Poppies -Chapter 31-
By: Deena Thomson
Tags: Novel, Writing, Fiction Series, Fiction, Fiction Writing

Fiction Series

Poppies -Chapter 31-

A Novel

Photo owned by Author

Chapter -31 -

Pauline paced outside of the shed waiting to be invited inside by her sisters.

She twisted her light-brown hair streaked with gold around her finger. She put the ends into her mouth and sucked. She liked to suck on her hair even if mean old Mara-Joy would yell at her and say she was disgusting. That just made Pauline want to suck on her hair more. She would have thought Mara-Joy would be nice to her, considering she couldn’t have any little kids of her own. An account of the “miscarriage” two years ago that wasn’t allowed to be mentioned. But that didn’t matter. Mara-Joy continued to be mean to Pauline. She would always find something to hit her for. Whether it was for slurping her milk or dragging her feet, which Pauline did all the time when Mara-Joy came over to the house. She liked getting Mara-Joy angry. The only problem was that whenever she got Mara-Joy angry, Mama got furious. Would start declaring that Mara-Joy shouldn’t be upset in her own home.

Her own home?

Pauline thought she lived with Chad in their home. Mara-Joy only came over to get Alan-Michael and take him on special trips to the zoo and movies.

She never took Pauline on these special outings. She never even asked if Pauline wanted to go. Maybe it was because Alan-Michael was younger and it made Mara-Joy feel like she had a child to care for. Alan-Michael was only two years younger than her. Not that much younger. Besides ten years old wasn’t all that grown-up.

Pauline sighed. It didn’t really bother her. What bothered her was Mama never told Mara-Joy to include Pauline as well. Mama insisted Joanna and Constance take Alan-Michael with them.

Why didn’t Mama uphold the same rules with Mara-Joy?

It didn’t matter. Joanna and Constance liked taking Pauline places, and not Mikey.

A year ago Joanna and Constance found Pauline hiding in their secret place. They weren’t angry with their little sister. They let the shed be her special place too. They always let her tag along.

Pauline kicked a few stones with the toe of her shoe. The pebbles flew up and made a pinging noise as they hit the side of the shed. Joanna and Constance both turned around from their crouched positions, startled. Relief spread across their faces when they realized it was only Pauline.

“What are you doing lurking over there? Come on, get out of the shadows and sit with us,” Joanna waved Pauline over.

Pauline smiled, releasing the sticky strand of hair from her mouth. She ran over toward her sisters huddled together, and crouched between the two girls. All three looked alike except for a slight difference in hair color. Joanna’s long hair was light brown and poker-straight, very much like their mother’s. Constance’s hair was a wavy blonde that fell below her chin. Pauline’s was kind of a mix between the two. It was brown with lots of gold highlights sprinkled throughout her shoulder-length hair. It was not wavy like Constance’s, but not as straight as Joanna’s either.

All three had their father’s eyes: large, slanting green eyes. All the girls had tan complexions. As did their brother, who, unlike the girls, had inherited their father’s looks. The only one who was fair-skinned was Mara-Joy.

She didn’t resemble any of them, not even Alan-Michael, who looked a little like his other sisters.

Joanna turned to Constance, bent on continuing her conversation where she left off.

“How can I get him to notice me?” Joanna asked, pressing her lips together, strained. At almost sixteen years old, Joanna was no longer a plain, gangly girl. She was long, lean, and graceful with an attractive oval-shaped face and unique shaped eyes.

“I have it all planned,” Constance waved her hands into the air, a habit she did when trying to explain herself. Pauline lifted her hands, mimicking Constance.

Joanna stopped Pauline’s waving hands mid-air, her eyes still focused on Constance.

“Well, don’t keep me in the dark. Tell me. How can I get Chad to notice me?” Her eyes twinkled. The time had finally come. It was the opportunity to get back at Mara-Joy for all her years of torment. To teach her a lesson and give her a dose of her own medicine.

“Mara-Joy comes over every Friday to take Alan-Michael out to God knows where. When she comes back, she always stays and visits with Mama and Pappy. When Mara-Joy leaves with Alan-Michael, tell Ma and Pa you have a date.” She looked at both Pauline and Joanna, making sure she had their full attention.

“Go over to Chad’s. He will be there,” she said before Joanna could interrupt.

“He works over the bills on Friday. You know, trying to figure out some way to pay for the stuff Mara-Joy buys.”

Joanna began to get excited. It did make sense. Mara-Joy and Chad had the same routine every Friday. She couldn’t remember the last time it had not been so.

“But what if she comes home before I have left?” Joanna stuttered, trying to find a hitch in Constance’s plan. The act of proceeding with their plans they made two years ago excited and frightened her.

“I’ll call when she leaves home,” Constance said matter-of-factly.

“You are so smart, Connie,” Joanna squealed, grabbing hold of Pauline and hugging her. Pauline had stopped listening to the two girls lost in a daydream. When Joanna squealed in delight, she squealed back unaware of what she was squealing for.

Constance shrugged but laughed. She loved Joanna dearly and only she had permission to call her Connie. Everyone else, including Pauline, called her Constance. Connie was a term of endearment meant only for Joanna.

Constance was a firm believer that the name Connie did not evoke an image of intelligence. She knew Joanna thought she was smart, but to everyone else, she had to prove her mind worked. With a no-nonsense name like Constance, people had to see that she was more than just a girl, but an astute person.

“Then it is set.” Constance beamed, crossing her arms across her swelling chest. Her plan was foolproof.

“I suppose it is.” Joanna covered her mouth with her hands, not knowing what to do. She didn’t know if she should burst out laughing or throw up.

“You can do it, sis. I have faith in you,” Constance, reaching out and placed a firm hand on Joanna’s knee.

Joanna smiled unsure, placing her hands on top of Constance’s. They felt warm and smooth, familiar and safe, and at that moment she needed to feel safe. What they planned to do was uncharted territory. There would be no turning back after she succeeded in her plan.

“I hope so, Constance, and I hope I know what I am getting myself into.”