HARDER THAN IT LOOKS

Chapter 24

It is hot up in the attic that night. I wake up sweating. It is probably 3:30 or so. I hear a strange, muffled, humming sound. I press my ear up to the floor. Someone is singing. Probably Kelsey. I sneak down the ladder to the attic and lean up against the door to my old room. I was right, Kelsey is singing to Meghan. Her voice is so beautiful and rings through the night. I can tell that she is sitting with her back to the door like I am. I smile. She really isn't as shy as I thought.

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I wake up on the soft carpet outside my old room. Suddenly everything comes back to me. I sit up and run to the shower. I take a quick, cold one. I want to save hot water for Kelsey. She's probably never had a hot shower before. I walk towards their door to see if they are awake. I see that their door is propped open a crack. Inside, Kelsey is pulling Meghan's clean, white nightgown over her head.

"Isn't it nice of Lindsey to give us all of her small cloths?" I hear Kelsey ask.

"Yeah!" Meghan smiles. "They are like new! Better than we used to have." Meghan sighs. I knock on the door slightly. Meghan shrieks before telling me to come in.

"Hey. There's a hot shower waiting for you, Kelsey. Meghan, I can play with you."

"Really, it's fine. I don't need the hot water." Kelsey protests.

"I insist."

They both finally agree. Meghan and I sit on my floor. "Wanna play with my dolls?" Her face glows. I stand and walk towards the small tub with all of my old dolls and toys. "Why don't you keep these? I don't use them anymore."

"Really?" She seems so happy. "Mommy never bought us toys!"

"Have them all." We play for a whole hour. I am sort of embarrassed to say that I actually had a lot o fun. Kelsey emerges from the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy green towel. I can clearly see all of her bruises now. I can't help but stare. She notices and I look away, embarrassed.

"It's ok. I'll tell you how I got them."