The Nothings

Tabitha (Chapter Nine)

      Tabitha woke up and found Kate still sleeping peacefully beside her. Tabitha had woken up earlier around five in the morning, and she found Kate shivering in her sweater and jeans and clutching at the frilly white pillow Tabitha made in the tenth grade in home EC class. Tabitha put a quilt over Kate and found another for herself in her closet. 

  It was strange waking up with someone besides Jamie. It had been a long-time since her days of sleepovers with friends. She could now hear her nephew downstairs complaining to Mike about wanting something other than turkey for breakfast. They didn't have much else in the fridge as their Christmas dinner took most of their grocery budget. 

Tabitha quietly got up and went downstairs. Mike was looking harassed as he searched the fridge for something Jamie might find acceptable as the little guy stood with his arms crossed; wearing his blue and white checkered pajamas that were almost too small for him so they didn't quiet reach his ankles and wrists.

  "Tabby, we have no cereal," Jamie said to his Aunt the moment he saw her as he thought she could solve all his problems in a second.

  "I know, I know. I didn't get a chance to pick up any," Tabitha said apologetically as she got herself a glass of water. "I think you're going to have to find something else to eat, bud. How about some eggs?"

  "No eggs," Mike sighed as he looked in the fridge. "I had the last one."

  "Dad!" Jamie hit his Dad with his tiny fist on the back. 

  "Hey now!" Mike picked Jamie up by the waist and held him upside down. "Haven't you ever heard of respecting your father?"

  "Nope," Jamie said, but he was laughing.

  "Heart warming," Tabitha smirked at the pair. "Do you think anything is open? 'Cause we are seriously low on food."

  "I doubt it," Mike pointed to the window. "It's the biggest snow in ten years.

  "I want to go play in it!" Jamie flew to the window. "Can we go Tabby?"

  "Not until you eat something," Tabitha said. "Now there is toast and some jelly so how about that?"

  "Sure," Jamie said from the kitchen door. "Then can I go?"

  "I'll take you," Tabitha promised as Mike started to make Jamie his breakfast. "Um.. Mike.. my... uh friend Kate was volunteering with me last night, and she got stuck here so do you think it's possible to drive her home sometime?"

  Mike looked mildly surprised. "Kate? I haven't heard of any Kate before."

  "I just met her," Tabitha said; not sure why she didn't want to admit she was one of the people in her anxiety group.

  "Well, I'll try," Mike shrugged, "but my truck is buried right now, and the roads are still being cleared. She might be here for a few hours."

  "We need to get food then," Tabitha said looking in the fridge. "I guess I'll make us some toast too."

   "I'll go to the gas station down the street and see if their open after breakfast," Mike promised. "Mike and Cindy live next to their store so they might be there. I can at least get some milk and orange juice."

   Tabitha went back upstairs, and Kate was sitting up and looking sleepy and nervous. Tabitha knew the awkward feeling of being at someone's house when you have anxiety. Especially since the girls were basically strangers. Tabitha thought Kate looked really pretty though with her dark hair loose around her shoulders and sitting in her plain white t-shirt. This was a different side to her, and it was interesting.