Thea at Sixteen (7 page)

“That's right,” Thea said. “You might like them once you got to know them.”

Everyone laughed. Thea felt like drowning in dirty suds water. “I could use a new bucket,” she said.

“You could use a new brain,” Claire said.

“Stop that,” Meg said. “Now, Thea, what do you want to tell us about Gina?”

Thea smiled down at her mother. Trust Megs to figure out how Thea should explain her problem. “I tell Gina stories about us,” Thea said. “About the family. She has a brother and a sister, but she likes to hear about all of us.”

“We know she has a brother,” Claire said. “All you ever talk about is Kip.”

“I do not,” Thea said. She hadn't been aware of talking about him at all. She'd probably casually mentioned him once, and Claire had remembered because Claire remembered everything having to do with males.

“Yes, you do,” Sybil said. “It's always Kip was here or Kip said that. You talk about him almost as much as Evvie talks about Sam.”

“You're both crazy,” Thea said, feeling very uncomfortable. “Anyway, that's beside the point. Gina has a sister, too, Dani, but she never comes to visit.”

“Dani Dozier?” Claire asked. “She's Gina's sister?” “Yeah,” Thea said. “You know her?”

“Everyone knows her,” Claire replied. “She's really wild.”

Thea couldn't tell whether Claire approved or disapproved. She wasn't about to find out, either. “Gina is nothing like Dani,” she said.

“She couldn't be,” Claire pointed out. “Stuck in a hospital bed all the time.”

“That's what I wanted to say,” Thea replied. “Gina is stuck there, and she has heard all about you, and she really wants to meet you. Sybil, I mean.”

“Why does she want to meet me?” Sybil asked. “I don't know her.”

“If you knew her, she wouldn't have to meet you,” Claire said. “Nicky, if I have to do this, could you at least bring me another bucket.”

“I never got mine, either,” Thea said.

“Sorry,” Nick said. “I was engrossed in your conversation.” He left for the kitchen, and they all paused until he brought in two fresh buckets. Thea noticed, not for the first time, how everything in their family seemed to stop when Nicky left the room.

“Thanks,” Thea said as he handed her the bucket. She rinsed her sponge out, and began to scrub again. “She wants to meet you, Sybil, because you're both twelve years old. That's all. I've told her all about us, and frankly, her life is pretty miserable. I mean, it would be even if she wasn't sick. Her father walked out years ago, her mother drinks, and they don't have any money.”

“Poor girl,” Meg said.

“All that and cancer, too,” Claire said. “She must be a bundle of laughs.”

“She's very nice,” Thea said. “And Kip is also.” She blushed as soon as she said his name, and waited for the teasing to begin. Only it didn't.

“You know, when I suggested the volunteer work, I never thought you'd be dealing with families like that,” Nick declared. “That wasn't at all what I wanted for you.”

“It was Mrs. Chambers's idea,” Thea said. “She matched me with Gina. They all love Gina at the hospital.”

“I suppose,” Nick said. “Still, next time, maybe I'll think a little harder before making a suggestion.”

Thea knew it had been more an order than a suggestion, but she wasn't about to bring it up. “Anyway, Sybil,” she said. “I told Gina you'd visit her, so she could meet you.”

“Oh, Thea,” Sybil said. “I don't want to.”

“It won't be for long,” Thea said. “It isn't like you have to see her twice a week, like I do. Just come with me Monday afternoon for a half hour or so. It would mean so much to her.”

“Sure, that's fine if she's really dying,” Sybil said. “But what if she hangs on, and she expects me to visit her again and again?”

“Sybil!” Meg said sharply.

“Thea didn't have any right to say I'd come,” Sybil said. “I don't care if she goes to the hospital and visits some crummy sick person. But that doesn't mean I have to.”

“I'm very sorry to hear you talk that way,” Meg said. “I thought you had some compassion in you, Sybil, for those who need it.”

“You mean she sounds like me,” Claire said. “I'm on your side, Sybil. Thea is always volunteering people for stuff like that. She figures just because she likes playing Lady Bountiful, we all should.”

Thea considered dumping her bucket of water on Claire, but Megs was in the way, and Megs was her ally. “It's just one afternoon,” she said. “Gina's dying, Sybil. She could be dead next week. I'm asking you to give up one hour of your life for someone who's dying.”

“It isn't just an hour of my life,” Sybil said. “Scrubbing this dining room is giving up an hour of my life, and you haven't heard me complain about that. But I hate hospitals. They scare me. And I wouldn't know what to say to her, and she probably won't like me, anyway. I know the way you talk about us, Thea. It's like we're angels or something. How do you think I'll feel if I go to visit this dying kid, and she takes one look at me and hates me?”

“You'll still feel a lot better than she does,” Thea declared. “And besides, she won't hate you. She's just a normal kid, Sybil. She reads
TV Dreamstars
magazine.”

“I certainly don't read
TV Dreamstars
magazine,” Sybil said. “What kind of an idiot do you take me for?”

“A selfish one, apparently,” Thea said. Where was Evvie when she needed her. Evvie could talk Sybil into anything.

“You're the one who's being selfish,” Sybil said. “Trying to make me do something I don't want to do.”

“That's right, Thea,” Claire said. “You think now that Evvie's away, you can boss us around.”

“This has nothing to do with Evvie, and nothing to do with bossing,” Thea said, although she had just been wishing that Evvie were there to boss Sybil around. “This has to do with being kind.”

“I don't want to be kind,” Sybil said. “I'm not a kind person.”

“Megs!” Thea cried. “Nicky!”

“Sybil, I think you're behaving badly,” Meg declared. “Even if you aren't a kind person, you can still spare a couple of hours to bring cheer into someone's life. I'm going to be very disappointed in you if you don't go.”

Thea smiled. Megs had come through, and now Nicky was sure to. They always agreed on the important things.

“Nicky, do I have to go?” Sybil asked. Thea could tell Sybil was making a last-ditch appeal she didn't expect to win.

“I'm not so sure it's a good idea for Sybil to go,” Nick declared.

“Nicky!” Thea shrieked. She shook the ladder so much some drops of water fell on Megs's head.

“Thea!” Meg said. “Nicholas! What is going on with this family?”

“We hate scrubbing walls,” Claire said. “This is what happens when you make us scrub walls.”

“You really mean I don't have to go, Nicky?” Sybil asked. “Oh, thank you.”

“Hear me out, Daisy,” Nick said. “These are not desirable people. These are definitely not the sort of people we want our daughters to spend time with.”

“She's a dying girl,” Meg said.

“She's a dying girl from a trashy family,” Nick said. “Everything Thea has told us about them is bad. Desertion, alcoholism, no money. This Kip person Thea keeps talking about. What does he do?”

“He's sub assistant manager at the Burger Bliss,” Thea said.

“Exactly,” Nick said. “It's bad enough Thea has to spend time with them, but I guess it's too late to prevent that. Claire, I want you to promise me you won't have anything to do with that other sister, what's-her-name, Dani.”

“I give you my solemn word, Nicky,” Claire said. “I wouldn't want to have anything to do with her, anyway. She's cheap.”

“I'm not surprised to hear it,” Nick said. “Thea, I don't want Mrs. Chambers to get the wrong idea about you, so you can keep seeing Gina twice a week. But that's the only contact I want any member of this family to have with her or her family.”

“Nicky, you are so wrong,” Thea said. “They're not like that. And besides, the only ones I ever see are Gina and Kip. And you'd like Kip, Nicky. He's going to go to college as soon as he can. He's just working at the Burger Bliss to help out while Gina's … while she's still sick.”

“You mean until she dies,” Sybil said. “I hate the idea of someone my age dying of something. It's bad enough getting cramps.”

“Perhaps when Gina is no longer well enough to appreciate your visits, you could ask Mrs. Chambers to fix you up with someone more appropriate,” Nick said.

“Disease doesn't require a pedigree,” Thea declared. “People get sick. Nice people. Nice people come from bad families. It isn't like your family was so great.”

“My family is not at issue here,” Nick said. “Nor do I appreciate that tone of voice when you're talking about things you don't understand.”

“I understand why you don't want to visit this Gina person, Sybil and I don't blame you, but I think I'll go with Thea on Monday,” Claire said.

“What?” Thea said.

“You heard me,” Claire said. “Hospitals don't scare me. I don't mind going. I know I'm not as exciting as Sybil, but I guess I'll have to do.”

“I don't see any reason for you to go, Claire,” Nick said. “And I'd prefer it if you didn't.”

“I know,” Claire said. “That's why I've decided to go. We can walk together after school, all right, Thea?”

“Fine,” Thea said. “I know Gina will be pleased to meet you. The only reason she wants to meet Sybil is because Sybil is her age.”

“What's going on here?” Nick asked. “Claire, you've never volunteered to do a nice thing in your life.”

Claire shrugged. “I'm not being nice,” she said. “Just curious. I want to see this Kip with my own eyes. I figure if he has Dani for a sister, and you're so dead set against him, he's probably worth a look.”

Thea scowled. It was just like Claire to decide to chase Kip. And how was Kip supposed to deal with a beautiful avaricious fourteen-year-old like Claire?

“Kip will be there?” Sybil asked.

“Maybe,” Thea said. “Maybe not.”

Claire laughed. “Kip is always there,” she said. “You've got to start paying more attention, Sybil. Even Thea says interesting things sometimes.”

“I am sick and tired of your attitude, Claire,” Meg said. “Yours also, Sybil. It isn't going to kill either of you to visit a sick child. As a matter of fact, I think I'll visit, too.”

“Not on Monday,” Claire said. “Monday's my day to visit.”

“Daisy, I understand that you like to help the less fortunate,” Nick said. “That's one of the things I love about you. But in this case, why not leave bad enough alone? Thea, keep visiting. Claire, go if you must, but just the once. Daisy, if you have the time to do volunteer work, fine. Ask Mrs. Chambers. I'm sure she'll be delighted with your assistance. But I don't want any more involvement with Gina's family than that. Have I made myself clear?”

“You're a great one for helping the less fortunate if it serves your purposes,” Thea said. “You were the one who made me do this volunteer work in the first place. Why? You thought I'd be fluffing pillows only for rich sick people?”

“I don't care for your attitude, Thea,” Nick said.

“I don't care if you do care,” Thea said. She was trembling so hard she had to hold on to the ladder.

“This has all been a terrible mistake,” Meg said. “I thought we could all do something together, clean the dining room, the way a family should. I see I was wrong. If anything is going to get done in this house, I'll have to do it alone. Fine. I want all of you out of here. Do you hear me? I want you out of here right now.”

“I'll stay, Megs,” Sybil said. “I like helping out.”

“Out!” Meg said. “This instant!”

Thea climbed down the ladder. She couldn't understand why Megs should be mad at her. They were the only two who agreed. She carried the bucket down with her, and left it on the floor, by Megs's side. Megs did not smile at her as Thea stood there.

“Out,” Meg said. “And I don't want any of you anywhere near this dining room until I tell you to come in.”

Even Claire was silent. She filed out of the room with Thea and Sybil. They climbed the stairs slowly, trying to hear any conversation between Nicky and Megs. If there was any, it was whispered.

“I've never seen her that mad,” Thea said, walking into Claire and Sybil's room with them. It no longer mattered that she was angry with them. This was no time to be alone.

“I thought she was going to start crying,” Sybil said. She looked like she might cry as well. “I never meant to make her that mad.”

“It wasn't just you,” Thea said. “It was all of us. Except maybe me.”

“Sure,” Claire said. “Little Miss Perfect would never do anything to upset Big Miss Perfect.”

“You make me sick,” Thea said. “And you do, too, Sybil.”

“I'm sorry,” Sybil said. “I'll go with you if you still want me to.”

“Congratulations,” Claire said. “You finally bullied Sybil into doing what you want her to.”

“I'm glad,” Thea said. “If it took bullying, fine. She's going to make a very sweet girl feel a little bit happier. It's about time Sybil agreed. If she'd agreed when I first asked her, none of this would have happened.”

“If she'd agreed, when you first asked her, we'd still be scrubbing the dining room walls,” Claire said. “I'd rather be here. Thanks, Syb.”

“You're welcome, I guess,” Sybil said. “Is it scary in the hospital, Thea? Are there a lot of dead people all over?”