Marnie

By Winona Wendy Joy

Marnie is the oldest of three children who are orphaned in New York when they are told their parents died in an automobile accident. The three can’t seek help because they know they are in the country illegally, the family having arrived from Europe in mysterious circumstances and the children had always been cautioned to say nothing about anything they recalled from their background.
Although Marnie is underage to work, she supports the family with her wages in good and safe employment. That is, until tragedy strikes and she can no longer work. She is tried severely as she seeks to guide and guard the little family through unexplained events, food addiction, politics, death and near-death, amputation, sex, Communism, Russia, spies, the CIA and FBI, psychological momentum and love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Winona Wendy Joy
• Release date: Dec 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310608438

Winona Wendy Joy

I am writing my fifth book. It will be on Smashwords soon. I'm sure you'll like it, a MYSTERY!I live on the coast of Oregon, alongside a raging creek with seven fish ladders just outside the door. Makes for the most lovely, crashing water sound. My boyfriend, Author/Writer, David Seed opened up the world of writing for me. He has several published books on Smashwords.com.

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MARNIE

by Winona Wendy Joy

Published on Smashwords by

Western Grebe Publishing

Copyright 2015 Winona Wendy Joy

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for buying this ebook. It is licensed for your personal enjoyment and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you want to share this book, please purchase another copy to share. If you’re reading this book and didn’t buy it, please buy a copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE OFCONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

About the Author

Chapter One

Marnie, rushing to be on time, just couldn’t be late again. Last time she had been promised she’d be fired.

Imagining her supervisor’s face all screwed up with anger and him yelling loud words at her, Marnie ran across Willamette Boulevard, not noticing a car whipping around the corner at the cross street. The car struck her directly on her right side and sent her body flying up in the air and landing with a dull thud into the windshield, crushing the windshield into a million, tiny, splinters.

In a split second, before her unconsciousness reigned, their eyes met, Marnie’s eyes in sudden surprise, the driver’s eyes in disbelief, except he had a firm, set, grimacing mouth.

Being hospitalized was not in Marnie’s schedule. As soon as comprehension returned, she knew she was fired. Who would take care of her siblings now? What about this hospital bill? She had a hundred worries and pain to match. Lapsing back into dark, not-caring anymoreness helped the worry dissolve, just like detergent in the washer helped dirt to disappear.

Coming in and out of consciousness, she, being the oldest of three children, had to keep the family together, because both their mom and dad were now dead from exactly the same thing: a traffic accident.

Oh, please, don’t let me die, especially like our parents died. Carrie and Blake would never get over that.

Carrie now twelve and Blake ten, were totally supported and taken care of by older sister Marnie. Not daring to ask for any help or even to tell anyone about the death of their parents, all three children had carried on as if nothing had happened, feeling they had no other choice.

~~~***~~~

There were grandparents back in each of their parents’ own country, where they had fled from, but none of the children had ever met them and didn’t even know their names, nor where they lived. Marnie knew for quite sometime that one of her parents always sent money back to their home country, so she thought that, when the money stopped going to the grandparents, or whoever was receiving the money, they would send a letter to inquire; but no letter had ever come yet. If and when a letter did come, then, she would have an address to write to them about what had happened and ask them what the children should do.

A year and a half had passed since Mama and Dada were gone, and no one ever inquired about the children living alone. In New York, hardly anyone paid any attention to neighbors, since one could have a new set of neighbors every other week.

~~~***~~~

Except for Marnie quitting high school and getting a job all on her own by fibbing about her age, everything stayed the same, at least when looking from the outside in.

Blake and Carrie had stayed in school; and if a parent’s signature was needed on a school form, Marnie just signed.

Marnie had an extraordinary way with numbers. Math was her best class in school, and knowing the three of them would need money, at least until she heard something from the grandparents or someone, Marnie dressed up in her mother’s suit, panty hose, and two inch heels, and then went out to apply for a job. At the very first place, a big electronics company where computers are manufactured, the interviewer liked her resume, which she had copied from the Internet, but not word for word. The Interviewer did ask for her Social Security number. Since she didn’t have one, she replied, I left it at home, and I will call you with it later today. Sure enough she had heard of Social Security numbers and knew neither of her parents had one and that they, in fact, were not citizens, so they couldn’t apply for one. Marnie sailed on in the interview, and her new boss hired her on the spot after he told her what was needed in his department and upon hearing her suggestions. What a brilliant young lady, he thought.

In a week, Marnie was so well set in her job as payroll manager, it no longer bothered her about the Social Security number, having thought out how to pay herself without one. Not being even 18 yet, she was an exceptional young girl.

~~~***~~~

Remembering the day the children heard about their parents’ death seemed like it was just yesterday. Every detail etched in her mind forever. Marnie was doing homework ,while trying to beg the two younger ones away from the TV to do the same, when the door bell rang. Not giving it one thought that this sound of the door chimes was about to change all their lives, she slowly opened the door. There stood two men in suits. She thought all she had to do was mention her parents weren’t home yet. One man mumbled an introduction. She didn’t hear nor understand the name, but she did hear and understand him saying something about...a terrible accident...a car...hitting her parents...deceased.

Whatever else that was stated, Marnie missed, not being able to take it all in. Closing the door on the two strangers and walking back down the hall to the living room, she hated to share the terrible news with her brother and sister, but share she must. Trying to formulate the words in her mind, she burst out crying and falling to the floor. Carrie and Blake, alarmed, ran to her. Marnie just wailed and yelled, Mommy and Daddy are dead. All three children, crying and sobbing for the longest time, finally ended up on the couch in the living room, huddled together in total shock and grief.

~~~***~~~

None of them knew what to do, except remembering how their parents were so secretive and afraid, they decided not to tell anyone and to go on and pretend as if nothing had happened. At first it was the hardest thing, but then it became second nature to lie and fib if confronted by any adult, which was hardly ever; since her parents had no friends, no acquaintances to speak of, and no relatives in this country.

The children were baffled by all this but they followed suit, modeling exactly how their parents had acted. With no friends of their own they used one another to make do.

What an odd household. Fear reigned supreme.

~~~***~~~

The one and only person in the family of five that had not been truly afraid was Carrie. She thought, What for? If I’m afraid I won’t have any fun, and fun is what I want the most.

All twelve years of her life had been of her family hiding away in their home, acting afraid of every noise, every phone call, and every knock or ring at the door. Early on, Carrie decided to see what life was all about by not hiding out in a type of death life.

Of the five, Blake felt the most fear. He, being the baby of the family, never ventured out on his own physically or mentally. Carrie scared Blake most of all with the stories she would make up. How could she even think up such stuff? She was one of the people making him afraid of the world, because Marnie, Mommy and Daddy all babied him to the utmost. The kids at school scared Blake even more than Carrie did, and they knew for sure he was chicken. Some of the guys even called him chicken; and when it made him cry, it all got worse than ever. Then everybody laughed, even the girls! One time Carrie came to his rescue when the big tub of lard, Larry, was bullying him, shoving him and saying, Cry, cry, cry.

Carrie saw it, and came running over, shoved that bastard so hard he lost his balance, went skidding along, and ended up in the dirt, face down. Having my sister save me, made me feel good and bad, Blake thought.

~~~***~~~

Carrie and Blake came home from school as usual. Heading straight for the fridge and then the TV, they zonked out for several hours. Finally, noticing Marnie had not come back from work, they got ready for bed without a word and went to their separate rooms. Only Blake lay awake worrying. It’s not like her to not call or not come home at all. Oh, please, please, don’t let her be dead like Mama and Dada.

Not knowing what or who he was begging, he did beg on and on into the night, till finally wearing himself out; sleep came.

On the other hand, and in the other room, Carrie instantly fell asleep, not worrying for one minute. She did think maybe Marnie got a date and that she would be there when they woke up in the morning; and if not, she would think what to do when the time came.

~~~***~~~

At the hospital, Marnie finally became conscious enough to think that she would call home as soon as she was able to use the phone. Drifting back through pain, she was given a pain pill, and then blessed relief of nothingness came. She slept on.

~~~***~~~

Waking up before Blake, Carrie made their breakfast, then called to him, Get up, and come to eat breakfast.

Blake’s first words when coming into the kitchen were, Is Marnie home?

No, not yet, but she called, and her job had to send her to another location for a while, don’t worry, Carrie instructed.

She didn’t want her brother sick with worry and fear all day long at school. She decided she would just think what to do and what to say as time progressed.

~~~***~~~

Carrie had an uncanny ability to actually be where she was. In other words, in her mind, to focus on the very next thing and not to worry about the big picture or the whole thing. She only did what was in front of her to do. In fact, she thought most people way off base when she realized that most everybody were trying to be normal. With a strong gut feeling she knew there to be no normal. Only what most people did was believed to be on the normal curve and whatever made that normal? She wanted to know.

Also, Carrie didn’t have a big investment in her body. She knew her self, her Real Self, was much more than her puny body. She could feel it with an intense knowingness. Never having been to church or known anyone spiritual, she would have laughed if she were to be called any word related to spiritual. If she had to label herself, she would say, I’m a Realist, not even knowing what it meant. She did know she was different than the average kid, learning this from the other kids at school, and from her brother and sister.

When her sister, brother, or anyone acted emotionally upset; Carrie couldn’t see the payoff. So she thought of most things on face value and or matter of factually. Like one time when their father was angry with their mother and hit Carrie, she immediately knew what it was about, unlike her sister and brother lamenting, How could he ever hit you?

It didn’t affect her in the least. And she didn’t take it personally. For a twelve year old to have these certain insights was rare but came to be of great value in her near future.

~~~***~~~

The near future came immediately. Since Marnie did not come home, Carrie took it upon herself to get money somehow. The first few nights, laying awake, thinking how to do that very thing, excited her sense of adventure and her hunger for excitement. Too long she had suppressed curiosity. Too long stuck at a desk or behind walls at home with eyes always looking on, too long of being quiet and of seeing the entire family fear ridden.

After dinner the fourth day that Marnie was absent, Carrie left the apartment, locking Blake in securely and warning him not to answer the door, no matter what. She said she would be back before he went to bed and told him to watch his favorite movie on the video player, so he wouldn’t worry.

Chapter Two

Heading toward the subway station still dressed in her school uniform: a vest, short skirt, knee sox and loafer shoes, all in navy blue, Carrie had complete faith she could seduce a man. Sitting on the train, staring at her lap in the little pleated school skirt, she noticed a slight mound for the first time where her legs came together. Must be my pubic bone she thought; adding in her mind: you little money maker. Being so young, she actually had no idea what to do, where to go, and what to say. Never mind, she felt fearless, excited, and happy.

Downtown, noticing a male figure walking just ahead of her, she hurried past him so he would notice her, and he did. Asking her, What are you doing on the street in the dark all alone, little girl?

I’m older than you think, she answered.

He returned the conversing, And how old is that?

Sixteen. How old are you? Carrie asked.

I’m twenty seven, was his response. She noticed a nice restaurant and went in. He followed her. She sat down in at an out-of-the-way table, and so did the man after he got her permission. Asking if she was hungry, he also asked if he could buy her dinner. A Waiter came, she ordered a hamburger, chocolate milkshake, and French fries. Carrie waited for the gentleman to order. He only wanted a cup of coffee.

He said, I already had dinner.

Well, so did she, but she wanted to delay his departure, so she picked away at the food. Finding out one another’s names was easy, they just said them. His was Alan.

For at least an hour they talked and nibbled on the food. Alan ate some of the French fries, Carrie drank the whole milkshake and a few bites of the burger. That was all there was to it. Except upon leaving, Alan whipped out his cell phone and insisted on getting a taxi for her.

He also asked, "Do you want to come back at the same time and place,