PEARL
I coughed and coughed; I choked. Drowning.
The frigid water thrown in my face dripped off my nose, my chin.
Awake again. Mabel stood right before me again.
“No more time for sleeping,” the bucket clanged upon the hardwood floor as Mabel dropped it, “we need to get down to business.”
“Wh-what business?”
Dear Lord, my head hurt so badly. With each throb came a wretched pounding in my ears. Each thought, each word, a struggle.
“The business of you getting me what I want.”
She sat, actually sat, upon the floor in front of me. We were to negotiate? Did we sit across from each other at a desk?
“I w-will get you wh-whatever…” I had to say it. I didn"t mean it.
“What I want is my husband back.” Mabel leaned in close. The knife nestled in the cradle of her skirts. “He left me, you k
