Early to rise

When Ellie awoke, she knew Aunt Maggie was in the kitchen, already. She could smell bacon. Ellie felt like a bum, already. She reached for her jeans. Put the apron over her tank. She might not have really been dress, but she could at least pretend that she was.

"Is there something I can do?" Ellie brushed her hair down with her fingers and tried to quickly braid it in one lump.

Of course, Aunt Maggie didn't even acknowledge she was there. Ellie waited and watched as the old woman nimbly fried an egg up.

Ellie almost smiled thinking she was about to be served breakfast. Only the breakfast was going to the cat.

"Clyde!" She yelped. "kitty. kitty.kitty," she sang. Clyde came running. Aunt Maggie got her oatmeal from the microwave. She stood there with her walker.

"Let me get that for you," Ellie offered. Aunt Maggie didn't say a word, but she took it to the table for her. Although, she had no idea where to put it at the big dining table. Ellie waited. It seemed to take Aunt Maggie forever to get there.

Ellie sighed and looked around. She already sense the parlor was cold. The room was cooler than the front room where Ellie slept. For a moment, she thought she might just sleep in the diningroom if she could. Maybe Aunt Maggie would never know.

Finally Aunt Maggie found her chair and sat down. Ellie sat down the bowl. Then got a spoon for her, as well.

"Pills." Aunt Maggie said.

Ellie nodded. She didn't know where they were. Aunt Maggie pointed to her room. Ellie ran. The first thing Ellie spotted was a small TV. At least the woman had one. Maybe it would at least pick up one channel.

"On the dresser."

"What?"

"Dresser."

She had a purse full of drugs there. Ellie's eyes lit. How could one person take so much, she wonder as she grabbed the bag. She got them all out on the table which was a mistake since she had a schedule box of pills on the nightstand by her bed. Ellie had to go back and find that.

"Don't make me so nervous," Aunt Maggie's head shook slightly as she looked up at Ellie.

"Sorry, I didn't mean too."

"Your mother never would bring you, would she?"

"I guess I was in school." Ellie nodded.

"No, before then. She wouldn't. She doesn't want any of you to know." Aunt Maggie started eating her oatmeal.

"Know what?"

"A lot of things."

Ellie went to look for some cold cereal. She found come stale grape nuts in the cupboard and some skim milk. She wanted sugar, but she didn't ask for any.

"What do I need to know?" Ellie hated this. Not knowing what to do. No one left her a list.

"You need to know." She was somber in her tone. "Everything."

"Everything?" She got up then to go look for a note pad and pen. But there was nothing in the front room. She went to the parlor then.

"We don't go in that room." Aunt Maggie gave her a stern look.

"Oh."

"That's where my mother died."

"Sorry." Ellie went back to her cereal. It was getting soggy. She ate her cereal and waited for further instructions.

"That's all right. I left the room just the way it was intended."

Ellie just nodded, sighing slightly. Wondering how bad lunch would be and wondering if anybody was left in that parlor.