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Chapter Twenty Nine

"So this morning he went around screaming 'Pro-Shel-tile vomiter, coming through!' and cleared people out of my way."

Mason sighed.

"Can I come down there and kick his ass?"

I laughed. "No, you're not allowed to do any more long distance trips, remember?"

Mason laughed and I held the phone a little closer. I loved his laugh.

What I didn't love was Frank. He was making my life miserable. And he seemed to be in almost every one of my classes. One of the girls suggested that he was making a big deal out of the puke incident because he liked me, but I wasn't buying it.

And even if he did, I was so taken.

"How's work going?" Mason asked.

I wrinkled my nose.

"My last day is Friday."

"Why?"

"They're closing."

"That sucks."

"Tell me about it. Dad reminded me that I promised him before summer that I would be more than happy to babysit. Now that I'm going to be unemployed..."

Mason groaned. "You're going to be stuck with the hyenas."

I walked to my door and peered into the hall. Brayden and Tristan were hopping over each other's backs.

"I think today they're frogs."

Tristan turned around and gave me a gap-toothed smile.

"TWEE FROGS!"

"Correction, tree frogs."

Mason laughed. Then we both got quiet.

"I'm trying to talk my dad into letting me come down for Halloween weekend," Mason said. My heart leaped.

"Trying?"

"It's going to take some work."

I sank back down on my bed. "I miss you."

"I miss you too. I'm looking at your picture you sent me right now."

I snuggled down into my pillows. It was four o'clock in the afternoon but it felt like naptime.

"The one with Ally?"

"Yup. You McLean girls sure are pretty."

I laughed. "I don't know about me, but Ally is really pretty."

"You're gorgeous."

I closed my eyes. If I squeezed them tight enough, I could picture Mason's face.

"I've got to head to the diner for dinner shift, but I'll talk to you soon okay? E-mail me."

I smiled. "Will do. Love you."

"Love you too, Shel."

I hung up and put my cell phone on my nightstand. The sounds of mom attempting to make something edible for dinner drifted up the stairs. I closed my eyes. I wasn't hungry. I was tired. I had tons of homework but I was sure I could bluff my way through most of it...

-------------------------

"MOM, SHELBY'S DEAD!"

Joe was screaming but I really didn't want to wake up. I had thrown a sheet over me and I was in my own little cocoon.

"MOM, COME HERE!"

His voice was so loud. And panicked. I swear that boys are the noisiest creatures in the world.

"SHEL?"

His hands were on my shoulder now and there was no ignoring him. I opened my eyes. His face swam in front of me.

I was dizzy.

"What?" I croaked.

There was the sound of footsteps and then a loud gasp.

"Shel, oh my god. Joe, go downstairs NOW."

"But--"

"NOW!"

It was mom's turn to sound panicked. I had no clue why. Couldn't a girl sleep around here?

I moved slightly and that's when I felt it. Wetness. Not 'wet your bed' wetness.

I must have started my period. Ugh, Joe was so dramatic.

The room was still spinning, but I looked down.

I shouldn't have looked down.

My white sheet was stained with blood. This wasn't just your everyday drippage.

I opened my mouth but I couldn't even force a sound out. Mom yanked the sheet back.

"Oh honey, we've got to get you to the hospital. Can you stand?"

Stand? Was she serious?

"Honey, is your stomach cramping?"

I stared up at her. Cramps? Yeah, I should probably have those considering I looked like I belonged in a horror movie. But I didn't. Just queasy.

Really queasy.

Mom must have seen the look on my face. She grabbed my waistbasket and I heaved.

I heard more footsteps. Dad poked his head in.

"Joe said--oh my god."

My tally stood at one 'she's dead!' and two 'oh my god's.' I was really in trouble now.

"Should I call an ambulance?"

I lifted my head out of the basket. Mom took it from me and grabbed a couple pieces of Kleenex from the nightstand.

"Just go feed the kids dinner. I'm going to see if I can get her up. I'll take her to the ER."

"But--"

"Honey, please. I don't need the twins to come up here."

I heard fading footsteps and mom knelt down and wiped my mouth.

"We need to see if you can stand, okay?"

I nodded. I realized that maybe I was still dreaming. If so, it wasn't as bad as the dream about the alligators.

I really hated alligators.

Mom wrapped her hand around my arm and I stood up. My jeans were soaked through. I glanced to my dresser.

"Don't worry about it honey," mom said.

Somehow we made it down the stairs. I was really hoping I was going to wake up soon.

Dad's fuzzy face appeared in the doorway. Ally peered around him. She saw me and paled.

"I'm taking her to the hospital. I'll call when I know something."

Dad nodded. At least I think he did.

We made it to the car and I leaned my head back. I was glad the seats in mom's car were leather. The blood would wipe off.

Blood.

We got to the ER and a pair of strong arms helped me into a wheelchair. The hospital smell turned my stomach and I was given one of those mustard yellow pans to puke my guts out and then I felt more blood and mom was talking to me but I couldn't hear...

I just wanted to be back in bed talking to Mason. I had to wake up soon. I would pretend to like what mom cooked for dinner and maybe, just maybe, I would play a game of Chutes and Ladders with the twins. Then I would do my homework.

I had a test in Economics tomorrow that I really needed to study for.

The same strong arms helped me onto an exam table and mom was taking off my jeans and she kept talking in the soothing voice she always used when I was sick and needed chicken noodle soup and...

I began to cry.