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"We'll all get here as soon as we can," Jade said.

"Let's decide now on the schedule. I can probably get permission to sleep overnight tomorrow night," Misty said.

"I'll take the night after," Star said.

"Okay. I have the night after that," Jade added, obviously happy she wasn't going to be sleeping here that soon.

"We'll just keep up the schedule as best we can and invite Cat to our houses when we can't stay here," Misty decided.

"We'll try to not leave you alone too much," Jade said. "You are right though, Cat, you've got to be able to be alone," Star pointed out.

I looked at them all, their concern, the fear on their faces.

"No," I said. "The truth is I've been alone most of the time anyway."

Star nodded. Misty looked sadder and Jade looked relieved.

"We should start cleaning up the house," Misty said.

"No, it's all right. I'll do it. Don't worry. It will give me something to do and help me keep my mind off things," I said.

"That's very sensible," Jade agreed.

"You would say that," Star told her. "Anything to get out of work," she muttered just

loud enough for us to hear. Before Jade could react, Misty changed the subject.

It was decided that we would meet late in the morning and start to plan out all the details for the future, our future, the future of the OWP's.

Jade called for her limousine. It would take Misty and Star home as well. It was fortunate for us that Jade was so wealthy and had so much at her fingertips. Surely, I thought, it would help us later.

When we heard the limousine arrive, my heart skipped a beat. In moments they would all be gone and despite the brave front I had put up, I was terrified of being alone.

"I'll call you as soon as I wake up tomorrow," Misty promised.

They stood around me in the foyer.

"Okay," I said.

"We did the right thing," Star insisted. "You're not going to be farmed out to strangers now."

Jade didn't look as convinced, but Misty still managed to look happy and excited about it all, helping me to feel we were still on a big adventure and that the only thing that loomed ahead was fun and more fun for us. They each hugged me and offered me words of encouragement.

"If you need to, call me any time," Jade said. "You've got my private number and I can call my limo driver any time. I'll just send him to get you. Okay?"

"Thank you," I said.

I stood in the doorway and watched as they left and got into the limousine. Misty rolled down her window and popped her head out.

"Just go to sleep," she called. "Forget about it for now."

"Shut up," I heard Star tell her. I was sure she was worried about the driver hearing anything suspicious.

I watched them drive away and lingered in the doorway, afraid to go back inside; afraid that Geraldine would be standing there in the ball, dripping with mud and enraged, her eyes wild and full of fire.

"How dare you try to bury me!" she would scream and then fold her lips into that familiar cold smile to add, "As if you ever could."

Trembling so much that I thought my legs might collapse beneath me, I finally did gather the courage to go back inside. I couldn't help feeling that Geraldine was hovering over me, berating me for making such a mess. I quickly went to the laundry room, filled a pail with hot water and detergent and went about mopping up the floor. Then I returned to the kitchen and washed all the cups and saucers we had used. I wiped down the counters and the table, working all the while with my head down, scrubbing and scouring like someone ordered to sterilize the room, afraid that if I looked up, I would see her face, those hot and hateful eyes.