Confrontation

She watched the two women, suddenly suspicious that something more was going on around her, something that she could not quite grasp. Her head now had a dull metallic ache that reminded her of the taste of nickel.

"Joan," Penny sputtered, "Thank goodness. Are you alright?" Rainey just starred at her.

"My head hurts," Joan replied not knowing what else she should say in this slightly disoriented state.

Penny came closer now, "Here sit down. Maybe I should get you some water. How about some Aspirin?" That was always Penny's answer to anything involving unpleasantness.

Joan slid into the dinning room chair that Penny pulled over to her, "Water would be great" and watched as Penny left the room.

"What happened?" Rainey asked, looking perplexed.

Joan was at a loss, "I don't know. Maybe I should ask you that since I don't remember when you actually got here." Normally more frightened and hesitant around Rainey, Joan had a moment of euphoria as she realized the fear was now gone.

"I got your email asking me to come over. You said it was urgent."

Joan squinted her already furrowed brow, "I did? I don't remember that."

Rainey felt the change and demeanor in Joan. She had liked that Joan was frightened of her, but now, now there was something new that Rainey did not like.

"You said it had to do with Zuleese."

"I did?"

Rainey sighed in quick frustration, "Yes. You did. And I cannot seem to connect with Zuleese about it."

Penny returned with a water glass and handed it to Joan. She looked genuinely worried.

"Thanks," Joan said under her breath and began to drink the cold, clear substance.

"Joan, I am worried about you... You were not... quite... yourself when I came over," Penny said in a halting, lurching way and the words tumbled out unceremoniously. "Then you passed out and well, you really frightened me...Maybe we should take...you to the hospital...have you...checked...out?"

"Hospital?" asked Joan.Why would she need to go to the hospital.

Rainey, using her literal weight to step in said, "The girl does not need a hospital. She just needs to tell us what happened and what she wants."

Penny now looked puzzled, "What she wants?"

"Yes," began the heavy weight but was interrupted by the sound of Penny's cell phone ringing. "Shut that thing off," she ordered in the frustrated, domineering stance she had taken.

Penny pulled out the phone and noticed it was her mother's number. In defiance to Rainey, Penny raised the phone to her ear with an over pleasant, "Hello."

Her mother sounded distant and there was an edge of something to her voice, "Oh Penny, Thank God you answered. Your brother has been in an awful accident."

"Is he okay?" Penny asked into the phone, her stomach beginning to fill with dread much like it had when she walked into the house earilier.

"No. Can you come down here to the hospital? Can you bring Joan?"

"Sure of course. We'll be right there."

"Oh, and Penny, there is something else. There is a strange girl here that was with him. Do you know who she is?"

Penny tried to think of all the people Rog knew, but she was clueless, "No. No idea."

"Well, don't worry Joan about her just yet. Just get down here."

The room had gone quiet and Penny was aware of the silence as she hung up and explained to Joan that they were going to the hospital anyway.

"Why?" asked Joan.

Penny's hesitation continued, "Apparently Rog has been in an accident."

Any color that had returned to Joan's face since coming back now drained, "Is he alright?"

"No, we've gotta go," Penny said, looking around for a sweater for Joan.

Rainey again imposed herself," But we are not done talking. I want to know why Joan said I needed to be here."

Penny ignored her and began to bundle up Joan, feeling similar to how a young mother might feel, taking her child out into the first day of cold weather. She also felt strangely protective.

"I keep telling you, I don't know," Joan said as she was being bundled.

"I am coming with you then," Rainey interjected.

Penny froze for a moment, then gathered herself up for confrontation, "No, no you are not coming with us. You are not a member of this family and you are not welcome. Please leave." Rainey looked at Joan for her to intervene. Joan did not. She merely looked away.

"Fine. Fine," she said in a melodramatic voice that betrayed her feelings of inadequacy, "See if you ever talk to Zuleese again." She huffed out of the house.

Penny waited for the car to pull out before exiting with Joan.