came up to me to talk and express his or her hope everything would turn out well for Gisselle. Even her good friends, Claudine and Antoinette especially, sought my company and seemed repentant for the pranks and the nasty things they had done and said about me.
Most of all, Beau was at my side. He was a great source of comfort. As one of Martin's best friends, he was the one the other boys came to when they wanted to express their sorrow. At lunch, most of the other students gathered around us, everyone speaking in soft, subdued voices.
After school, Beau and I went directly to the hospital and found Daddy having a cup of coffee in the lounge. He had just met with the specialists.
'Her spine was damaged. It's left her paralyzed from the waist down. All of the other injuries will heal well,' he said.
'Is there any possibility she'll be able to walk?' Beau asked softly.
Daddy shook his head. 'Most unlikely. She's going to need lots of therapy, and lots of tender loving care,' he said. 'I'm arranging for a live-in nurse for a while after she comes home.'
'When can we see her, Daddy?' I asked.
'She's still in intensive care. Only immediate family can see her,' he said, looking at Beau. Beau nodded.
I started for the intensive care room.
'Ruby,' Daddy called. I turned. 'She doesn't know about Martin,' he said. 'She thinks he's just badly injured. I didn't want to tell her yet. She's had enough bad news.'
'Okay, Daddy,' I said, and entered. The nurse showed me to Gisselle's bed. The sight of her lying there, her face all banged up and the IV tubes in her arm made my heart ache. I swallowed back my tears and approached. She opened her eyes and looked up at me.
'How are you, Gisselle?' I asked softly.
'How do I look?' She smirked and turned away. Then she turned back. 'I guess you're happy you didn't get into the car with us. I guess you want to say, I told you so, huh?'
'No,' I said. 'I'm sorry this happened. I feel just terrible about it.'
'Why? Now no one will wonder which one of us is you and which one is me. I'm the one who can't walk. That's easy to tell,' she said. 'I'm the one who can't walk.' Her chin quivered.
'Oh, Gisselle, you'll walk again. I'll do everything I can to help you,' I promised.
'What can you do . . . mumble some Cajun prayer over my legs? The doctors were here; they told me the ugly truth.'
'You can't give up hope. Never give up hope. That's what . . .' I was going to say, that's what Grandmere Catherine taught me, but I hesitated.
'Easy for you to say. You walked in here and you'll walk out,' she moaned. Then she took a deep breath and sighed. 'Have you seen Martin? How's he doing?'
'No, I haven't seen him. I came right to see you,' I said and bit down on my lower lip.
'I remember telling him he was going too fast, but he thought it was funny. Just like you, he thought everything was funny all of a sudden. I bet he's not laughing now. You go see him,'' she said. 'And be sure he knows what's happened to me. Will you go?'
I nodded.
'Good. I hope he feels terrible; I hope . . . oh, what's the difference what I hope?' She gazed up at me. 'You're happy this happened to me, aren't you?'
'No. I never wanted this much. I . . .'
'What do you mean, 'this much'? You wanted some-thing?' She studied my face a moment. 'Well?'
'Yes,' I said. 'I admit it. You were so mean to me, got me into so much trouble and did so many bad things to me, I went to see a voodoo queen.'
'What?'
'But she told me it wasn't my fault. It was yours because you had so much hate in your heart,' I added quickly.
'I don't care what she said. I'll tell Daddy what you did and he'll hate you forever. Maybe now he'll send you back to the swamps.'
'Is that what you want, Gisselle?'
She thought a moment and then smiled, but such a tight, small smile, it sent chills down my spine.
'No. I want you to make it up to me. From now on until I say, you make it up to me.'
'What do you want me to do?'
'Anything I ask,' she said. 'You better.'
'I already said I would help you, Gisselle. And I'm going to do it because I want to, not because you threaten me,' I told her.
'You're making the pain come back into my head,' she moaned.
'I'm sorry. I'll go.'
'Not until I tell you to go,' she said. I stood there, looking down at her. 'All right. Go. But go to Martin and tell him what I told you to tell him and then come back later tonight and tell me what he said. Go on,' she commanded, and grimaced with pain. I turned and started away. 'Ruby!' she called.
