Read Online Blackout by Caroline Crane - Free Book Online Page B

neurotic, so Cree and I
went to work. We got a big boost from Velda, and then went to
Kelsey herself.
    We left her in tears, unfortunately, but got
what we wanted. I took that back to the school authorities. I also
gave them a lecture on Asperger’s, all the things that, as
educators, they should have known and taken into account. It got
Ben off the hook, but he’d already transferred to Southbridge High.
I had just done that myself, trying to get away from Evan’s
harassment. But it continued anyway, and it was intentional. Ben’s
was not.
    In Evan’s case, he couldn’t bear to let me be
my own person. It’s an ego thing with some guys. They have to
control “their” woman or they feel they’re less of a man. Don’t ask
me why. I’ve tried discussing it with Rhoda. All she does is mumble
about insecurity. That could be part of it. Or maybe all, in some
cases, but I wish she would come up with more details. It could be
she doesn’t know either.
    People shouldn’t think so hard while they’re
driving a car. I came to my senses and found myself at the corner
of Main Street and Maple. I pulled to the curb and tried to think.
Should I go home or go and visit the hospital and see what I could
find out about Kelsey?
    The hospital. Definitely. It was only a few
miles.
    When I got there I found she’d been
transferred to a regular room. They gave me its number and said she
was stable. That was all they could or would tell me.
    Next question. Should I be satisfied with
that, or go up and try to see her? I couldn’t think of any reason
why she would want to see me. I was, after all, Ben’s sister. I
didn’t know how she felt about him now, but it couldn’t be good.
What if her family was there? Undoubtedly they would be.
    Courage, I told myself. Most people
thought I had a lot of it. I didn’t really. It was the brave front
I put on. I grabbed an elevator that was starting to close and let
it take me up.
    It was early still on Monday morning and
there weren’t many visitors. I found Kelsey’s room and peeked
in.
    No parents, but Velda was there. Velda worked
at home as a freelance sculptor and could set her own hours. She
welcomed me with a smile. Kelsey rolled her head from staring at
the window to see who had come. Her expression was unreadable.
    “Hi, Kelsey,” I said. “Welcome back to the
world.”
    That could be all wrong. She might not want
to come back.
    “How are you feeling?” I asked.
    Stupid question. I didn’t expect an answer
and didn’t get one.
    She had the room to herself. I couldn’t help
thinking a roommate might have helped to keep her grounded. But I
was sure she wanted it this way and her family could afford it.
    Kelsey’s eyes drifted closed and Velda
answered my stupid question. “She’s coming along. My family and I
are so grateful to you guys for going to check on her.”
    “Glynis Goode was in a panic,” I said. “She
kept beating up on herself for not trying to stop what happened.
Not that she knew what was happening, but you know. The drinking
and stuff.”
    Kelsey’s expression didn’t change, except for
her eyes. They opened and glared at me. Probably I shouldn’t have
mentioned the drinking but everyone knew that was what started it.
And it was, at least in part, Glyn’s fault.
    My big mouth ran on. I told Kelsey, “It was
good you left the stuff there. They could see what there was so
they knew how to counteract it. I got poisoned once. Some idiot
stuck a needle into me. Right into my bloodstream. The found the
needle and analyzed the dregs. They had to do dialysis to get it
all out.”
    Kelsey still didn’t react, but Velda did.
    “Good gracious! What happened?”
    “Well—that’s what happened. Four hours of
dialysis, but I kept drifting in and out. I wasn’t really
conscious. It happened right here in this hospital. He couldn’t
have picked a better place.”
    “Was he a doctor?” Velda asked.
    “No, but he was trying to pass as one. He
didn’t have