Mum let me get off the phone. I barely remembered to flip the locks on
the back door before I tottered over to the refrigerator. And then I drank
straight from the jug. I didn't care that I spilled a few drops of chocolate
milk on my shirt. Mopping up those dribbles made me aware once again I was in
my summer-weight pajamas. The ones with worn thin spots that were fine when it
was just all girls, but it wasn't just my parents coming to check on me.
Besides, Kurt and Jane would come back as soon as they finished dealing with
the doppelganger.
Maybe I should be worried, the longer it took them to come back?
I snagged my big, fluffy red robe and slippers. My feet were cold, too.
I put water in the coffeemaker, to brew up some of Pop's special recipe tea,
and I was pulling all sorts of treats out of the cupboards when the back door
opened. Mum and Angela led the way. Holly was behind them. Maurice leaped off
her shoulder, out from under her fluffy scarf, and zipped around the kitchen
before coming to hover in front of me.
"You okay, kiddo?" He looked me up and down, eyebrows rising
as he looked at my legs. I was standing up, but more leaning on the counter
than really standing. It was the only way I could reach the shelves where I had
stashed the really good homemade goodies. Starting with those deluxe oatmeal
cream pies.
I shrugged. I wasn't about to admit that his reaction to seeing me on my feet, when he knew I was starting to get my legs back, was a little more reassuring than was good for me. The doppelganger hadn't reacted at all. Did that mean it knew my legs were coming back, or the doppelganger just didn't know me well enough, or didn't notice enough details to wonder?
"Here, let me do that." Angela gently but firmly shoved me back down into my wheelchair, which I had had the sense to get and bring into the kitchen. She and Mum bustled around the kitchen, bringing out cups and plates and putting the containers of goodies I indicated on the table.
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