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"Well?" she sang lifting her arms above her head and turning slowly in a circle while she stood in the doorway. "how do I look?"

I couldn't find my voice. She was so bizarre. I was frightened. I tried to swallow, but the throat lump was heavy and large and wouldn't go down.

However, when she looked at me,

disappointment flooded her face at my reaction, those eyes of excitement quickly turning cold and alloy.

"What? What's wrong? I'm not as pretty? Even like this? Is that what you're thinking."

"No," I finally muttered. "No. I'm just surprised."

Her eves remained narrow for a moment and then widened and she smiled.

"Of course you are. That's the fun of it though. surprise. Well, wish me luck," she said.

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"For what?"

"For what? For my date. You always need a little luck on a date. You can't plan and plot every reaction. Youknow."

"You're going on a date?" I wanted to add. "like that?" but I didn't.

"Of course. I told you earlier. You just don't listen unless it involves you. Well, tonight is my night," she said. "And you have to stay home. You're the wallflower tonight, but I'll think of you when I'm eating something delicious and listening to the music and riding in the convertible and afterward. Yes, they'll be an afterward for me, too.

"Mind the store,' she said with a wave and a laugh. "I'll fill you in on all of it tomorrow, if you're good."

She turned and started away.

"Wait. Aunt Victoria," I called after her and wheeled as quickly as I could into the hallway. She walked toward the front door. "Where are the keys to the van?" I called after her. "Aunt Victoria!"

She turned at the door.

"What? What?" she shouted, her face reddening.

I wheeled closer toward her.

"I need those keys," I said as calmly as I could. "You promised if I signed the paper. Please," I said. "We made a bargain."

"I don't know where they are. I'll look for them tomorrow. Don't tell me about papers and signing things. I don't want to discuss business now, you foolish little girl. Don't you have any sense of timing at all? My mind is full of jelly beans. I can think seriously. You of all people should know that.

"Just try to be a good girl until I return."

"Aunt Victoria!"

She stepped out and closed the door. I sat there staring after her in disbelief. Then I spun around and wheeled myself down the corridor to her office, hoping she had forgotten to lock the door, but she hadn't.

She's mad. I thought. She's not going on any date. She's lost in some wild fantasy. I can't stay here a moment more, but I wasn't going to try to get down to the road again. That was for sure. I wheeled back to the staircase and contemplated it. Mrs. Churchwell had said the phone upstairs was working. The question was did I have the strength and the nerve to try to pull myself up all the steps? If I should slip and fall... At least I'll end up in the hospital and out of here, I thought. And then I thought, she might very well just pick me up and deposit me, broken bones and all, back into that bed.

Should I just wait and hope Austin returns as he promised? Or has Austin and his uncle been

sufficiently terrorized by Aunt Victoria's attorneys to stay away, especially after what had happened yesterday? I wondered.

My heart was pounding with indecision. How could I just return to my little prison of a room and simply wait? I'll take my time. I promised myself. Even if it takes me all night to do it. I'll go slowly and extra carefully and I'll get myself up these stairs and to that phone.

I'll get there if it's the last thing I ever do. That's just an expression normally, I thought, but for me, it might very well prove to be true.

Practically inching my way out of the chair and down to the first steps. I sat and took deep breaths. My heart was racing so. I thought I could possibly faint halfway up. Calm down, Rain. I told myself. Calm down or don't even attempt to do it.