Moose and Goose

Chapter Forty

Judith's facing and staring idly at her bedroom door. She's lying with her comforter across her body and the sunlight pouring against her face. Stacey pushes the door open and sighs when she sees that her sister's not dressed.

"Judy, you gotta get ready to catch the bus," she reminds her. "The kids are already gone, so you can either stand at the stop or wait for Robbie to pick you up."

"I'm not going," Judith groggily says, her eyelids partially shielding her dark irises.

"And why not?" Stacey approaches her bedside and folds her arms, her eyebrows high as she waits for an answer. Judy merely turns over and tugs her blanket over her head. "Judith Sierra Jefferson, get up and get ready to go. You're an adult now, so unless you're sick, then –"

She sticks her head out and whisper yells over her shoulder, "I'm menstruating!"

"Oh, Judy." She chuckles and walks around the bed, then enters her bathroom. "You have your belt, right? I'll get you a sanitary napkin."

"I'm wearing the belt and the last napkin in the box," she announces before pushing herself into the seated position. Her face is stained red with fury from the night before, and her time of the month coming without warning. "Every time I need one, I don't have any, but when I'm good, the blue box is practically overflowing."

"Okay, um," Stacey pauses to think, then takes a deep breath as she steps into the bedroom. "I'll swing by the house and pick up my tampons, then take you to school."

"Shouldn't you be off your period," Judith asks, glancing at her protruding stomach with furrowed brows. "Plus, isn't it impossible for you to use tampons because of your condition?"

"My doctor gave me a set of glass dilators to treat it, so yes, I can use tampons and give birth without a problem." Judith looks Stacey up and down with her narrowed eyes, doubtful of her response. "But enough about me, get up and get dressed."

"I'm still not going." She begins to lie down when her sister yanks the comforter off her body, revealing her frail and bruised body in a bra and the white menstrual belt. "Stacey! What the hell?"

"Judy," her voice softens as she examines the discoloration and fresh scratches on her arms. Judith can feel her heart pounding anxiously, and her trembling hands reach for her blanket. She quickly draws it across her.

"I don't wanna talk about it," she mutters while shuffling the comforter against her chest, pinning it under her arms. "And don't tell Mom. She's been stressed out lately, and I don't wanna make things worse."

Stacey shuts her mouth, huffs through her nose, then shakes her head and walks to the door with Judy staring at her.

"I'll be in the car," she tells her as she turns the knob to open the door. She watches her leave then takes a deep, shaky breath.

Fuck.

***

Stacey glances at her sister with sympathy in her dark browns, her hands gripping the steering wheel.

"Do you have a change of clothes," she asks, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Mom," Judith sarcastically says with a forced smile. Stacey chuckles dryly as she shakes her head.

Judith's donning a long beige sweater with black elbow patches, dark bell-bottoms, and clogs. Her bookbag – textbooks, journals, folders, and feminine products hidden under spare clothes – is resting on her lap.

"And you have your talcum powder," Stacey asks her, and Judith stares with furrowed brows.

"Yes, but just so you know, I'm not using it." They briefly lock eyes before looking forward. "Just what I need right now is cancer."