"You should've seen her, Molly. She was like one possessed."
"She often is." Molly's dry voice settled me.
She had a grip on my chin
and tilted my head to examine my eye.
I think, once again, they had
nearly carried me inside.
I wanted to smile. Molly was heavier, but she
was shorter than Adonie as Adonie was me.
"Where's Olive?"
"She's here. On a stool. She's all right."
"What else." Olive could survive disasters
like no one else I'd ever
encountered.
Even the ones she initiated.
"I never saw anyone explode like that.
It was totally silent, without
restraint, and effective."
Adonie's voice went rough,
and she leaned
against the table.
Molly glanced at her. "You'd better sit down."
Instead she went to stand behind Olive
and began to massage her boney
little shoulders rhythmically.
Olive didn't move.
She continued to watch
Molly's activities intently.
"Of course they couldn't crack her skull," Molly reported.
I pulled my hands through my hair trying to measure my satisfaction.
"You'd better check Adonie, too. They chopped her down at least twice."
Adonie moved a hand, discounting it.
Molly indicated the stool.
"Her back," I said. "Across her shoulders and neck."
"Your neck, Adonie?"
"My hair took that."
"Let me check your eyes anyway."
She'd have a bruised spine for a few days, I knew that. And I knew that if
my sole clumsy move had been to push but not to push her far enough,
then my clumsiness was inexcusable.