Chapter Twenty-One
My Shining Hour
Mrs. Roman crooked her finger, and I followed her into the bathroom. Handing me a small bottle of Listerine, she said, “Take a large gulp of this and gargle. The directions say to gargle for 30 seconds, but I want you to do a full minute. And repeat until the whole bottle is used up.”
“I don’t think they intend for someone to use the whole bottle in one session.”
“I didn’t ask you.”
I took my first swig, c****d my head back, and forced air against the edges of my throat to make that gurgling sound, feeling the liquid cleansing my mouth and upper throat. After estimating a minute, I spat the liquid in the sink.
“Longer next time,” Mrs. Roman said sternly. “Feel the antiseptic kill those germs?”
“Germs?” I said innocently. “You’re incapable of harbor
