A Different Channel

As soon as Rebbecca returned with coffee and Penny felt her mother could handle the discharge task of taking Rog home, she ushered Joan to her car. As the girl dragged her feet, Penny wondered if this was what it was like to have a temperamental child. She was infinitely glad, she and her ex had not created a new being in their time together.

She opened the passenger side door and even helped Joan fasten the seat belt. Then she herself got into the driver's side and started the engine. Except for the noises of the car process, there was silence. She put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking spot. There was little traffic and little conversation. Joan did not seem to notice.

Finally Penny had to break the silence, "He'll be okay."

A little voice answered, "I know." This was followed by a longer stretch of silence that did not feel like solitude to Penny.

"I am sure that girl was just someone he had given a ride too."

"I suppose so," the little voice answered with no emotion. What was she thinking?

More silence.

"Joan, are you alright?"

However the little voice did not answer right away. Penny turned her head and slipped a glance at the passenger. Joan looked like she was about to say more but the words were not being easily formed.

"I can't remember what happened at the house. I don't remember you coming in or even Rainey being there. My head really hurts and nothing feels quite right."

So that was it. Joan was still back on the earlier events.

"Penny, what was I doing when you came in?"

Penny had not thought about this or how she was going to deal with it. Did Joan honestly not know?

"You were doing something with the computer."

"So how did I end up on the floor of the dining room?"

Oh crap, thought Penny. Might as well tell her what I saw.

"Well, Joan, you were not quite yourself when I came in. Your eyes were funny looking, like they were rolled back in your head and I could only see the whites. Your voice was also different, like you were someone else...or something else?"

Joan remained quiet for a long while, digesting this and then asked, "do you think I might have been channeling someone else?"