The Dreamer: The Book of Godspells

CHAPTER NINE

"Your grades have been slipping, Piper," Allen said, his voice raspy and deep, like he had a smoker's lung. I sat across from him in the dining hall of the Olympus House, regretting yet another forced homeschooled session. He was quiet, extremely tall—towering over me—and reeked of cigarettes. His pants sagged past his waist, never with a belt, and I was pretty sure he only owned three collared shirts, rotating them weekly.

"I've had a lot on my mind lately," I admitted. I couldn't forgive him for what he kept from me, but I didn't know how to bring it up yet until I knew more about why he did what he did.

"I know, it must be tough for you knowing she won't be here for a while," he said, talking to me while grading my work, his charcoal-colored hand marking my paper up and down with red ink. I didn't like when he did this, but it at least killed time and we didn't have to speak. He was good about asking me to correct the mistakes and resend it to him later. This time, however, I was more distracted by what he was talking about than watching him make my paper bleed.

"What are you talking about?" I asked Allen.

"Have you not heard about Penelope?" Allen questioned, turning to me and not sure if I was messing around. I shook my head aggressively.

"What do you mean? Is she okay?" I rushed my words, and Allen put down his pen, seeing that I really did not know.

"Piper, I thought you knew. She is in the hospital. They are not sure what is wrong with her, but they are thinking some neurological condition, possibly narcolepsy."

"Why? What happened?" My heart started racing. How was I just now hearing about this?

"She fell asleep behind her wheel on the way to the store and got in an accident." My stomach dropped. I realized just then that Penelope never came to give me the medicine, but I assumed it was because she didn't want to wake me up. But now that I thought about it, for her not to leave the medicine on my side table was...

"Fell asleep?"

"They are keeping her at the hospital to run tests. Apparently, this has been happening for a while now. Her falling asleep randomly like this."

"Why did she not tell me?" Allen shrugged.

"She was keeping it from all of us. You can go visit her if you want. I did not know that you did not know." I cringed as Allen said this. No, I did not know, nor even notice, and I felt guilty for it now. Why hadn't I bothered wondering why she didn't come back from the store, why she didn't come force the crème on my shoulder, like she usually would do?

"What hospital is she at?" I asked through gritted teeth, ignoring his latter question. I felt sick to my stomach that she had gone out of her way to come take care of me for 10 years and I hadn't even noticed something wrong with her as serious as this.

"Rotunda Hospital," Allen said slowly, watching my face drop even more. Was that why no one told me? It was the same hospital I was conceived at, and the same hospital I was found in after being abandoned.

"Oh... well, I will go visit her...soon," I lied. I didn't want to look inconsiderate, but there was no way I would... or could ever step foot in that hospital. She would be out soon enough...

"I understand," Allen said softly. He knew my past, obviously. And apparently my secrets.

"She will be out soon, right?" I asked. I was still borderline speechless. I couldn't believe it. Penelope always worried about me, but I guess I never thought about having to worry about her.

"I think so. We just don't want her driving and overexerting herself right now, so once she is out of the hospital she will be taking a leave of absence for a bit. Maybe you can see her at her house instead."