Broken Wings 2 - Midnight Flight by Andrews, C. (popular books to read .TXT) 📕

stupid things you do. Robin starts a fight with me and Teal tries to run off. You break plates, talk back. I know Dr. Foreman believes we should all share the punishment. I know how she thinks. It applies to everyone, anyone, nomatter who she is and what she has or has not done. So thanks.”

“Stop it,” Gia told her. “You know you're not going to make it any better for any of us by bitching. No one here knows it better than you, Mindy.”

Mindy was quiet again, but she didn't like it. Her strokes were harder, her anger pouring down through her arm.

“I don't care how you think,” Teal told Mindy. “Or you, Gia. I'm not sorry I ran off. I almost made it.”

“Oh, really. You almost made it, Teal? Made it to what?” Gia asked.

'To a phone. My father would have come for me."

“Your father?” Mindy said, laughing. “I heard your story. Your father put you here, just like mine put me here.”

'Teal looked at me and Robin and then turned back to Mindy. “Your father did this to you also?”

“Just work and shut up,” Mindy said. “You've made enough trouble for us.”

“What did you do? What's the big secret, Mindy? You know everything we did, why we're here.” Teal turned to Gia. “What did she do that's so much worse than what you did or what I did?”

Gia paused and looked at Mindy as if she had never considered it from that viewpoint before.

“Yes, Mindy, what did you do?” she teased.

“Shut up, Gia. Just keep your mouth shut.”

“She did a lot of things with a lot of boys.”

“Shut up, I said.” Mindy's anger made her wobble again on her ladder.

“And a baby.”

“Shut up!” she screamed so hard and so loudly, her face turned crimson.

We heard a door slam and M'Lady Two came out of the house. Gia turned quickly and began working again. We all did the same. Mindy, still fuming, stared needles and pins at Gia and then shot them at us.

“What's going on here? More talk than work? Well? You should have had more done by now, Teal.”

“I'm still weak and tired from being sick. I shouldn't have to do this.”

“You'll be sicker yet if you don't do your fair share,” M'Lady Two warned. “I want to see you all double what you've done by the time I return, understand? Otherwise, plans for the day might be changed, radically changed, and you won't like it, believe me.”

She stood there watching us for a moment, then walked back to the house.

“Thanks, Gia,” Mindy muttered.

Gia said nothing. None of us did. Her words had left our imaginations to run loose and I could see it on the faces of Teal and Robin; they weren't just running loose, they were galloping through every possible horrifying scenario involving a baby.

Finally, we were told to put everything aside to go to breakfast. No one even attempted to speak to anyone else. Mindy was sullen and Gia avoided her bee-​stinging eyes. Robin, Teal, and I said nothing to each other or either of them. The air about us felt as if it were laced with TNT. Someone rubbing her hands together too vigorously could set off an explosion.

We washed up and entered the house. At the table everyone mumbled the forced thank-​yous to everyone else, then we ate like five mutes. Silverware clanked against bowls and dishes. I could hear everyone chewing, swallowing, drinking, each of us keeping her eyes forward, looking into her own dark and troubled thoughts.

“Good morning, girls,” Dr. Foreman cried from the dining room doorway. She practically sang it. “What a glorious day and I see you've all gotten off to a productive start. How wonderful. This afternoon, around noon, I want you all showered, cleaned up, and brought back here for some refreshment, after which we will hold one of my famous group sessions. Mindy and Gia are well acquainted with them, aren't you, girls?”

“Yes, Doctor,” Gia said quickly. Mindy nodded. Both of them looked so frightened, it frightened me.

“Good. Well eat up, girls, waste not, want not.” Then Dr. Foreman was gone as quickly as she had appeared.

Mindy and Gia looked after her and then looked at each other, the air between them still heavy and flammable. Gia began to eat again.

“Why is she making us part of their group session, Gia?”

“How would I know?”

“We're not going to get through this,” Mindy muttered. “We're never going home.”

“Shut up,” Gia told her.

“She's going to stop us.”

“Quiet, Mindy.”

“She doesn't want anyone to be free. Not since Posy. You know I'm right, Gia. You've said it yourself many times.”

“Stop it!” Gia snapped.

M'Lady One appeared in the doorway. Both girls quickly returned to eating.

My buddy glared at them for a long moment. “Something wrong?” she asked, her eyes small with suspicion. “Someone planning something nasty?”

No one responded.

“All right, let's get moving, girls. You have a lot toaccomplish by noon. Robin and Teal, you clear the dishes and wash down the table. The rest of you, start back to the barn and your work.”

Gia gulped the rest of her juice and stuffed another piece of bread into her mouth as she stood up. I followed her and Mindy out to put on our shoes and start for the barn. When M'Lady One was far enough away, I stepped up beside Mindy and whispered, “Who was Posy?”

She looked at me as if she was going to reply but then glanced at Gia and walked faster, pulling away from me and closer to M'Lady One. Gia dropped back.

“Stop asking questions or you will be sorrier than you could ever think possible, and it might not be only because of what they do to you,” she threatened sharply.

We returned to work. From time to time, I saw Natani pause in his own work and look our way. I thought I saw him smile at me, but it was hard to tell as the sun rose higher in the sky and made even the