"His mother died." I revealed. There was no point in keeping it a secret any longer. She couldn't be more confident she would succeed and I didn't want her doing anythin g with Echo. The news surprised her.
"Oh, really? You mean he left to go to a funeral?"
"Yes."
"That's treat, Why didn't you say so before? How long is he going to be gone?"
"He said a few days."
"Now isn't that considerate of his mother, dying at this time? This all may work out after all and easily. too."
She picked up the sock to put back in my mouth,
"Wait," I said. "Trevor's not here. No one can hear me shout if I shout, Please don't put that back in my mouth. It's hard to breathe with it in my mouth."
She hesitated and then looked at me
suspiciously and tilted her head. "What if you're lying to me about Trevor? What if you made all that up just so I wouldn't put this in your mouth and you could scream loud enough for him to hear you when he does return?"
"I'm not lying. Please. Call the home his mother was in if you don't believe me.'
"How am I supposed to know where that is?"
"It's in Phoenix. Arizona."
"What's the name of the home?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure you can find out. He gave me his cousin's phone number. It's in my jeans. Call."
"Right. I'm really going to go through all that just to make you more comfortable, and don't you think he'd wonder why I was calling?"
"Please. I'm not lying."
She shook her head. "I can't take a chance. If he doesn't come home by evening. I might leave it out. Open up."
"No," I said.
"You want me to call Skeeter to do it? He won't just put a sock in you."
"Please," I begged. "I'm not doing anything. What could I do anyway?
"
"Open up," she said, holding the sock near my lips.
I saw Skeeter step into the doorway to say to Rhona. "What are you doing? The kid's asking after you and asking all about her. I think. It's hard to tell what she's saying, but you don't want her coming up here."
"April?" Rhona said. "Am I going to do this or is Skeeter?" I opened my mouth.
"Wider," she said. and I did it. She put the sock in and reattached the belt around my face. Then she stood up, backed out, and closed the closet door. I heard Skeeter's laugh and the two of them walk out, closing the bedroom door behind them.
My body ached so from being cramped and twisted. I moaned and rocked back and forth. Then I tried to get to my feet by pressing my back to the wall and pushing up, but my ankles were so close. I simply toppled and hit the floor hard with my shoulder. I nearly knocked over the chamber pot as well. What seemed to be a good hour or so later, the door opened and Rhona knelt down to take off the gag,
"Well now, guess what," she said. "Apparently, Trevor did tell someone about his mother, one of his wine customers who called to leave a message of sympathy. I promised to pass it along first chance I got. I'm going to give you some more water and that will be it for the day. I have my own things to take care of since you're not around to help make the meal. Echo is apparently very spoiled about what she will and won't eat. She can go hungry. too, for all I care. That will get her off her high horse quickly. Go on, sip it quickly or I won't give you any."
I drank.
"Some more please," I said when she took the glass away. She didn't even get me fresh water. She grimaced and brought it back to my lips, this time forcing me to gag on it.