First Friend

From Torg Adventure

Revision as of 22:36, 29 December 2009

"Jenny, this is Mrs. Parsons. She likes her tea with milk and honey," Ashley said. She poured nothing from the tea pot into a tiny tea cup. The doll in the chair to Ashley's left had a big head and shiny black hair. Ashley picked up a small spoon and dipped it in a little pot. She put the spoon into Mrs. Parsons cup. Imaginary milk came next from the creamer.

Ashley was the first girl to ask me over after school. Daddy moved us into a new neighborhood after I got out of the hospital. I started first grade knowing no one. Ashley sat next to me. We talked when we should listen to Miss Troutman. Ashley invited me the first week. I was excited to have a friend. Daddy said okay.

We had lunch. Ashley's mom made tuna salad sandwiches and tomato soup. They tasted great. We played a game of Go Fish upstairs. We played tea party with her doll.

I put the cup in front of Mrs. Parsons. I got cold and my neck prickled. The tea cup across from Ashley rattled. Ashley brightened and said, "Oh, Miss Violet is here. She's my special friend." Facing the empty chair, she continued, "The usual, Violet? Tea and sugar?" She poured from the tea pot. The prickling made me shiver a bit.

"No, you silly girl!" The voice was clear. I sat still, unable to move. I looked at the empty chair. The air wiggled a little, like the air above the street on a hot day. The tea cup rattled again. Ashley spooned invisible sugar from the other sugar bowl into Miss Violet's cup. She picked up the cup and set it in front of the empty chair.

"Here you go, Violet."

"I'm not Violet. I'm Randy, you silly girl!" I just stared at the empty chair, sometimes seeing the wobbly air. I dug a finger into my ear, trying to get the voice out. No one was there to be saying the things I was hearing. "You can hear me. Tell that stupid Ashley I hate tea parties. I hate tea. I want hot cocoa. Tell her!"

"How do you want your tea, Jenny?"

"Did you hear anything when you talked to Violet, I mean Randy?"

"Randy? Who's Randy? It's just us two here." Ashley leaned toward me, cupping her hand next to her mouth. "Violet's not real," she whispered.

"It's not Violet, it's Randy, and he is real. He talked. Didn't you hear him?" She had to hear him.

"Jenny, you okay? Here, have some tea." She poured my cup and then put milk in from the pitcher. I picked up the cup.

"She can't hear me. I've tried to tell her for months," Randy said. I almost dropped my cup when he spoke again. My hand shook, but I drank anyway. I sipped loudly. Ashley giggled.

"Can I have sugar, too? My grandma always puts milk and sugar in her tea," I said. I ignored Randy. Whatever was going on, I wanted Ashley to like me.

"Certainly. One scoop or two?" Ashley was the perfect hostess.

"Two." She pretended to put two spoonfuls into my cup and stirred it. I sipped again, silently this time. "Mmmm."

Randy wasn't so content. "This is dumb. I hate tea parties. All she does is tea parties and doll games. She won't play ball or dig outside or nothing." He sounded sad, as well as angry.

I couldn't figure out what to do without Ashley thinking I was weird. So I just sipped tea for a minute. Then I got an idea.

"So, Ashley, I like to play ball with my daddy and help him in the garden. What do you like to do?"

"I like to make cookies with Mom. The kitchen smells so nice then."

"I just wanna eat 'em." Randy smacked his lips. I giggled.

"It looks like Violet has finished her tea," I said, picking up an unused pot from the table. "Here, have some hot cocoa. Ashley made it special for you."

"Hey, I'm still not Violet, but thanks for the cocoa." I could almost make out his hand lifting an invisible cup. He was not as angry.

"You're welcome, Violet. Thank you for playing."

Ashley leaned toward the large doll. "What's that, Mrs. Parsons? You'd like some cocoa too. Okay. Jenny, would you pour for her?"

"I'd love to, my dear. Here you go, Mrs. Parsons. Careful, it's hot."

"Hey, I like you, Jenny," Randy said. I could just make out his outline. I smiled. "I like when someone hears me. You can even call me 'Violet' once in awhile."

"Well, Violet, I'm glad you like your hot cocoa. I like you, too." I turned toward Ashley and giggled. She grinned and sipped her tea.

"I like you, too. Can I come over tomorrow?" Ashley asked.

"I'll ask my dad when he comes to pick me up."

"I'm tired of staying with Ashley. Can I go home with you tonight?" Randy said, sounding hopeful.

"Yes, Violet. You should get out more. You're very pale from being inside." I could see a smile when I said 'yes'. I wanted to talk to Ashley's ghost boy with no one around.

Ashley said, "Mrs. Parsons takes a walk every morning with her poodle. The dog sniffs along, and Mrs. Parsons smells the flowers."

"Could you pass me and Mrs. Parsons some of those cookies, Jenny?" Randy laughed. His almost invisible arm pointed at an empty plate to one side. I saw his eyes and grinned.

Picking up the plate, I said, "Mrs. Parsons, have a cookie. You can have one, too, Violet." I offered the plate to our guests.

Randy was the first friend to come home with me. Ashley came the next day.