Act Three: Changes - Meggie

Tears streaming down her face, ten-year-old Megan Foy, leaned her head on her folded arms where they rested on the table in her mother’s dining room. Her belly was hurting so much and a lot of blood was between her legs. She’d told Momma when it first happened weeks ago, but she’d screamed at Meggie.

This time, she was afraid to say anything. She didn’t know what to do, though, and it hurt a lot. It even made her head ache.

Not only was she in physical pain, though. Her father was in Seattle and Meggie thought he’d pick her up from school. Although she’d be so embarrassed to tell her daddy, she didn’t have anyone else to help her. But it seemed as if he’d forgotten about her. He did that sometimes.

Momma’s footsteps clipped against the tile. “What are you wearing? And why are you sitting on my dining room chair in your condition?”

Wiping her runny nose across her forearm, Meggie lifted her head and stumbled to her feet, clutching her princess dress that was one of Daddy’s Christmas presents, along with the tiara on her head. He’d also given her a book on butterflies.

“Answer me!” Momma screeched, and Meggie jumped.

“What condition do I got?”

Sliding strands of her hair behind an ear, Momma stalked forward. “You sound like an idiot. You’re old enough to know how to speak correctly. Ask me the sentence properly or else you’re punished.”

Sniffling, Meggie’s lips trembled and she pressed a hand to her belly. “My stomach hurts.”

Momma shoved her hand away, then pushed her aside and glanced at the spotless chair. She rounded on Meggie. “You said you’re bleeding and have cramps. Where’s the blood?”

Meggie lowered her lashes, hoping Momma turned nice again. Months would go by when Momma loved her and laughed with her, then suddenly she turned mean. Since Meggie told her about the blood, she had been angry.

“I didn’t lie, Momma,” she swore around tears, wishing for her father. “I got washcloths in my underwear.”

Dinah pressed her lips together. “Lift that stupid dress up and let me see.”

“No, please! It’s yucky and gross. I don’t know how to stop it. And…and…I like my dress.”

“Of course you do. Big Joe gave it to you and that’s all that matters. Off with the dress.”

When Dinah got into her moods, arguing did no good, so Meggie did as her mother demanded, sobbing the whole way, until she stood in just her stained underwear, covering her chest with her hands.

Momma yanked Meggie’s panties to her knees, then backed away.

“Get dressed,” she ordered, her voice trembling.

Once Meggie had her princess dress on again, she stood, waiting for her mother’s next direction. Agitated, she curled her toes, hoping it was near bedtime so Dinah would allow her to go to her room.

“Sit.”

Meggie quickly complied.

Dinah began pacing. “You’ve gotten your menstrual cycle,” she said with distaste. “Your period. It happens to all female mammals.”

Snapping her brows together, Meggie tried to understand her mother’s explanation. “You get a period?” she asked curiously.

Dinah nodded and burst into tears. “It’s how I ended up with you,” she said bitterly. “You can have babies, too. Perhaps, when you’re older and meet a nice man and give Big Joe a grandson, he’ll think I’m worthy.”

Her mother’s tears always upset Meggie. Now was no different. She ran to where Dinah stood and wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist.

“I love you, Momma.”

“I love you, too. I’m not feeling good, so I’m going to lie down. I had a long day at school.”

Meggie had, too. She’d been in so much pain and scared blood would seep onto her clothes. She’d stuffed a bunch of hand towels in her bookbag.

“Warm the leftover fried chicken and French fries. Please fix me a glass of lemonade. Do not forget the correct amount of sugar.”

“My stomach’s hurting.”

“I’m raising a completely selfish child.” A sob escaped Dinah. “I’m your mother. It’s your job to take care of me. Whatever you’re feeling is just a fact of life, not the pressure of single motherhood.”

Brushing off her crisp white blouse, Dinah straightened and folded her arms, tears sliding down her cheeks.

The doorbell rang and Meggie started bouncing up and down. Momma rolled her eyes and stalked away.

“Answer the door, Meggie,” she threw over her shoulder, her footsteps fading down the hallway toward the staircase.

Although Meggie wanted to run to the door, the towels in her underwear hampered her, but her heart hammered in anticipation. Just as the bell rang again, she reached the door and threw it open since she wasn’t tall enough to see through the view thingy.

“Daddy!” she cried, barreling into his arms and hugging him.

“There’s my princess,” her daddy said, lifting her into his arms and kissing her cheek. He walked into the house and glanced around, then frowned at her. “Your momma let you open the door by yourself?”

“Momma’s not feelings good.”

Big Joe grunted. He started to set her on her feet but Meggie laid her head on his shoulder.

“My stomach hurts,” she admitted. “Momma told me I got a period like a female mammal.”

He froze.

“I don’t have no more towels in my room. When I run out, my clothes are going to be yucky.”

For a moment, her father didn’t say anything and Meggie feared he wouldn’t believe her. Maybe he’d even make her undress like Momma had.

Blowing out a breath, he carried her to the kitchen and sat her on the butcher block table. He stared at her, then ran his fingers through his blond hair, almost the same color as Meggie’s.

“Wasn’t expecting that one, princess.”

Meggie hung her head. “I don’t know how to make it stop. Why do girl mammals get that?”

Sighing, Big Joe tipped her chin up, tweaked her nose, and smiled tenderly. “Nothing to be ashamed of, baby,” he told her gruffly. “And that’s just nature’s way of showing you’re growing up.”

“I don’t want to grow up. It makes Momma sad.”

He kissed her forehead and hugged her. “Well, you can’t stop your life because she’s miserable.” Releasing her, he stepped back and gave her a fierce look. “Don’t ever fucking bow your head to a bitch or a motherfucker. For anything. Ever. No one can bring you down unless you allow them to. Understand?”

“But Momma—”

“You love your momma and I wouldn’t want it any other way, but don’t even let Dinah bring you down. Fight, Meggie girl. Do you understand me? Fight for your beliefs and always stand up for yourself. What you can’t handle, call your old man and he’ll do the rest.”

Meggie giggled.

“Let me make a phone call. Yesterday was one of my brother’s 25th birthday and we had a little more partying to do tonight.”

“How many brothers do you have?” Meggie asked. “And if he was born on January 1st instead of January 4th does that mean he would be the brother of the New Year’s baby from Square Times?”

Guffawing, her father hugged her again and kissed her cheek. “It’s Times Square, sweetheart, and no, he wouldn’t be.”

“Is he my uncle?”

“We’re not related,” Big Joe explained patiently. “We’re just in a club together.”

“Like the cheerleaders?”

“It’s not a social club.” He snapped his mouth shut and cleared his throat. “It is…uh…” He scratched his jaw. “Yeah, baby, it’s a social club.

Meggie shoved her hands under her thighs and swung her legs, enjoying how the material of her princess gown fluttered and wrapped around her ankles.

“Anyway, let me call him and tell him I won’t be able to make it tonight.”

Whenever Dinah had to change her plans because of Meggie, she was always sad or mad.

She cocked her head to the side. “He might cry if you can’t go.”

Her father winked at her. “He’ll get over it.”

“We can bake him a cake in my Easy Bake Oven.”

“Will that make you happy?”

“Will that make you happy, Daddy?”

“Don’t worry about me, Meggie.” He took her face between his hands. “I’m a grown motherfucker. He’s a grown motherfucker. Your momma’s grown, too. Our problems aren’t yours. You’re a little kid.”

“Momma don’t got nobody else but me.”

Anger slid across Big Joe’s face, but when he smiled, it left his face.

“She’s lucky to have you, princess. I’m lucky to have you. The day you were born was the best day of my life.” He blew out a breath. “You’re just growing up too fucking fast, Meggie girl. Before I know it, you’ll be dating. Fuck, forget I even said that. When you start dating, you’re moving to Hortensia with me so I can pick the right motherfucker for you.”

Meggie grinned. If it wouldn’t make Momma so sad, she’d ask her father if she could move to Hortensia now.

He lifted her from the table and set her on her feet. “Go and take a shower while I run to the drugstore for girl supplies.”

“What’s that?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll explain when I bring them back.”

“We need cake mix and icing, too.”

After he nodded, Meggie headed to the kitchen table. They rarely used the dining room, which was why Meggie had been there. She’d hoped Dinah wouldn’t bother her.

“Upstairs, Meggie. You need to clean yourself up.”

Meggie plopped in the chair and rested her chin on her elbow. “Momma doesn’t let me go in my room until eight. I have thirty minutes to get ready for bed, then I have to be asleep by nine-oh-five.”

“What the fuck is wrong with that woman?” Big Joe growled.

“It’s the stress of single momma-ness.” Meggie frowned, trying and failing to remember what Dinah said. “I think.”

“Single motherhood,” Big Joe supplied with disgust.

Meggie brightened. “Yeah, that.”

Dinah breezed into the room and Meggie’s eyes almost bugged out of her head at seeing her mother in a see-through black nightgown that was really short. Momma never dressed in anything other than long-sleeved pajamas.

Daddy didn’t seem to like it though, whereas Meggie thought her mother looked very pretty.

He glared at Momma. “I’m not fucking impressed, Dinah.”

Dinah stopped prancing about and gave Daddy a mean look. The same kind she sometimes gave Meggie. “Of course you aren’t. As usual, Meggie has all your attention.”

“As she should!” he snarled. “Suppose I was stuck in Hortensia? You wouldn’t have had the fucking decency to give her pads.”

“On the day I receive our divorce papers, she cries about her period? The universe is against me!”

“What’s a divorce?” Meggie asked her father. Her mother’s screeching was making her head hurt all over again.

“When a man you adore breaks your heart,” Momma said tearfully.

“That sounds really mean, Momma.”

“Because it is.”

“I can’t fucking break what you don’t fucking have, Dinah,” Big Joe snarled.

Dinah stumbled back, turned, and ran to where Meggie sat. She sank to her knees and met Meggie’s gaze. “Don’t listen to him. He wants to steal you from me. Tell him you love me and only me and always will.”

“Enough, Dinah!”

“A divorce is when a man you love cheats with a slut.”

“If Meggie didn’t need me, I’d walk out that fucking door and go to the clubhouse for Christopher’s party.”

Momma jumped to her feet. “Christopher! Christopher! Christopher! It’s always Christopher. That’s why I aborted your son.”

“You did me a fucking favor,” Big Joe spat. “And that child.”

“You’re nothing but a loser and a drug addict, filling Meggie’s head with stupidity. Look at her! She looks ridiculous dressed as a princess when all she has facing her is exactly what I have.”

“Never. My daughter has more integrity in her pinky than you have in your whole miserable fucking body. She’s the best of me, Dinah, and nothing you can say will ever change that.” A look Meggie had never seen on her father covered his face. “Flaunt your pussy to someone who cares. I fucking don’t. You lied about your parents. You didn’t give me the choice about the new baby. You made me all but crawl on my fucking hands and knees to have visitation rights. I wish I’d never fucking married you.”

Meggie snapped her brows together. She knew what married was. A lot of her friends had moms and dads who lived in the same house with the same name because they were married.

“Well, lucky for you, we aren’t anymore,” Momma said stiffly. “We’re divorced, Joseph. Not that it matters. In the year we were married, you were in Hortensia more than you were in Seattle, so fuck you.” She thumped his shoulder. “You never wanted me, anyway.”

“I divorced you because you aborted my kid and you recorded me snorting coke, then threatened to go to the police.” Big Joe blew out a breath. “You should kiss the ground Meggie walks on because I swear if it wasn’t for her, I’d fucking bury you.”

“And take Meggie so Logan could lay eyes on her?” she spat.

Nostrils flaring, Daddy looked so very sad all of a sudden. “You wear me out, Dinah,” he said quietly.

“Even after I told you what Sharper and Logan did to me, you still love Meggie more than you do me. For that reason alone, I’ll see you in hell before I ever let you sway her to your corner. I expect you out of my house by the time I awaken in the morning.” She turned to Meggie. “Bring me a sandwich and lemonade,” she ordered and stormed away.

Meggie was trying to understand all she heard and seen. It was more emotions between her parents than ever before and she wasn’t sure if she should be frightened, upset, or mad.

“I’ll order your mama a sandwich and lemonade and have it delivered while you take a shower. When you’re done, cut a towel into strips and—” He cleared his throat and turned beet red. “Um, put that in your underwear, Meggie girl.” He looked at his motorcycle boots. “I’ll take you to the drugstore and show you what to buy, then we’ll grab a pizza before coming back here and making your cake.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

Meggie got to her feet and started toward the hallway but stopped at her father’s call.

“Just leave Dinah be, princess.”

For the first time in her memory, Meggie didn’t want to see Momma, so she didn’t argue with Daddy.

After going to the drugstore, then picking up a pizza, they returned to the house. Momma took five minutes to open the door, then smirked at Daddy as he brushed past her, carrying the pizza while Meggie gripped the drugstore bag.

Big Joe headed to the kitchen. When Momma followed, Meggie ran to catch up.

“I’m going back to bed,” Momma declared.

“Dinah, wait! Please, babe.” Daddy sat the pizza on the counter. “Meggie needs your help. Show her what to do.”

“You’re so well-versed in women,” she spat. “You do it.”

Turning, she hurried away.

Daddy stared at the place where she’d stood, then looked at Meggie and gave her a tender smile.

“Let me see your bag, sweetheart.”

Meggie walked to him and held it out.

He took out the package and stared at it. “Hold on, princess.” Getting his phone out, he dialed a number. “Hey, Hop,” he said a moment later. “Long time no talk to—” He listened and he smiled sadly. “We miss you, too. How’s the kids?” He nodded. “Camas is so fucking close to Hortensia…yeah, yeah, I know. I know. Uh huh. You’re right. Listen up, my baby girl—” A grin lit up his face. “Motherfucker’s insane that’s why,” he said around chuckles before growing serious again. He cleared his throat. “Meggie needs help. She…she, er, she got her, uh—”

“Monthly cycle,” Meggie supplied because that’s what Momma had called it.

He bit down on his lip, cracked his neck, then nodded. “Er, yeah, her monthlies…” A smile broke free.

Meggie decided she liked Hop for making Daddy happier.

“Okay, hold on.” He walked to her and held out his phone. “She’s going to tell you what to do.”

Nodding, Meggie grabbed the phone, trusting her father. “Hey,” she greeted, because it was so much easier than hello and Momma always made ‘hello’ sound so mean. “I’m Meggie.”

Winking at her, Big Joe stood taller. “My princess,” he said. “Tell her, Meggie.”

She giggled. “I’m Daddy’s princess.”

“Nice to meet you, Meggie,” the kind female voice said. “I hear you’ve entered the girl world.”

“I’ve been a girl, silly,” Meggie said, giggling again.

The stranger laughed. “True. Listen up, baby girl. There’s adhesive at the bottom of pads. When you open one, put it in the seat of your panties. Change it every few hours.”

“Do I flush it down the toilet?”

“There’s an idea, but I don’t think your mom would be too happy. Roll it up in toilet paper, put it in a bag, and then throw it in the trash. Take two Motrin every six hours.” She fell silent.

“Daddy bought me Motrin, Tylenol, Pamprin, and Midol. Do I take all of them?”

“No,” she said, roaring with laughter. “Whichever one works best. Cramps are the worst, but I don’t think Boss wants you to take anything other than allowed medicine.”

Meggie frowned.

“If you have a baby, the cramps will go away.”

She already hated cramps. “How do I have a baby?”

Daddy had been plating their pizza. Now, he snapped his brows together, barreled to her and snatched his phone away. “Good night!”

“I like her,” Meggie said, the moment her father hung up.

Big Joe grunted. “Do whatever she told you, then we can eat. If you’re up to it, maybe we can play Uno and watch that Barbie and the Nutcracker movie.”

“We can listen to music!”

“If that makes you happy, princess.”

“Pour Some Sugar on Me is your favorite.”

Big Joe’s smile was sad. “I think I have a new favorite. Special to you and me.”

“What’s the name of it?”

“Butterfly Kisses. Go take care of yourself, sweetheart. After we eat, I’ll play it for you.”

Meggie was more than happy to comply. As always, her daddy made everything better.