Storms 01 - Family Storms

promise of something nice. After that, the conversation changed to other topics, mostly between Mr. and Mrs. March. When we left to go up to our rooms, I wasn’t sure who had won the argument I had overheard earlier, Mrs. March or Mr. March or Kiera. From the expression on Kiera’s face, I was sure she believed she had.
    “Don’t worry,” she told me, “we’ll find ways to avoid coming right home on the days I can drive you.”
    “As long as I can get done what I have to get done,” I said as a caution.
    She didn’t hear me or care to. Instead, she went into her room after she said, “Ricky really missed you after school today.”
    Her comment really distracted me. I had to concentrate harder to complete my homework and get to the clarinet. I was determined to impress Mr. Denacio in the morning, but a half hour into my practice, I had very bad cramps. I knew what it was; it was my time of the month, but it hadn’t been this bad since I began to be regular again.
    I don’t know if it was because of our poor nutrition or simply the stress that came with living in the streets, but I had hardly begun to have periods before we were evicted from the apartment and then had to leave the hotel. In thoseearly days, Mama was always there for me, but once we were on the street, I was on my own. I made sure I always had what I needed, but sometimes I would go weeks overdue, and once I went nearly two months. Since living with the Marches, I was clock-regular. I had merely forgotten that it was my time, but the severe cramps were more than a reminder; they were an alarm bell.
    I prepared for my flow to begin and then curled up in bed, which was the way Kiera found me when she came to my room to tell me about something very secret. For a moment, she didn’t realize what was happening to me. I had my eyes closed and my hands pressing on my tummy. She really didn’t look at me. She entered and began to pace.
    “I’ve been debating telling you about our secret club,” she began. “There are the three of us, Deidre, Margot, and me, but we inducted Marcia Blumfield and Doris Norman recently, so now there are five of us, and …” She paused when she really looked at me. “What’s your problem?”
    “Monthlies,” I said.
    “Monthlies? What are monthlies? Is that what you call it?”
    “My mother did. I have very bad cramps this time.”
    “Isn’t that something? I was just going to ask you about your period. Are you regular?”
    “I am now,” I said, “or have been since I’ve been here.”
    “Well, that’s good. Don’t worry. I have something for cramps. I’ll go get it.”
    “You do?”
    “Of course I do. Do you think I want to be all twisted up like you are right now? Besides, we have to sticktogether through pain and pleasure.” She started out, then paused and turned. “Which, by the way, is the motto of our secret club.”
    “What secret club?”
    “The one I was considering telling you about. Now,” she added, “I definitely will.”
    She sauntered out, leaving me as confused as ever, but if she could help stop my cramps, I wouldn’t care what silly thing she had to say next. She returned quickly and handed me a glass of water and a pill.
    “What is it?”
    “Something my doctor prescribed. It works fast. You’ll see.”
    I took it and swallowed it down with water. “Thanks.”
    “No problem. I have more if you need it in the morning, but they usually work overnight.”
    Even though the cramps didn’t lessen, I lay back and breathed easier. “What were you talking about before? I really wasn’t listening.”
    “I know. It’s not important right now. I’ll tell you about it later. Hey,” she said, starting out again. “You don’t have to rush to get up. You’re going to school with me tomorrow. I know a shortcut Grover doesn’t know. Night.” She left quickly, as if she had to talk to someone or do something.
    Kiera’s pill worked wonders. I felt a lot better in the morning and let her know at breakfast.
    Mrs. March rose a little later than usual and entered just as we were talking about it. “What pill?” she asked immediately.
    “My monthlies pill,” Kiera said, teasing me.
    “What?”
    “You know what happens to us monthly, Mother.”
    “I repeat. What pill?”
    “The one Dr. Baer gave me for cramps.”
    “Oh,” she said. She looked at me. “I didn’t know you were having any problems, Sasha.”
    “It’s not a federal case, Mother. She came to me, and I