The Punishment Begins

"Here are the rules." Christina holds up her stopwatch for all to see. "When I press start, you get on your hands and knees on the kitchen floor and start cleaning. If I catch the three of you talking amongst yourselves or colluding in any way, that's an extra hour tacked to your sentence. Stopping for whatever reason earns you all another hour, and so on. And no funny business--I know how you three are."

Becky raises her hand.

"What about breaks?"

"No breaks." Christina shakes her head. "When I call time you sit down and don't move until I tell you to."

"But what if I have to go to the bathroom?"

"Hold it in. You're all big girls now, right?" The Latina smiles insincerely. "I expect the floor to be spotless. Now if you excuse me, there's a new episode of Deadliest Catch waiting for me on my Tivo..."

"Define 'spotless'." Evie mouths off as Christina turns away.

"This isn't high school." Christina snarls. "You can't talk back to me like one of your horn dog teachers and expect to get by with a handjob and a smile."

The cheerleader lowers her head.

"Well it's been fun." The athlete saunters over to the couch. "Remember, I'm watchiinnng yoouuu."

As Christina splays on the couch, Evie and Becky get to work while Dani claims a portion of the kitchen for herself. She focuses on her work with the precision of a laser beam, ignoring her friends on the other side of the room. Once and awhile she glowers at her ex-lover and mutters curses under her breath.

"I don't know why she had to come." Becky whispers out of earshot of Christina and Dani. "She's been a raging bitch since she arrived."

"She's just confused." Evie keeps her voice down. "She'll come around."

"Confused? She practically wants your head on a platter."

"I'd be confused too if my accounts had been cleaned out and I left my girlfriend of several years for another woman."

"How can you be so placid?" Becky's face registers with shock. "After what she did to you?"

Evie shoots a weary look.

"Do I look like a person who deserves sympathy to you, Becky? After everything you've seen me do? You know me better than that. If anything this is punishment for my sins."

"You're an atheist."

"Whatever."

Christina clears her throat.

"Did you say something?"

Evie and Becky shake their heads.

"That's what I thought."

They curse under their breaths as they return to their cleaning.

"We have to find a way to get out from under her thumb." Becky sulks.

"I'm working on it."

"But without Dani we don't have a prayer in Hell."

Evie glances wistfully at her ex-lover, content in being separate from the rest of the group. Becky's right. They can't possibly endure this any longer. But with Dani off in her own little world, how much resistance can they sustain.

"I'm ready for this to be over." Her voice is weary and soft.