Mitzi stood staring into Lolly’s closet. Today was a day when Lolly definitely needed help in FACING THE WORLD. What she most wanted to do was crawl back in bed and hibernate until spring. Outside a cold wind was blowing. It looked like rain. “Well,” said Mitzi, “you are going to need something warm.” To Lolly’s surprise, Mitzi grabbed Pa’s old raveled Army sweater. “THIS. It will make you brave and keep you warm. It will also remind Munch that like his dad, Uncle Trace served in Vietnam too.”

Astonished, Lolly just stared at her. Sometimes Mitzi was just scary intuitive. She pulled the sweater off the shelf.

The little girl then reached for Lolly’s newest jeans and yanked them of the hanger. “And those German named shoes I can’t say right.”

Lolly hugged Mitzi. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Mitzi looked up at her, her eyes filled with tears. “You are gonna find out in January when you move.” Her bottom lip began to tremble. She said, “People just keep moving on me.”

This was information Mitzi should not have, but Lolly did not scold her for listening in on Grandma Toady and Aunt Jessie’s phone conversations. For the first time she got it. Mitzi's life had been a kaleidoscope of change. Listening in was her way of trying to prepare herself for the next thing that came. And maybe it was Munch’s way too. Munch, like Mitzi, was very sensitive to his surroundings. Lolly tossed her clothes on the bed and knelt down. She pulled Mitzi into her arms. Mitzi said, “Please don’t leave me, I need you.”

“I need you too, Sweetie.” And she did. But she couldn't promise anything right now.

*

On the way to the bus stop, Max asked Lolly, “Is it true Uncle Trace is getting married in January?”

She didn’t ask how he knew, she didn’t have to, Mitzi was a fount of information. “Yes.”

He asked, “Where are you going to live?”

Did he not want her to leave either? She said, “I don’t know.”

He didn’t say anything, but his shoulders drooped ever so slightly. “I am sorry Munch is being such a pain.”

“Thanks. Does Munch know his mom is marrying Pa?”

“Yup, but he is playing dumb.”

“That’s mean.”

“Maybe. Next year I could live with my dad if I wanted to. Munch doesn’t have that option.”

“No, he doesn’t.” Lolly fell silent as they walked.

Just before they reached the bus stop, Max said, “I told Munch last night that he needs to stop being so rough on you.”

“Thanks, Max.”

“I don’t know if it will do any good.”

“You tried and I appreciate that.”

When they reached the bus stop, Max went to stand with Kevin. Kevin turned away, without a smile or a wave.

The inside of the bus was as cold as the outside. Lolly pulled the string in her hood tightly around her face. She stared out the window at the frost covered world. The cows were gathered under trees and behind haystacks. She would hate to be a cow. Up ahead, she saw Munch. He was huddled in a black trench coat. He was wearing a black Fedora on his head. It was his favorite Goodwill find. When he wore that hat, he looked like he worked for the Mafia. A tiny flicker of hope wavered inside of Lolly. Maybe, he would do what Max asked him to do. She waited.

The bus stopped. Mrs. Anderson opened the door. She smiled at Munch and Munch smiled back. It was not his 1000 watt smile, but it was not his fake smile either. He turned and headed down the aisle without a glance at Lolly. Her heart fell. This morning his actions did not make her angry, she just felt very hurt. She turned her attention back to the window.

When The bus approached Trevor's stop, he wasn't there. Maybe Amber was taking him to school this morning. Disappointed, Lolly closed her eyes. A fear curled around her brain. What if Trevor wasn't at school at all today? As soon as the bus stopped, she was up. Munch was not going to race past her again. She headed down the steps and raced for the front doors. Inside there was warmth. She pulled her hood down and headed for the cafeteria. Maybe Trevor was in there. A quick but thorough look across the room revealed no Trevor. There was no way she was going to sit in the cafeteria by herself. She headed for the library. In the hall behind her, she heard a very familiar voice. Munch shouted, “Give me that!”

She spun around. Spence Drew towered over Munch. In his huge hand dangled Munch's sewing bag. Munch was furious. Spence swung the sewing bag back and forth over Munch's head. Spence taunted, "Jump little jungle," he paused dramatically and said what Lolly did not want him to say, "bunny jump! Jump" Munch leapt up and tried to get his bag. Spence swung it up in the air. Needles and fabric swatches rained down. Spence laughed. All eyes were on him. A crowd was forming. No one was helping Munch as he frantically tried to retrieve his stuff.

Anger roared inside of Lolly. Without thought to consequences, Lolly ran straight for Spence. She snatched the bag out of his grasp. Momentarily stunned, he glared at her and then he shouted, "Freak!" And pushed her with both hands. He hit her hard in the chest. The impact sent her reeling, against a locker. She felt the locker handle cut through her skin. Warmth trickled down her head. She touched the warm place, it was wet. When she pulled her hand forward it was covered in blood. She held her hand up to Spence. He took a step back.

Angrily Lolly shouted, "You ass! Do you think terrorizing people smaller than you, makes you look like a big man? Well it doesn't."

The crowd parted as the principal made his way to Spence. He said, "I saw that Mr. Drew, to my office." He looked at Lolly and said, "Sorry Miss Phelps. Mr. Dutchendorph please escort her to the nurse."

Instantly, Munch was beside Lolly. She handed him his bag. He helped her up and whispered, “You didn't have to do that.”

“Yes I did.” Blood was leaking down Lolly’s neck, staining Pa's sweater and her coat. Munch pulled a swatch of fabric out of his bag and handed it to her. She wiped the back of her head. Munch pressed a second swatch against the cut and lead her to the nurse's office. When they entered, Nurse Fisher said, “Oh my Lolly. What happened?”

Munch told her, “Spence Drew stole my bag and when Lolly took it from him, he pushed her into the lockers."

“That boy.” Nurse Fisher told Lolly sit down on one of the vinyl covered beds. She cleaned the cut and wiped off the blood. She said, “You are going to need stitches. I’ll call your Grandma.” She gave Munch folded gauze and said, “Put a gentle pressure on the wound.” Munch did as he was instructed. Nurse Fisher went to her desk to make the call.

Munch said, “Stitches! Ouch.”

All at once Lolly felt light headed and weird. Her hands had a strange tingle in them. She started shaking.

Munch pressed his forehead against hers. “Its okay Lolly."

She asked, "Is it?"

He pulled back a little and said, “I’m sorry. If you hadn’t helped me you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.” Munch started crying.

Nurse Fisher came back and said, “Your father is on his way.”

“Thanks.”

She handed Munch the box of tissues. The first bell rang, Nurse Fisher said, “Micheal it is time you got to class.” She told Munch to move his hand and she applied pressure to the cut.

Munch gave Lolly a hug and left.

Nurse Fisher said, “Ya’ll are lucky to have each other.”

“Yeah, we are. Why am I so shaky?"

"Your body went into fight or flight mode when you saw Michael. Your adrenaline kicked in and now its crashing. Take in some slow deep breaths and count slowly to a hundred."

When Pa arrived, he was pale. The way he looked a person would think his daughter had been shot, not just in need of a few stitches. With her hand pressed against the gauze, she followed Pa out to his truck. He helped her get inside. Once he was inside, he gunned the truck and roared out of the parking lot. With zero regard for school zones, he drove too fast to Dr. Dunn’s office.

It has been awhile since Lolly had been to see Dr. Dunn. She remembered the visits she made when her hair first started falling out. Dr. Dunn had referred her to several specialists before she had finally been diagnosed. The waiting room still looked the same. Pa told the nurse why they were there. Lolly sat down in a chair against the wall. There were a few other people there. She hoped none of them had the flu. She didn't want to catch the flu. Pa came and sat beside her, he took her free hand in his. The warmth of his hand warmed hers.

Finally her name was called. She went into the room that had the table and the really bright lights. Lolly climbed onto the table. Dr. Dunn told her to remover her hand and he peeled away the gauze. He flipped on his pocket light and studied the gash for several moments and before said, “Five stitches. She's going to need five stitches."

Five stupid stitches because of Spence Drew! Pa was mad too. He told Dr. Dunn about Spence. Dr. Dunn said, “You can file a complaint against him. This isn’t the first time he’s hurt someone and it won’t be the last.”

Pa asked, “What do I have to do?”

“Go to the court house. They will give you a form to fill out and there's a fee. He and his guardian will have to appear before the judge. His bullying will be on public record.”

“Okay, thanks, Doc."

Dr. Dunn said, "I think we better take an x-ray too."

Lolly had never had her head x-rayed. The nurse took the x-rays. After she got them developed Dr. Dunn put them on a lighted screen. Wow! She could see all her fillings and her teeth. Her eye sockets. Her jaw. It was freaky.

After a few moments, Dr. Dunn said, "Your noggin looks good. Now time for those stitches."

The nurse gave Lolly a shot. It stung. The nurse kept tapping near the cut. Finally, it was too numb for Lolly to feel anything. Dr. Dunn turned on the bright lights and threaded a needle. Pa had a firm grip on her hand. Though she could not feel anything she could hear the needle going in and out of her skin. It was gross. When he finished, Dr. Dunn said, “Come back in ten days to have those removed. Give me a call if they get red or inflamed. I'm prescribing an antibiotic to prevent infection and some pain medication." He pulled a little notepad out of his white jacket's pocket and scribbled something illegible. Lolly had no idea how the Pharmacist was going to read it.

Pa said, “Thanks, Doc.” He helped Lolly off the table. He paid the bill and they went out into the parking lot. He opened the door for her. Before she got in he gave her a hugged her tight. She could see he was not only angry but also worried about her.

Lolly said, "I'll be fine." Would she? She climbed into the truck.