Sisterhood Of Lake Alice by Mari M. Osmon Page A

in the house believed that One Voice was Danny’s.
    Day by day, Emily became angrier. Finally, she confronted him and demanded an explanation. He just patted her on the top of head, telling her that she was once again behaving like the little rich Minnesota princess. He warned her to mellow out. If she continued to be such a drag, he might decide it was time to move on.
    Emily stomped out of the house carrying her box of precious possessions—her quilt, which was still wrapped in the gift paper, her sweater, photo, locket, and a notebook filled with poems and short stories. She walked for blocks, tears streaming down her dirty face. Finally, she found herself standing in front of the stately Edgewater Hotel. As the desk clerk looked at her with disdain, she pulled out her credit card and took an expensive room overlooking Lake Mendota.
    At the exact moment she walked into her clean hotel room, she had a revelation. She knew that she must stop smoking, drinking, and using drugs. She knew that never again would she allow herself to be demeaned and compromised. After a much-needed nap, she walked down State Street to buy new, clean clothes.
    She stayed in the plush hotel room for two weeks, enjoying the peace. She bought lavender-scented bubble bath and honey shampoo. She soaked in hot baths. She ate delicious meals, which she ordered from room service. She studied for her finals. To her complete surprise, she passed all of her required exams with a 4.0. She felt better than she had in four years.
    Alone, she walked to the graduation ceremony. Held in Randall Stadium to accommodate the thousands who were graduating with their families and friends cheering them, it was overwhelming to her. Some of the graduates decorated their caps so their family could find them in the massive crowd. Emily did not have to worry about anyone looking for her as she marched up to the large stage. There was no one there to cheer when they called her name. It surprised her how good it felt to hold her diploma in her hands. She clutched it close to her as she left the stage.
    Emily came to the realization that she had just stumbled onto another turning point in her life’s journey. She was leaving this life with nothing more than a small box of special things and her red VW. She had no idea where the thousands of dollars had gone that her parents had given her. Her current bank account balance was $500. However, she knew deep in her soul that she was ready to finally grow up. She was ready for the challenge to face the world, not as a crazed radical but as a woman with intelligence and value. She was determined to replace her freestyle life with a life of dignity.
    That afternoon, she made an appointment with the doctor, who would tell her what she already knew.
     
     
     

Chapter Seven  
    Grace O’Malley
    The day that Emily left for Madison was Grace’s day off. She sat on her front porch waiting for Emily to make one last stop to say good-bye. After she sat there for several hours, Grace’s mom came out to sit next to her. She told her, “It is time to get over the pity party. You need to accept your life as it is and move on. There is going to be little sympathy from anyone around here. You should be counting your many blessings. Be thankful for food on the table, a roof over your head, and a good job to go to each day.”
    Each day as she walked to and from the dress shop, she dreamed of the adventures that she would never have. She often took the route home that went past Emily’s house on Lake Alice. The beautiful Victorian house now looked abandoned and uncared for. It broke her heart, especially when she remembered all the wonderful times she had in that house. She tried hard to accept her life without her friends. However, she could not seem to let go of her dreams. For the first time in her life, she felt poor. She hated herself when she finally acknowledged that she was jealous of Emily, Lindy, and Rebecca for their ability to go