Chapter Five

One evening after dinner, Jillie pulled Beth’s brown leather money pouch from a side pocket in her backpack. With Mickey looking on, she untied the knot and poured the contents onto her coat. Paper rattled and coins clinked together as for the hundredth time she counted the fifty-two dollars and sixteen cents Beth had managed to save.

She separated a five-dollar bill and four ones from the stack and replaced the rubber band around the other bills. Four dollars would cover the cost of a day pass on the Railrunner, a commuter train that ran north all the way from Belen to Albuquerque.

Five dollars should buy her lunch in the hospital cafeteria, then she’d take the train back to the Elliotts’. Since the train station was only a couple of miles away from the house, a half hour of fast walking should get her back before the afternoon school bus made the drop-off at her stop. That’d leave several hours to visit Beth.

Humming a happy tune, Jillie stuffed all the money into the pouch and replaced it in her backpack. She laid down on her coat, hugged Mickey, put him under her head, and tried to calm her racing mind. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep.

****

Jillie awoke earlier than usual the next morning. She jumped up from her coat-bed, dressed, double-checked her money, and hurried downstairs to make breakfast. Her body sizzling with anticipation, she willed herself to act normal as the sleepy Elliotts made their appearance.

Her eyes lowered to prevent Margo from seeing her excitement, she filled their plates before returning to the kitchen to eat. After doing the dishes, she went upstairs to wash her face and comb her hair.

Cleg’s voice floated up the stairs. “I hear the bus, girl. Better hustle.”

Jillie grabbed her backpack and ran downstairs. She got to the bus just as the driver was closing the door.

“I have a ride today,” she said through the partially opened door.

The driver nodded her head, pulled the door closed, shoved the bus in gear, and drove off.

Jillie glanced back toward the house, relieved to see it wasn’t visible from where she stood. She sucked in a huge breath and let it out slowly.

Her body felt light, like she could fly if she just flapped her arms hard enough. For the first time in weeks, she felt like she was in control of her life.

She sang under her breath and marched in time to the tune. The whole day was hers.

When the train station came into view, she smiled to herself. She’d sing and tell stories to Beth, just like her sister had done for her every night before bed. She’d tell her how much she loved her and pretend that everything was okay.

But just as Jillie reached the station entrance, someone grabbed her arm from behind.

“Sorry, kid,” Mort said. “Life just isn’t that easy.”

Jillie pulled free from the grip. “Let me go, I’m going to see my sister.”

“Not today, you aren’t.”

“I want to see Beth.”

Mort shook his head, a look of what seemed to be sadness on his face. “Not happening. The school called the old woman when you didn’t show up.”

“Please, she needs me.”

“None of that’s going to work on me. Haven’t you learned anything yet?”

The two walked to the pickup in silence, and in silence they drove home.

Her shoulders slumped, Jillie stepped from the pickup and trudged toward the house.

Margo stood just outside the front door, her arms cocked and fists on her hips. Jillie had witnessed the woman’s temper tantrums, but she’d never seen anything like what happened next.

With fists balled so tight the knuckles looked white, Margo screamed words people probably used in R-rated movies. Flecks of saliva flew from her mouth; tiny gobs of spit dangled from her chin, and her nose flap whipped back and forth with every snort and growl.

The flap’s gymnastics drew Jillie’s focus, and her mind wandered as Margo’s screeching voice droned on. Why had the woman never had the thing removed? Maybe she was proud of it. Or maybe she couldn’t afford to go to the doctor. Or maybe the thing had been cut away several times, but always grew back. Maybe it was filled with puss, like a zit, so if someone squeezed it, the insides would come out and leave a little sac, kind of like a tiny deflated balloon.

In spite of herself, Jillie felt the beginnings of a smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

As if she’d been slapped, Margo’s head jerked up, and her eyes narrowed to slits. “Did I say something funny?”

“No…I…”

“You think you’re so smart,” Margo said. “But you’re stupid, just like your sister. From now on, Cleg will walk you to the bus stop.” She jabbed her index finger toward Jillie’s nose. “And in case you’re thinking of trying anything like this again, just remember what I said could happen to your precious sister. And it’ll be your fault.”

“I want to see Beth. You can’t keep me from seeing her.

“You’ll see her when I say.” Margo’s eyelids came down again until they nearly closed over the glittering pinpoint eyes. “I’ll be watching you.”

Jillie should have remembered about the school’s policy to call a parent or guardian when a student didn’t show up. Margo might be right, maybe she was stupid.

“By the way, in case you’re thinking you could walk to the hospital from the school,” Margo said, “It’d take you days to get there.” A thoughtful look came over her face, and she cocked her head. “Or maybe you think you could hitch a ride. Ooooh, that’s a really bad idea. I heard on the news about a girl your age who was hitching and got picked up by a mass murderer. They found pieces of her wrapped in newspaper in three different dumpsters.”

Jillie gulped.

“Now go get started on lunch while I think of a suitable punishment.” Margo whirled and stomped back into the house.

“I told you to watch your back,” Mort whispered out one side of his mouth.

That night, during dinner, Margo made her announcement. “You’ll be docked one meal per day for the next week. If you do as you’re told, after that you’ll be allowed the usual two.” She used a fingernail to dig something out of her teeth before adding, “You mess up again, and I’ll make you wish you’d never been born. You and your sister.”