Broken Wings 2 - Midnight Flight, Andrews, C. [classic books for 10 year olds .TXT] 📗

going to need a little TLC now. Just like Teal did, only Teal thinks the world owes her TLC.” Dr. Foreman told M'Lady One, “Take her to the guest bedroom. Give her two Tylenol and the ice pack for her foot.” She turned back to me. “You'll be a lot better by this evening. I need you to be strong for me, Phoebe. We have a lot of work to do together now, you and I, right?”

I nodded.

“Good.” She looked at M'Lady One. “Send me Gia after you see to Phoebe,” she ordered sharply.

“Okay, Doctor.”

I was too tired and too numb to think about anything, but I felt vaguely sorry for Gia and wondered how she and the others were going to treat me now.

M'Lady One helped me to a bedroom. The mere sight of a real bed made me relax. I couldn't believe how wonderful it felt to lie down on a thick mattress. She gave me the pills and some water and brought me the ice pack.

“Keep it on your foot,” she said, pulling me up so I could hold it there myself.

“You put that scorpion into my shoe, didn't you?” I managed to ask her in a hoarse voice.

She smiled. “Now how could I do a terrible thing like that? Remember? I'm a different person now. I don't do mean things to people anymore,” she replied, and left.

I kept the ice pack on my foot, but the pain there was receding anyway. I was so tired, I couldn't stay upright and eventually just gave up on the ice pack and fell asleep. It was probably the best sleep I'd had since I'd arrived at this ranch. I didn't wake up feeling energetic, but I felt a great deal stronger. The nausea was gone and I didn't think I had a fever any longer either. I saw that the sun was low, falling behind the mountains in the west. I had slept through the day.

“Well,” I heard from the doorway, and looked up at Dr. Foreman. “You've woken just in time for dinner. That's good. I want you to eat well tonight, Phoebe. You have to get stronger, okay?”

“Yes, Dr. Foreman.”

“Good. Go on to the dining room then.”

I slipped my feet into my shoes cautiously. I couldn't help it. Memory of that sting was still so vivid, I thought my foot would rebel and refuse to go into the shoe. Dr. Foreman watched me and then stepped back as I started out of the room.

“It's a comfortable room, isn't it, Phoebe?”

“Yes.”

I hadn't looked at anything but the bed, but now I saw a dresser and a mirror, a small desk and chair, and a vanity table with another mirror. The floor was done in a blue-​and-​white tile with an oval, cream area rug next to the bed. Beside the bed was a pole lamp with a shadethat looked to be made of seashells. There was even a radio on the nightstand.

'This could be your room, Phoebe.“ I glanced at her a little too hopefully. ”We'll see." She indicated I should walk ahead of her to the dining room.

The others were already there eating. They all looked up when I appeared, all except Gia. She kept her eyes on her food.

“As you all heard, Phoebe hasn't been well. She is therefore excused from any kitchen chores tonight,” Dr. Foreman announced.

Mindy smirked. Robin and Teal stared at me enviously.

Dr. Foreman put her hand on my shoulder. “Get something to eat and then return to your bunk and get some rest, Phoebe. You don't have to work on any school assignments either.”

The more favors and privileges she placed upon me, the more embarrassed and ashamed I felt. The others sensed it and were now all looking down at the food. I went to my place and began to fill my plate with food. I was hungry and thirsty. Dr. Foreman stood there watching for a few moments, then left.

No one spoke for a while.

Finally, Teal broke the silence. “You were in the Ice Room, weren't you?”

I nodded.

“What was it like? What happened? What did they do?” she asked, her eyes wide with expectation. “Robin won't tell me anything about her experience,” she added, glaring at her.

I just shook my head.

“Talking about something like that causes you to relive it,” Gia mumbled. “So shut up.”

“Don't keep giving me orders,” Teal shot back at her.

She looked at me again. “What did she mean you weren't well?” she asked, refusing to be quiet even though Robin and Mindy and not just Gia were now glaring at her so hard, anyone else would have been intimidated.

“I was stung like you, by a scorpion, and this was right after Dr. Foreman gave me the news that my mother died last week.”

“What?” Robin asked. “Your mother died?”

“Some drug she took affected her heart and she died in the clinic she was in.”

“Why did she wait so long to tell you?” Teal asked.

“I don't know.” I know I sounded like it, but I couldn't help it: I was searching for sympathy, and understanding.

“Oh. This is all so terrible,” Teal said. “And then to be stung by a scorpion. Where were you stung?”

“It was in my shoe.”

“How could it be in your shoe?” Robin asked, grimacing.

“Spiders can get into shoes when they're left outside. It's not a big deal,” Gia said dryly.

“Well, it got under my overalls, so I guess it could get into a shoe,” Teal added.

Robin smirked and stared at her. “You know, now that I think about it, Teal, how come you didn't get put in the Ice Room for trying to run off?”

“I don't know,” Teal said quickly. “I was too sick, I guess. They put me in one of the bedrooms here. Maybe she was afraid I would die and she would get investigated and then go to jail.”

“Phoebe's sitting here after one day. How come it took you so long to get well enough to be returned to the barracks?” Mindy questioned, her