Are You Well Enough?

The morning has brought much promise. I awoke to sunlight streaming through the window. Somewhere down the hallway, someone is already laughing. The stitches on my back came out a couple of days ago and the burning has dissipated. The skin is still tender and new, but Leda promises me that the scars will fade away and be almost imperceptible. How can I not believe her? Librarians do know everything, after all.

The promise quickly fades away. An insistent knock on the door reminds me that my tutor is here. A timid, wisp of a woman, Miss Jennie becomes a hardened general when it comes to my lessons. The smallest mistake brings the most unpleasant look of displeasure to her face. I can almost hear her asking me why I bother when I am obviously so stupid. Luckily, William promises that I only have a couple of more weeks until she leaves for her summer vacation.

I am sure she spends her summers victimizing other children at the beach. I don't imagine she finds joy in anything else. I can see her chasing small children with an array of colored balls, clothed in a beach wrap bedecked in well ordered sets of numbers and equations as she demands, "How many orange balls will Susie have left if she starts with six, sells three to Jimmy for a pence, buys four more from Willy, and gives two to me? Tell me now."

The image of her chasing after some hapless child, with her hair still pulled up tightly under a floppy misshapen straw hat, makes me dissolve into giggles. She obviously interprets this as a sign that she should enter the room. I try to suppress my giggles as the door flies inward, revealing my tutor in all her stiff and proper glory. She looks at me quizzically and addresses me in succinct, clipped words, "I see you're feeling well this morning, Miss Bella."

I can not respond without choking on another giggle, so I just nod my head. She drops a pile of papers on the desk, tidying them and the papers that are there reflexively. I notice how swiftly she sorts my homework from the blank pages. The homework disappears into a folder inside her valise, before she turns to address me again.

"I am certainly glad to see you did your homework, but a lady should speak in response to a question not just nod or incline her head."

"Yes, Miss Jenny," I say, curbing my giggles enough to respond coherently.

She continues to frown sourly at me as she pulls a book out of her valise and hands it to me, "I want you to read this."

I look down at the garish pictures on the front cover and force myself to staunch the giggles that come to me. Poorly drawn superheroes in bright capes fly toward the title from every direction. All of them have impossibly huge smiles and small, squinty eyes. The book is entitled, "A Super Guide to Etiquette".

"Will I be tested on this?" I ask when I am sure I can speak without losing control of my laughter.

"Every day of your life," she responds, matter-of-factly.

Then we begin the day's lessons. These arduous obstacle courses of intellect make me long to be back in the public school, but I have been told again and again that after all that has happened, it is safer for me to stay close to headquarters. William won't tell me who the mysterious "they" are who have decided my fate, but it is obvious that he and everyone else respects these decisions. Even Neesa looks uncomfortable when I challenge the decision to lock me away.

I am pondering this again in the back of my mind, as Miss Jennie quizzes me on important moments in history, when a knock interrupts our tutoring session. Miss Jennie looks up, mumbling, "Well, I never."

I rush to answer the door, thankful for any release from more questions about dates and generals. I open it to find Neesa and Leda standing before me. I have never seen them side by side before, which strikes me as odd. It is like looking at two different flowers and trying to decide which is more beautiful. Both have dark hair and dark eyes, but Leda's features are softer and more rounded. Her smile is less seductive and she seems a few inches shorter. Yet both of these beautiful women are beaming at me. Their smiles begin to melt away rather quickly when Miss Jennie speaks.

"I hope this is important. Miss Bella needs her education, or do you disagree?"

Leda looks shocked, but Neesa quickly responds, "Of course, everyone needs an education. That is why we keep you around. Everyone needs a little fun, too, and Bellabooo hasn't had much of that since she came back from the hospital."

"Yes, now that her stitches are out..." Leda begins, but Miss Jennie has no qualms with interrupting despite her constant reminders of the importance of politeness and manners.

"She still needs to study. Had she been better educated, she may not have strayed too far from the protection..."

"She needs to rest. She won't learn more just because you try to cram it into her head with a sledgehammer," Leda interrupts in return.

"A sledgehammer? Where do you think I am concealing one of those?"

In my attempts not to laugh at the serious look on Miss Jennie's face, I snort. The smile instantly returns to Leda's face and as I look to her, Neesa winks at me.

"Oh, Miss Jennie, we know you have a stick up your..."

"Fine, she is yours for the rest of the day," Miss Jennie says, blushing already though Neesa has not finished her statement, "But tomorrow I expect no interruptions. And, you, young lady are responsible for making sure all your homework is done."

She grabs her valise and makes her way for the door, turning at the last moment to address Leda, "And I don't want you helping her."

She pushes between Leda and Neesa who both lean back a little to watch her stalking off down the hall. Leda leans toward Neesa, and in a conspiratorial whisper, observes, "You know, she really does walk as if she..."

Leda doesn't get a chance to finish her sentence as Neesa grabs her and pulls her into the room, slamming the door shut as they dissolve into giggles on my floor. Despite not understanding what is so funny, the laughter is infectious and I find myself adding to the noise. I can only imagine Miss Jennie looking back over her shoulder in disapproval at the slamming door and that makes me laugh harder. As the laughter subsides, we all sit up, holding our aching sides and smiling at each other.

"Well, she does seem to be feeling better," Neesa says to Leda.

Leda nods her head, "And laughter is the best medicine."

"Shall we make her take some more medicine?"

"I think we should."

"Bellabooo, darling, do you feel up to some fun?" Neesa asks.

"And you realize it is only to help you heal, right?" Leda adds.

"Of course," I reply, "But what do you have in mind?"

"Well, the carnival is in town. As your doctors, we'll be coming along to monitor your recovery, of course."

I smile and stand up, excitedly grabbing Leda's left hand and Neesa's right, "We had better get started then, so I can get better as soon as possible."