Chapter 29
Carolyn (November 1957)
...
It was a few days after Nancy had confronted the spy that Carolyn noticed a shift in Nancy's mood. She watched as Nancy would want to stay in bed in the evenings after classes, even though she grew accustomed to secretly exploring the hotel and visiting Roger in the lobby. Nancy seemed uninterested in doing any activity that she liked. Carolyn tried to get her to leave the room with her, she tried getting Nancy to read but to no avail. Nancy became withdrawn and Carolyn wanted to do anything she could to help.
"Nan, please talk to me," Carolyn said. Nancy would sit up in her bed with her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She would just stare down at the sheets and occasionally, her eyes would shift to a new spot in the room. Her body would change position as well. Sometimes she would be lying on her stomach or sitting off the side of the bed. She would stare at the bedside nightstand, at the clock on the wall, the floor, and her desk. Carolyn could tell that Nancy was always deep in thought when she would stare off into the room and to Carolyn, it slightly hurt that Nancy didn't want to talk about what was bothering her. Carolyn spoke with her about difficult topics before and she wanted Nancy to share so she would be able to work through her feelings. Instead, she only wanted to stare in silence as she processed the information in her brain. Carolyn did become increasingly worried. She wondered if Nancy was having a breakdown. She wanted to understand what was going on.
"Nan?" Carolyn asked Nancy as she sat next to her. Nancy had her blanket pulled over half of her face.
"Hm?"
"It's been a few days now," Carolyn said. "Please talk to me. I'm worried."
"I'm okay," Nancy said faintly.
"But you're not. Ever since that Maggie woman."
Carolyn rubbed her palm over Nancy's back in a slow and repeated motion and then Nancy rolled over to one side. Nancy did enjoy the feeling and she closed her eyes for a moment.
Nancy sighed. "I suppose I'm not okay."
"Please tell me why."
Carolyn watched as Nancy ran her fingers through her strawberry blonde hair from the top of her head to the nape of her neck.
"Should I grow my hair long?" Nancy asked.
Carolyn was surprised at the question. "You don't need to. You're beautiful."
Nancy twisted locks of her hair around her fingers. "You think so?"
"Of course," Carolyn said as she nodded. "Now please, Nan. Please tell me what's been bothering you the past couple days. I know that spy really upset you. Your father really upset you."
"My father always upsets me."
"Nan, please," Carolyn held Nancy's shoulder firmly. "Please."
Nancy sat up from the bed and let out a deep sigh. "They took Sharon away."
Finally, Carolyn had something more to work with. "Yes, they did. She went back home."
"That's the thing," Nancy said with her voice aching. "I don't believe she went back home to her family."
"What do you mean?" Carolyn was puzzled. Where else would Sharon go.
"I heard a rumor from one of the girls," Nancy whispered. "That Sharon's family had sent her to a mental institution."
Carolyn couldn't believe it and chuckled. "What? Why would they do that to her? It can't be."
"But it might be true," Nancy replied.
"Nan," Carolyn said, "I think you may be mistaken."
Nancy started crying. "I am not!" Carolyn quickly pulled her into a hug and continued to rub her back to try to relax her.
"Okay, I'm sorry but why do you think this may be true?"
Nancy sniffled. "Because my father threatened to send me to an asylum if I didn't come here."
Carolyn felt Nancy shake as she sobbed in her arms.
"Oh Nan, I'm so so sorry." She kissed Nancy on the forehead. "I can't believe this."
"He made my brother drive me to one. To show me what it would be like." Nancy wiped her tears. "I had to choose between an asylum and Bradley Diamond's. And if I fail here, he's going to throw me away."
Carolyn hugged Nancy tighter and then wrapped her back up in her warm blanket. "I'm so sorry," Carolyn said.
"That's why I think the same thing may have happened to Sharon."
"Poor Sharon," Carolyn replied while shaking her head. "But that isn't going to happen to you. We have a few more months and you're doing great!"
"You really think I am?"
Carolyn nodded. "Yes, I do. Mistress never bothers us because we do what we need to do."
"Just a few more months?" Nancy asked.
"Just a few more months."
The next morning, Nancy was in a far better mood and Carolyn could sense the difference. She was glad that Nancy had finally opened up about her father's plan to send her away. Carolyn felt devastated to come to the realization that a father could do that to one of his own children. She didn't want to think about what could have possibly happened to poor Sharon and she definitely didn't want to imagine Nancy in a similar situation. Carolyn sighed as she had to put her book down. She was sitting in the day room in a comfortable arm chair; drinking tea and reading quite comfortably. Unfortunately, distraction in the form of wandering thoughts made her need to take a break. Luckily, no one else was in the day room that evening, she had it all to herself. She removed her glasses and gently rubbed her eyes before placing them back on. She knew that Nancy was down in the lobby distracting Roger from his job. He never minded and enjoyed her company. Carolyn was glad that Nancy was up and about again, smiling and being her regular cheery self. She loved Nancy, even when she moped and bottled her emotions, and Carolyn knew that she needed to help her unbottle those feelings. She knew that it could be a difficult task to deal with certain things and wanted nothing more than to help. Carolyn sighed when other girls entered the day room to work on sewing. The sound of buttons shaking in a metal tin poured into the once still room. The peace had ended but Carolyn learned a thing or two from dear Roger. She took a sip of her tea, ignoring the other girls, and went right back to reading her book.