clinic down the street that takes walk- ins, but I’m afraid you’d have some explaining to do.” “No!” Jennifer hissed. “What does this have to do with what we were talking about?” “Do you know the best way to get over a fear?” Carol asked. She began adjusting the poles much to Jennifer’s dismay. She pinched her eyes tight. “I know it’s exposure, but-” “No, it’s education.” “Fine, but you can educate me without playing show and tell.” “No, I can’t.” “Look, now isn’t a good time for this.” “It’s the best time, actually. You’ve just had a bath.” “Carol!” “Jenny, I’m very serious about this. Do you trust me?” “That-that’s not…” “What if it was Matilda?” “What?” “What if Matilda had your injuries? Would you respect her wishes, or would you make her go to the doctor?” Jennifer ground her teeth. This wasn’t a fair question. She knew about the enema. “You have nothing to be afraid of. I promise.” “It’s too weird.” She mumbled. “You're my friend. Do you do this with all your female friends? Pillow fights and pelvic exams?” Jennifer asked sarcastically. “No, absolutely not.” Carol chuckled. “I wouldn’t even if they asked me to. That would be very inappropriate.” “Then why are you asking me? Are we not friends?” “With you, I have already broken all my own personal rules. Not to mention laws. What’s one more at this point? ” Jennifer sighed. “You’re not going to drop this, are you?” Carol grinned and shook her head before growing serious. “It’s time to face what happened to you.” She grabbed Jennifer’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Your aunt did something to you that was absolutely unforgivable, and I know you’re scared. I also know it has nothing to do with me seeing. You’re afraid of knowing the answer to the question that’s been weighing you down this whole time. ” Why, Jennifer thought bitterly, why did she have to be such an open book? She wiped at her tear streaked face and nodded. She was terrified. “Shh, it’s alright.” Carol whispered as Jennifer began to crack. Jennifer reflectively flinched as Carol wrapped her arms around her in a hug. “I’m scared.” Jennifer choked out. “You have every right to be; It’s okay to be scared.” Carol whispered. “But the longer you stay paralyzed by fear, the longer she wins. If you won’t get in the stir-ups for your own well being, do it to spite her.” Jennifer gave a weak chuckle. She held on for a moment longer before stepping back into the bathroom where the sink began to run. “You can either sit on the bed, or you can put your clothes back on and join the girls in the backyard. Or you can join the girls without getting dressed, whatever floats your boat.” Jennifer bit back a snort. She stared at the door before letting out a resigned sigh and sat on the bed with her head hung. She couldn’t believe she was going to do this. Her foot tapped with nervous energy as she waited. What was she doing? She could still change her mind. It was the sane thing to do. “Are you still here?” Jennifer cringed and took a deep breath to calm herself. “Yes.” She said softly. Carol poked her head back around and stared at her for a moment as if studying her face. “You must really want to give your aunt a big middle finger.” “The biggest.” She said with a shy grin. “Oh, umm, actually…” She cringed. “This was a bad lead up to this, wow.” Carol said. Jennifer let out a series of nervous giggles. “Oh, good you’re still high. It’ll be just like old times. Maybe Hortensia can walk in half way through and vomit on my shoes. ” “Uh, can you lock the door?” “Good idea.” She crossed the room and locked the bedroom door before digging a box out of a dresser drawer. Jennifer’s mouth went dry as she saw her begin to slip on exam gloves. “Are you ready?” She nodded her head as Carol put on a mask. “Take off your panties if you haven’t already.” With shaky hands, she slid them off underneath the towel. Next, Carol propped her back up with pillows, before putting her into the stir-ups. She frowned, this wasn’t the position she expected to be in. “I am going to need to undo the towel.” “Okay.” Jennifer shut her eyes tight as she felt it fall away. “Open your eyes, Jenny. You need to see.” She opened them to find Carol holding a mirror. She reflexively turned her head. “No, this is the part that’s going to help. Education.” Jennifer slowly looked back and grimaced. She had never seen it like this. No, wait, she had. “It’s horrible looking.” “Jen, I have seen thousands of vaginas. I can honestly say I have never seen one I thought was attractive. They’re all funky looking. What we want is a healthy vagina, not a pretty one.” “Fine, just stop saying it.” Jennifer cringed. “Stop saying what?” “You know, that word.” “You mean, Va-gi-na?” Carol asked with raised eyebrows. “That’s literally what it’s called. As you can see, here’s the vaginal opening, which leads to the vaginal canal, and the vaginal walls.” “Okay, okay I get it.” Jennifer mumbled. “Give me your hand. You will be participating in this exam.” “Why?” She stretched out an arm and Carol took it. “Relax your hand. Relax. You’re resisting.” She guided her fingers until it made contact. Jennifer yanked her hand away. “No, I can’t.” She cradled her arm as if the contact had burned her. “It’s not going to hurt you. It doesn’t have teeth.” “I know.” Jennifer said with a cringe. “I just can't.” “Yes, you can. I know it scares you, but-” “Of course it scares me! Look at it! I don’t even recognize what’s what anymore!” “That’s what I’m here to help you with.” Carol said softly. She reached her hand back out. Jennifer hesitated. “You’re safe. It’s okay.” Reluctantly, she offered Carol her hand. “Are you ready?” “No, but let’s get it over with.” “If you have any questions, no matter how embarrassing, please ask them. Now is your chance.” Carol guided Jennifer's hand to various areas and explained what each part was. “Does any of this hurt?” “No,” Jennifer said. She had never spent so much time looking. It was even starting to lose its shock factor. “Good. I’m actually surprised at how nice it’s healed.” Jennifer frowned in confusion. “This is nice?” The front had been burned so badly there wasn’t even any hair, except for a few patches on the side. “It’s cosmetic. A surgeon can clean away the dead skin. Is it irritating?” “It itches sometimes.” “The good news is show and tell is over, you did it.” “Oh, it’s over? Thank God.” She started to take her left foot out of the stirrups, but Carol stopped her. “Hey, we’re not done here, you’re just done watching. Go on and move the pillows and lie flat on your back.” Jennifer scowled, but reluctantly laid back. Now this was the position she remembered. “Just, uh, try and relax for this part.” She didn’t like the sound of that. She raised herself up on her elbows and looked to find Carol putting something on her fingers. “No! Down!” “What are you doing?” Jennifer asked, a note of suspicion in her voice as she laid back down. “I don’t have access to all the equipment I’d usually use, so I have to do this digitally. Try and relax.” Digitally? She moved her head side to side. She didn’t see any digital equipment. “Ready for the most un-sexiest moment of your life?” “That’s saying some-” She let out a gasp. “Carol!” No! No! No! “Why?” was all she could get out. “Try and relax.” Re-relax? How could she relax like this? “Almost done. Does this hurt?” “It’s…very uncomfortable.” Jennifer groaned. “I know, but does it hurt?” “I don’t know!” “How about this?” “Yes, that hurts!” Jennifer said through gritted teeth. “And this?” “Not as bad.” She breathed a sigh of relief when Carol extracted her fingers. “Please be done.” “I’m all done.” Carol said as she slipped off her gloves. “You’ve been very brave today. I’m proud of you.” Jennifer felt her face flush as she removed her feet and covered herself with the towel. “I feel violated.” Jennifer mumbled. “What about that was digital?” Carol smirked and waggled her fingers. “Digits.” She explained. “Any questions?” “Just the one.” “Well, you’d really need to see a doctor for that.” “Carol. Tell me.” Jennifer frowned. She didn’t like the way Carol wouldn’t meet her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “There’s tests that would need to be performed to know for sure, like an ultra sound and…” “Carol!” She sighed. “There is significant scarring, both inside and out. Like I said, you would need tests to know for sure, but from what I can tell, conceiving may be difficult, and even if you could, there’s a good chance the fetus wouldn’t make it to full term. I’m sorry, Jen.” “I suspected as much.” Jennifer whispered. She shut her eyes tight, as the tears began to escape from the corners of her face. She could hear the bedroom door open before footsteps retreated down the hall. She covered her face and curled herself into a ball. “Here, I brought you some Serotonin.” Jennifer uncovered her face to find Carol holding Matilda out to her. She set her on the bed, before turning back around. “Take your time. I’ll be in the living room.” “Mom, what’s wrong?” Matilda asked. Jennifer gave her a sad smile before wiping her face with the back of her arm. “Nothing, sweetheart. I’ll be okay. It looks like it’s just going to be you and me after all.” Matilda cocked her head to the side. “You’ve always said it was just going to be me and you.” Matilda said. “Yeah, I know, I guess a part of me was still holding on to some kind of hope we could have a family.” “But we are a family.” “Yes, baby, we are. Come here, I need a hug.” She squeezed Matilda tightly in her arms before kissing the top of her head. “You are enough.”