CHARLIE ZUKO

7 | Sandy's help

"Charlie," Rizzo said to me at the end of another day, "you know what we were talking about? Well, I found something."
"What?" I say under my breath as Kenickie walks by. She glares at him and he glares at her.
"Sandy. It came to me in English. She asked if I needed help. I blew her off, obviously."
"Obviously."
"But then I thought, she's got money, she offered. Neither of us could afford it. And I think Frenchy mentioned that her dad is a doctor, so she might be able to find something."
"Are you sure, Riz? I mean..."
"Yeah. We're meeting her in the parking lot."
"Okay."
Rizzo grabs her bag and wraps her jacket round her, turning up the collar. We go outside and go to the car. I get into the back. We wait for a minute or so, and then Sandy gets in.
"Hello, Riz. Hello, Charlie."
"Hey," I say. Rizzo just sits quietly.
"So..." Sandy says hesitantly.
Riz starts up the car.
"You know where I live, don't you?"
"Uh huh."
"Okay." Sandy's voice is light and tinkling in a slightly forced way. She smiles, "So, you want my help?"
Rizzo nods, "Tell her, Charlie. I can't."
"What? I-" Rizzo turns and looks at me, "Okay, okay. She's going to get an abortion. We've decided it's the only thing. And we thought, well you offered to help and Frenchy said your dad is a doctor so we thought you might be able to figure something out for Riz?"
Sandy has been looking at me while I spoke, garbled. She smiles.
"Sure," she pauses, "I guess I can figure something out," she pauses again, twisting her skirt, "I'm not sure what having one costs though. Daddy- dad was talking about it a while ago, just after we'd moved here. More girls get them round here. He said that it's an annoyance that they can't look after themselves and that-" Rizzo is glaring at her, "I- I'm sorry. But he said they get a lot of girls in the hospital because of it."
"So can you help?" Rizzo says, bluntly.
"I think so."
We drive the rest of the way in silence and I can see that Sandy is thinking hard. She's still twisting her skirt. Rizzo pulls up outside her house.
"Out ya hop." She says.
"I'll find something, Riz. Don't worry," Sandy says as she gets out.
"I'm not, jelly bean. What d'you want in return for...?"
"Nothing."
"You sure? Charlie here could talk to Danny-"
"No, I just want to help."
"Okay, if you're sure..."
"Sure." Sandy smiles and climbs out. She goes to her front door and waves as we drive off.
"Well..." I say.
"I think that was a success."

After school the next day, Sandy gets into the car again.
"Fortunately," she says, "my parents went out last night and I did some research and went into daddy's office - if he finds out he will be so angry - and found his phone book and I found an abortionist in there," She said all this very fast, faster than I'd heard her speak before, as she usually spoke clearly, slowly and softly, "the only problem is that I think it's a very expensive one for, er, richer people. And it's in Virginia."
Riz sighs, "why is everything so fucking difficult?"
I shrug.
Rizzo shifts in her seat, "I, er, I already knew of one. Closer. I heard about it but I didn't want to say anything because they're very expensive and someone- someone died."
"I can - I can keep looking," Sandy says, "I will keep looking."
"Nah, you won't. I was stupid to think there would be anywhere safe for someone like me."
"Riz-" I say.
"Leave it, Charlie."
"Riz-" Sandy tries.
"No. I have no choice. It serves me right-"
"Don't talk like that, Riz. We've all-" I look at Sandy, "I've had sex with as many guys as you, it-"
"Charlie, you know I have to."
"Only if you want to."
"More than anything. I want to be with Kenickie again without..."
I nod, "I'll come with you."
"You don't have to."
"Like hell I do," I smile at her, "I'm coming, whether you like it or not."

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