The instant the cup lowers back into the house, the closet door shuts, and the sounds of Julia’s feet stomping away fade, all hell breaks loose.  Gina instantly tackles me in a hug, wrapping her arms around me and clutching herself to me, breathing heavily with anxiety.  As soon as Anna helps her up, Brian is clasping my hand and pulling me up, a broad smile on his face.  Wordlessly, all five of us proceed into my doll house bedroom, take a seat, and I simply spill the beans on the entire evening.

                “Goddamn, kid,” laughs Brian joyfully.  “Sounds like you couldn’t have done it any more perfectly.”

                “She didn’t hurt you or anything, though?” asks Anna with concern.  “When you were… well, you know…”

                “No,” I reassure her, feeling Gina clasping my hand more tightly at these insinuations that someone else was laying kisses down on me so vigorously.  I squeeze her hand back, nodding to her with a smile.  “No, she was… she was gentle about it.  I mean, I did need a bath afterward, but…”

                “Yikes, sounds like she’s a fiery one,” snickers Brian, clearly in a fantastic mood at this newest development.  Kelly punches him in the arm to shush him, then crawls closer to me.

                “So… what about… more?  Did she say?”

                I nod slowly and wearily.  “In two more days, we’re doing it again.”

                Brian claps his hands loudly just once, pumping his fist in the air in triumph.  He moves forward and slaps me on the back a little too hard in congratulations.  “Keep it up, Jack.  You’re doing fantastic.  We’ll… we’ll help you from here on out, of course, if you need it, but I think you know…”

                “Yeah.  I know.”

                “…there’s only so much we can do.  The ball’s in your court now.”

                I gulp.  “I’m tired now, guys.  I need some sleep.”

                “Good work, Jack,” whispers Kelly sweetly, rubbing my shoulder briefly before exiting. 

                Anna walks up, looking speechless for a moment, then kisses me gently on the cheek.  “You can do this, Jack.  Love you.”

                Brian nods sheepishly at me, clearly not needing to say anything else.  Silently, I hear them all make their ways back to their rooms in the dark.  I turn to collapse onto my matchbox to finally get some sleep after a both physically and emotionally exhausting evening.  However, I’m surprised to find Gina still standing behind me.  In the dark, it’s difficult to make out her expression, but she takes a step closer to me, her hand extending and grasping at mine.

                “Something wrong?” I ask slowly.

                She shakes her head.  “I’m just… glad… you’re okay,” she whispers.

                “Me too,” I respond.  “I’m going to get us out of here, I swear to God.  I am.”

                “I know,” she answers, lowering her head and taking another step closer, pressing her cheek against my shoulder.  She slips her fingers in between mine, our hands clasped more firmly together.  “Just… please… be careful.”

                “I know.  I’m trying.”

                “No.  I mean it.  You have to take care of yourself.  I… need you.”
                “We all need each other, Gina, I know that.  I need you too.”

                “No.  I mean, I… need… you…”

                “Oh,” I begin, but feel Gina’s pointer finger gently pressing against my lips to shush me.  Then, slowly she lifts her head back up and even in the dark, our eyes are able to meet.  A moment later, we’re pressing our lips together, our hands still clutched, our bodies gently leaning against one another for support, and despite the terror I experienced all this evening pretending I have feelings for Julia, this moment makes it all worthwhile a hundredfold.

                “And… from the top, again!” calls out Julia enthusiastically, clapping her hands with delight as the five of us parade around on the little musical set on her desk she’s so lovingly prepared for her dream project.  Goose-stepping all around in these overly colorful doll clothes is entirely more than I’d prefer to deal with, but at the same time, it’s infinitely preferable to enduring another date night with Julia, which, in the weeks since that first one, I’ve been almost one hundred percent emotionally exhausted, putting on a show every few days to appease her whims: acting as though I’m completely enamored with her and want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life as her pet boyfriend, when in reality she scares the living shit out of me whenever we’re together.

                It’s always the same.  We get all gussied up in the fancy clothes, Julia carries me downstairs, where she’s cooked a reasonably elaborate meal for us to share.  We sit and talk idly about the most irrelevant things that never fail to keep Julia absolutely enthralled no matter what’s being said.  Afterward, Julia plucks me off the table and we messily make out for a few minutes.  This usually ends up with me losing a shirt and drenched in her saliva after a ruthless tongue wrestling, and finally, satisfied, Julia brings me back up to the dollhouse, and I finally get to spend some time with Gina, the only one I’d actually like to spend any time with at all while here.

                “A five, six, seven, eight!” sings Julia, tapping out the beat with her finger on the edge of the desk, and we begin the dance number again, jumping around like monkeys who’ve lost their bananas.  Ironically, I’m pretty sure we’re all going to start going bananas here if this doesn’t let up soon.  Suddenly, however, Anna trips and topples over, yelping in discomfort as she struggles to her feet.  Brian quickly rushes over to help her.  Because we don’t eat very well here, Anna actually hasn’t gained a lot of weight while being pregnant, but even the small amount she has seems to have set her off balance.  “Anna?  Are you all right?” asks Julia with concern.

                “I’m… fine.  Just… tired.”

                “From what?” asks Julia, raising an eyebrow.  “You got plenty of sleep.  You ate a good breakfast.”

                “I know.  I… I guess I just… I…” stutters Anna uncomfortably, trying to hunch her back slightly to make her bump less noticeable.

                “I want this musical to be perfect,” frowns Julia sternly.  “Perfect.  And I’m not going to let you fall behind in your part just because you-” continues our titanic teen captor, but she stops in her tracks, her jaw hanging open, her eyes squinting curiously.

                “Julia, I’ll help her, she’ll do what you want,” adds Brian frantically, trying to distract Julia while standing in the way, hoping to block as much of her view of Anna as possible.

                “Brian, move, please,” requests Julia softly and unblinkingly.

                “But…”

                “MOVE!” shouts Julia, her eyes growing wider as it all becomes clearer.  Sheepishly, Brian steps to the side, clutching Anna’s hand in his, and both stare at the ground.  “Anna?”

                “Yes?” whispers the terrified mother-to-be in so low a voice even we can barely make it out.

                “Lift up your shirt,” orders Julia coldly.