Majesty

5. Breakfast

The sun had crept over the horizon long before Kyla awoke. Birds were singing loudly outside, and she could hear someone humming happily in the hallway.

"Goooood morning merry sunshine!" Mindy sang as she waltzed into the room with a breakfast tray balanced in each hand.

Kyla yawned and stretched her arms, squinting at the sunlight that poured through the open window, and watched Mindy practically dance to her bedside and hand her a tray.

"Here you are, m'lady." She bowed playfully and turned to fetch the desk chair, setting it down beside Kyla. She then proceeded to nudge the bedside table with her foot until it rested at a convenient location between the chair and the bed. Setting down the other tray with an exaggerated flourish, she seated herself opposite Kyla, who couldn't help but grin. "It's nice to see a smile on your face," she teased.

Kyla blushed and looked down, examining the meal before her. Two fat pancakes topped with a slab of butter sat on her plate, complete with a small pitcher of syrup and a glass of orange juice. The knife and fork were hiding under the rim of the plate and she lifted them, analyzing the leafy designs on their handles. Just a final touch to the royal breakfast flourish. She set them down again and was just reaching for the syrup when Mindy cleared her throat. Kyla looked at her, confused.

"I hate to ruin the fun," Mindy said apologetically, "but no meal will be eaten at my house without a prayer first."

"Oh." Kyla pulled back her hand and waited politely while Mindy prayed. Instead of bowing her head with Mindy, Kyla let her eyes drift around the room and tapped her tray impatiently. I mean, it's not like God answers prayers, she told herself.

Mindy finished with an "amen" and opened her eyes, smiling. She couldn't remain silent for more than the few seconds however, and soon opened her mouth again. Out came the words, spilling off her tongue in a tumble of joy.

"I've noticed you don't talk much - Oh, you can eat now by the way - I mean, it's not like you're shy. Just quiet. Don't get me wrong though; I don't mind! I've been living alone for so long that it's really nice to have someone to talk to. People say I talk too much. Do you think I talk too much? Maybe I do. When there's no one to talk to, I just talk to my horses. Or to myself. Is it weird to talk to myself? It's not like I'm psycho or anything."

Seeing no opportunity to even answer her questions, Kyla said nothing and let her rattle on to her heart's content. It's amazing how fast those words come out of her mouth! Soon she stopped listening all together and focused instead on the food that lay before her. She eagerly crammed a slab of pancake drenched with syrup into her mouth and then closed her eyes and smiled as it slid down her tongue. She hadn't tasted something this good since...

When had she eaten last? The hospital? Naturally, but what about before? What did her life consist of?

A faint memory flickered in her mind of a little girl laughing, but the image left as quickly as it had come. Her mind was instead flooded with the memory of a rearing stallion, black against the sun. She studied every detail of the mental picture as if doing so would bring him back.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the name spoken and her focus snapped back to Mindy. "Wait a minute. Say that again?"

Mindy repeated, "and once you're well enough to ride with me, I want to show you Dark Night's herd."

Kyla's eyes grew wide in excitement. "You know where they are? I could see them?"

"Well naturally. Isn't that what I was just saying?"

"And I get to ride?" Kyla's voice portrayed a hint of obsession with horses she was unaware she had.

Mindy laughed. "Don't get too excited. You still have a least a month resting that leg of yours."

Kyla's face fell. "You mean a month in bed?"

"Not necessarily. You will get crutches eventually, but it will be a while before you can ride."

Eventually, Kyla thought to herself, how long is eventually?

A telephone in another room went off and Mindy's eyes grew wide. She quickly swallowed her juice, wiped her face, flashed an apologetic smile towards Kyla, and raced from the room to take the call. "Hullo?"

Goodness, she's loud, Kyla mused.

"Yes, that's me." A pause. "No, I don't think so..." A longer pause, followed by an audible gasp. "Yes, of course! I'll be right there!" She raced back to into Kyla's room, walking swiftly to her chair and replacing it by the desk. "Sorry, I gotta go. I'll explain later."

"But wasn't there something you wanted to show me this morning?"

Mindy was already at the door and shook her head. "No time right now. I can't say when I'll be back either, sorry." With that, she rushed out the door and pounded down the stairs. Kyla listened closely and soon heard the slamming of a car door followed by the rumble of an engine as she pulled out. When the crackle of tires on gravel faded away and the birds outside quieted their frenzy of excitement at the noise, Kyla sighed and leaned back against the pillow. Would there always be unsolved mysteries in her life?

It wasn't the interruption of their brief conversation that bothered her; it was the fact that she didn't know why Mindy had to leave so suddenly. It shouldn't bother her, but it did. She hated not knowing anything.

The muddle of unanswered questions in her mind drove her cazy. In an effort to keep her sanity about her, she focused instead on finishing breakfast. Despite her efforts to eat, she soon dropped her fork with exasperation and clenched her fists, resisting the urge to fling the tray from her lap.

Anger boiled inside her. She was mad at herself for her lack of memory, mad at Mindy for... she didn't quite know, and furious at God who would dare put her in such a helpless situation with an injured brain, broken leg and bedridden body. Why was everything so impossible to remember!