Moose and Goose

Chapter Five

The small group's riding in a dingy, compacted white and yellow caravan. They're guided by a burgundy pickup truck in which Shawn – La'Shawna's father – is driving. All four ladies are sitting at the dining table while the guys are standing in front of the television.

"First, we're gonna stop for a quick breakfast since the fridge in this thing hasn't worked since the sixties," La'Shawna announces with her gaze on the notepad in her left hand. She's gripping a short pencil between her right hand's index and thumb. The thought of food turns Judith's stomach as usual, but it places a smile on Mary's face.

"Groovy. I didn't have time to eat a thing this morning because I wanted to make sure that I had everything that I needed in my bag," Mary confesses. La'Shawna glances at her over the top of her figurative glasses.

"Did you pack a change of clothes," La'Shawna asks her, noticing that she's the only one not wearing shorts. "It'll be hot on that floor since the a.c is busted."

"I completely forgot to," she hesitantly tells her President to Kacey's pleasure. Judith is holding her breath, and Mary notices.

"I packed like three outfits," Mary says, and as La'Shawna forms a faint smile, Kacey's fades. "I know that you were busy with, like, family stuff, so you didn't remember; it happens. I'll get you something to change into."

Mary slides out of the booth with her friend in tow, and then she leans upward with her hands reaching for the rose-red duffle bag in the storage compartment. The sound of the zipper gliding backward fills their ears more than the rumbling of the tires against potholes.

After rummaging through her pile of clothes, she closes her luggage and offers Judith a pair of black dolphin shorts and a grey t-shirt.

"Thank you," she whispers before stepping past her two male peers on her way to the bathroom. She shuts and locks the door behind her, lays the clothes on the sink, and then undresses.

In only her white panties and matching bralette, she stares at the reflection of her petite body. She has bruises desecrating her cleavage, and the sight of them makes her heart race.

She slips into the spare clothes to avoid an anxiety attack then squats down to pick up hers. She exits the bathroom, and her heart slows to its normal rhythm.

Kacey is staring at her, her brows knitted, but she doesn't acknowledge it.

"What're you wearing," she asks almost humorously when Judith reaches the table. La'Shawna looks away from her checklist, and her eyes widen when they land on the front of her shirt, but when Mary gazes at her friend, her neutral expression doesn't shift.

"They're clothes," their leader answers as Judy finally gazes at her attire. Her lips fall agape at the image of an olive-skinned man with flowing Auburn hair in the middle of the shirt.

"Exactly," Mary chimes in, then she scoffs incredulously. "Like, what's your problem?"

"We don't wear threads like that," Kacey answers, then scans Judith from head to toe.

"What's wrong with it? I seriously don't understand what your problem is," she continues with a higher pitch, her forehead growing sore because of her confused expression.

"Enough, Kace," La'Shawna sternly says. Judith's face is gradually turning red from embarrassment. The two girls quiet down, the eyes of Anthony and William boring into them. "From now on, when we do these mission trips, I'll bring in hand-sewn clothes. For now, what she's wearing is fine, so drop it."

***

"We're with the nonprofit group on the Darlington University campus. I spoke with Miss. Emerson about the gift giveaway and she said for us to come today," La'Shawna explains to the pale, brunette woman sitting behind the front desk. She sternly stares at the group over her black hexagon glasses.