Myrtle sighs sadly when Maddox walks away. I know why he did. I'm learning to see that he is trying to avoid more trouble. Trouble for Myrtle. She's been opening up to me when she visits me in the hospital. My treatment has been going well. But I'm always tired. I'm sick and weak. And I know Myrtle hates knowing how poorly I am. But she's always trying to help make things easier for me.

"At least he let you borrow his car again," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

"I have to talk with Honey more openly," Myrtle says as we head for the living room. "You saw the last portion of what it was like with Maddox before they came. Honey had just come out of a terrible situation. Not her mother. It was a boy. That's the reason she and the twins are here."

"I understand that. But you're right. You should be more open with her about this. Without her effort to push past her perspective of him, Maddox won't be comfortable starting your friendship again."

She frowns and drops onto the couch. And then she hugs her knees to her chest. I sit quietly. There is not much I can say to make it better. We do not have it easy. And things become more difficult when our one resource of peace is taken from us. As I understand it, Maddox and Myrtle took refuge in each other. And then I came along and I saw that they were drifting apart. Myrtle took the rest of us under her wing because she felt there was nothing left for her to hold onto with Maddox.

"Is now a bad time to talk about Charlie's party?" I ask in one breath, hoping to get an amused smile from my friend. Because my Spanish always overpowers my English and sometimes the words sound silly. It always makes her smile and she corrects the error.

"You want to go?" Myrtle looks at me with caution.

"I think that if you want to go, I will go to keep you from drinking again," I smirk, which does put a smile on her face.

"I won't do that again," she promises, shaking her head. "But I do want to go. Not only would it be rude to decline Charlie's invitation, but . . . Maddox wanted me to go. I could see it in his eyes."

"So go. Don't worry about me or the others. You should not feel restricted to enjoying yourself."

Myrtle sighs and nods. I move a couch pillow to my lap and pat it. She leans her head on the pillow and I rub her hair. I've learned that this is something that she loves and it calms her.

***

Myrtle is getting ready for Charlie's party. I was in the hospital last night, but returned this morning. I was not feeling well and the doctor told Mrs. Gonzalez to bring me in. Nothing was found aside of the illness I already have, so I was free to come home.

"I like that color," I say as Myrtle holds up an aqua-blue top to her chest. "Or, what about that mauve dress you had last time?"

"I can't wear the same dress three times in a row," she sighs, shaking her head. "Besides . . . This party is different."

"Different in what way?" I ask, playing with the old Rubik's Cube.

"The real Maddox will be at this party," is the reply. "Not the jerk that was once my friend."

"Okay, then wear this."

I jump up from the bed, and hurry to the shared closet. I push items aside and smile when I find the one I'm looking for. It's a black dress with quarter-sleeves and a wide-flare skirt. I hold it up and Myrtle beams.

"Cora, this is perfect," she says softly, taking it from me. "Are you sure?"

"Chica," I reply, pressing my hands to her shoulders. "Of course I am sure. I want you to have fun. Don't think about anything but that. Having fun. Okay?"

Myrtle nods, "Okay, I can do that. I won't get too crazy and drink like I did last time. But I will loosen up and enjoy the night."

"Good. Now go put that dress on and hurry back."

My friend smiles. Shy at first, but then I can see that she is genuinely excited about tonight. I shoo her away and return to my bed.

A little while later, Myrtle returns wearing the dress. It looks so good on her. Much better than it would have on me. Considering I've lost a lot of weight from my treatments. Myrtle looks so calm and at ease as she puts in a pair of blue garnet earrings. They are simple stud earrings, but they work wonders for her look. Her brown hair is pulled back in a bun. Messy, but simple.

"Perfection," I say with a smile. "Anyone who does not ask you to dance with them tonight is an idiot."

"I'm choosing ignore your underlying message," she laughs and checks her makeup in the mirror. "But you're right. They would be an idiot to think they could pass me by."

"Who could pass you by?"

Stephie enters the room with her braided hair in a high ponytail. She looks at Myrtle up and down, and then nods with approval.

"Who's the lucky guy?" she asks, sitting on Myrtle's bed with a bounce.

"No guy," Myrtle replies, shaking her head. "Just Charlie's party."

"That boy, Maddox, is driving you?"

"He might have already left. So no. And please don't try to dredge up a fight. I'm not in the mood."

Myrtle walks over and grabs the clutch purse on her pillow. Stephie glances at me with a questioning look.

"I was just asking," she says cautiously as she turns back to Myrtle. "Besides, he's the one who was able to get you home from the last party. It actually helps to have someone on standby."

"And she does," I scoot to the edge of my bed to let my feet hang above the floor. "Charlie offered to bring her home, in the event Maddox or someone else couldn't take her."

I'm throwing the line in the air. Myrtle catches my gaze and send me a grateful smile. I wink and look back at Stephie.

"Don't you think we ought to give the guy a chance?" I go on as Myrtle slips out of the room.

"I honestly don't know what to think, Cora," Stephie replies, sighing. "I know Myrtle can handle herself. I've seen her handle herself. On the other hand, I'm loyal to my sister, because of what happened. Honey just wants to keep it from happening to the girls she cares about."

"I know. Which is why I'm only going to say this: Trust Myrtle. You just gotta trust her on this."

"I want to trust her. It's just strange to see her go from one personality to something completely different about it."

"Or maybe that part about her has been there all along. She's just had to bury it in order to cope with losing something important. C'mon. Let's go get some ice cream and watch a movie."

I get off my bed and offer Stephie my hand. She takes it and I pull her to her feet.