1 Too 3

Purged Pancakes

That morning all three sisters woke with one common goal: to be beautiful and lovely. And to achieve this, they would solve the mystery of the one Orphan boy.

Barbara and Kendra had successfully purged all their food the night before and were thus living on a clean slate. However they both arrived to the kitchen and saw the remains of their brainstorming efforts—minimal signs. That's depressing, we'll never solve this case! They thought, dissociating from reality as they both rummaged for food in zombie-like states. But Teresa had plans. She clapped her hands together to get the attention of her sisters. If she let them eat whatever they wanted, they would insist on purging, a process potentially taking all day long. Especially Kendra who couldn't regurgitate her food, she'd have to exercise at least four times consecutively.

"Kendra and Barbara," Teresa began, "I have a lead to help us solve the mystery. Being permanently lovely is in our reach!" She yelled in excitement. The Too Lovelies had to be careful when they yelled...lest they roar. 

Kendra and Barbara both stopped in their tracks, two deer caught in the headlights. Actually quite really surprised, they did not expect an advance this early in the case.  

"First of all Teresa, how did you get a lead by herself?" asked Kendra, hands on her hips.

"Second of all we didn't officially decide to get leads and how do we know you got a lead the right way?" asked Barbara.  Apparently doing nothing was better than doing something the wrong way.

"Well," Teresa looked defensive, "I thought it would be a good idea to find someone who's been in a protective spell," she explained.  Her sister's faces looked stern and confused: blank. She continued, "To know what we're up against."

 Minds blown. That was actually....a good idea.

"We can leave today," Teresa asserted.

"Today?!" Kendra and Barbara asked incredulously, pissed eyebrows narrowed. Teresa nodded and pulled out the map Marlin had given her. The sight of the complicated map, which implied a tedious walking route to the desired destination, made Kendra and Barbara dizzy. Barbara slopped onto the kitchen counter with a huge sigh, managing to spout out, "Low blood pressure." To live with low blood pressure, as a self-proclaimed lovely lady refusing to eat carbohydrates—a truly daunting task. Small things became difficult, like finding coasters and understanding maps. Besides, energy should be used for....looking lovely.    

"It shouldn't take that long! If we leave soon we'll be back by nightfall."

"Okay, let's go," said Barbara, not very enthusiastically. But after some berries, which she allowed herself, she appeared alright and ready to go. "I just don't want to eat anything else today," she firmly explained. NOTED.

            Teresa wrapped her shawl around her back, Kendra slung her satchel over her shoulder and Barbara put on a long black jacket.  They each wore a floor length frock with long sleeves. Teresa's gown: olive green. Kendra's was scarlet red and Barbara wore white. They left the house without breakfast and walked to town. To get to Drapersville they had to walk through town, over a bridge and through a woods.

             The three Too Lovelies walked in a row, single file behind each other. They each had their own stride. Confidence is related to the way a person walks and so the gentlemen whom the Three Lovelies had been rejected by inadvertently affected their strides. Teresa had a powerful strut, like entering a gladiator stadium, shielded with cynicism and with the appearance of business. Appearing busy warded off potential annoyers who might offer her silly attempts of love. Or who might never offer, but she didn't ever want to be idle enough to find out. Teresa had once been rejected by a man who she fell madly in love with. Turns out he was in love with someone else, her attempts deemed silly. Perhaps she was the monster she feared.