Toadette's Story

Chapter 47 - Mother and Brother

Awakening in a room I hadn’t lived in for so long invoked a feeling of nostalgia. Like the path here, a lot of things were in the same place. All those boxes… When I ran my finger along the nightstand, I couldn’t spot a trace of dust. All that seemed to change were my stuffed animals. Instead of them comfortably lying in the bed, I occupied their former place, breathing slowly as I poked at the tubes going up my nostrils.

Somehow the slight vibration of whatever contraption I was connected to both soothed and disturbed me. It was the only constant noise here, uninterrupted.

To think I’d end up back here after having done such a good job of staying away. I took a deep sigh. All those memories were piling up, one after the other, as if to mock me for all my efforts to stay hidden for so many years. But so what? No matter who it hurt, I’d done the right thing and wouldn’t change it for anything. If I’d never left, Minh T. and I could’ve gone our separate ways. And if I hadn’t been homeless, I would’ve never considered applying to Peach’s castle. And without all of that, I’d have missed out on tons of events leading me to my present self: a 19-year-old Toad with a budding interest in feet.

For better or for worse, this was my own unique story. One whose events were too far away to be changed.

“Ew, sweaty…” I rubbed my soles together under the sheets. “Sweaty, why are my feet so sweaty?”

The heat from earlier should’ve died down by now. I pulled back to covers to give my feet some air, and then they kind of cooled. They shouldn’t have bothered to cover me, whoever put me in this bed. Not only were my feet slimy and nasty to the touch, but my pits left two wet holes in my shirt.

Wait, was it even my own shirt? It was white. My vest was nowhere to be seen. My pants also weren’t covering my legs. These were instead loose black shorts.

Let’s just get out this bed and—

“GAH!”

Already forgot I was stuck to this device. It was some small box with a switch, and thanks to the tight tubes, it damn near tore my nose off.

“I’m coming!”

The door flew open and smacked the wall, Minh T.’s eyes bulging as she ran to my side.

“Please get me off this thing.”

“It makes sure you’re breathing. You’re gonna have to wear it again when you’re asleep, ‘kay?”

As she took me off the machine, she explained that I’d been unconscious from about 12:00 to 6:34, the current minute. Great, so today was very productive. More importantly, she said that the poison I’d been doused in would last at least three days. Even that wasn’t promised to be the end of it. And since this poison mainly targeted my bloodstream, this soreness wouldn’t easily die down.

Grr… If I wasn’t healthy by the time the Star Festival rolled around, six days from now, Peach was gonna feel my wrath. I’d done too much for this yellow-haired bimbo to miss out on something grand like this!

Minh T. put a hand over my forehead. “Ooh, you’re sweaty.”

“I didn’t shower?”

“We wiped you off a lil’, but no, that’s still gotta happen. I’ve gotcha, don’t worry one bit.”

Looking down, Minh T. had also switched to a pair of pyjamas. Similar to me. A pink shirt and black shorts that couldn’t obscure her feet in the slightest. Those blue raspberry toes…

“I really need to stop skipping meals,” I groaned, snorting the snot like a pig.

“Come on and eat, silly. But,” she whispered as she got closer, “you should know that she’s here.”

Good news simply couldn’t come without bad news, huh? I immediately turned back to bed, head high as I wished not to see my mother at the moment. Eh… But those sheets wouldn’t be too nice to rest on now that a sweat stain in the shape of a Toad had formed. Smelt nasty even from a distance.

“Your precious princess is gonna pay for getting me sick like this.” I shoved myself past Minh T.

“It’s not her fault, Toadette.”

“It’s not her fault, Toadette.” A sharp scorn vibrated through my voice. “You’re lucky you didn’t get sick in that cold Forever Forest. She’s lucky Penelope didn’t get sick walking barefoot in there. My luck ran out effective today. Sending us on all these missions is gonna get one of us seriously hurt, watch.”

She blankly stared.

“You should have more confidence in Her Highness. Anyways, our situation with the coin case just went from bad to worse.”

“Tell me something I couldn’t have predicted. What’s up?”

“He already delivered it. And Dane T. can’t get that close to the Scapellis themselves outside of making deliveries. He said it’d be all the way in their main operation area, wherever that is. I don’t want the Star Festival to be—”

My finger covered her lips. “If Her Highness wants a job done well, she will wait. I just need time to think, okay?”

When we took the first step into the hall, I understood better why someone like her—a girl who preferred to bundle herself in thick clothing while she slept—was wearing short-sleeved pyjamas. It was incredibly warm, even warmer than the typical castle was. Although the toasty atmosphere was welcome, quite cosy, it was difficult to appreciate when my body’s temperature fluctuated.

Carpet was still as low as when we moved in. One of the better things about this place because if all the floors were tiled, I’d have left dozens of cold footprints behind.

Now out of the dark hall and into the light living room, two sets of eyes were on me. Well… I could only see one set of eyes, but I knew she was staring as well.

Both DT and my mother were at that same old dinner table, one barely big enough for two people, let alone three. Once I saw them, my heart began to run in the opposite direction. It didn’t want to approach. It wanted me to bounce from this apartment and never return. But I had a few choice words for my terrified life source. “Grow up.” If this wasn’t gonna happen today, tomorrow was right around the corner. The time for running was over.

“There she is,” the boy said, pulling a spoon out his mouth. “Doesn’t she look so similar?”

Before taking my seat, I took a look at what had changed in the living room. Apart from a lot more video game machines under the entertainment system and a crap ton of DVDs, not much. The rug was the same with its warm, abstract pattern. And just one look at the couch told me my rear was still baked into it.

Even if my heart was afraid to approach the two Toads, the smell of food would lure me anyway.

Finally, I pulled back the wooden chair and sat as straight as a girl should. No elbows on the table, of course. I just sat with my hands folded on my lap and looked at the emptiness in front of me. No plate, no bowl, no nothing.

“It’s macaroni and beans tonight,” Minh T. said, walking a metre to the open kitchen. “I’ll dish you some out.”

Something told me she was going to take her time so I could be alone with my mother and brother. If I’d known what to say, I’d have spoken in the minute that passed. But how do you start a conversation with people you haven’t seen for so long? As DT continued to slurp from his cheesy bowl next to me, I could feel my mother looking through me from across the table.

Tapping my toes on the carpet was the only way to make the situation go by. Ooh, if I rubbed them enough, maybe the moistness would disappear.

“How are you feeling, dear?”

Fuck. The bitch talked.

“Sick.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about spending the night here. Minh T. already filled me in on the basics. Whatever poisoned you, be glad it didn’t finish you off. Other Toads would’ve been out and cold by now. My name is T. Ana.”

As if I needed a reminder when it was already part of my real name. When I lifted my head to get a proper look at the witch, I had to squint to see the differences from a few years ago. Apart from some extra weight and perhaps different makeup preferences, she was the same cherry-haired lady who treated me like scum. You’d think after 34 years of living, she’d have learnt to trim the massive wall of her blocking her eyes. And she wasn’t slick with that striped sweater. Anything to distract from the fact that she was spreading out, huh?

“You got a name?”

“I work alongside the princess, so I’m afraid I can’t give you any name, ma’am.”

“The princess?” She leaned closer, stretching her mouth into a freaky grin. “You work for her and yet you’re hanging around Minh T.?”

“Hey, I’m important too!”

“But not Princess Peach important. If you’d gone to college like your friend her must’ve, maybe you’d have been in her position, girl.” She turned back to me. “What kinda job?”

“Also classified. Let’s just say she gives me…ACHOO! I tackle more responsibilities than her hardcore troops.” More like softcore troops. They were hardly intimidating, just one reason Peach managed to get kidnapped every other month.

“I believe it,” Dane T. said, sucking on his fingers. “You look like you could hold your own in a fight.”

“Make some room, people!” Minh T. finally came out and left a hot bowl of mac and cheese in front of me. She then set down a cup, pulled up an extra chair, and finally squeezed in on my other side. Oof, remember how I said this table could barely fit two people? Yeah, trying to fit four was like solving a jigsaw puzzle.

The space was so cramped that she rested her feet on top of mine. No one else saw this thanks to the orange tablecloth, but she knew that I was fully aware. Her brown eyes were locked onto mine perfectly while she began to rub the tops of my feet. She clearly took a shower because I couldn’t feel any sweat or dirt on her soles, and they were soft to the touch. Then, not noticing any signs of objection from me, she began to eat to her heart’s content. Man, you’d think she was a Chain Chomp in a cake-eating contest, the way she could clean a bowl with just her tongue.

Heh… Hehe… I couldn’t help but imagine her tongue running along my soles now. The way she so effortlessly licked up the macaroni and beans was just…

Toadette, do not think horny thoughts when at a table with a boy and your mother. Manners!

Joining the others was worth it just for the food. Even though my body still felt flat and lifeless, a little nourishment perked me up little by little. The fact that Minh T.’s feet continued to stroke mine also helped to calm my nerves. Now, even in the presence of that horrible woman, my eyes weren’t constantly darting around. I no longer trembled like a dog. And when I did, it was thanks to the gentle friction Minh T. was giving my heels.

The more I watched her and DT eat, the more obvious their similarities became. They were both gluttons, no getting around that. She’d already gotten up two or three times to refill her bowl, and DT was busy trying to grab my mom’s food.

“You heard there was an explosion underground?” she asked.

Minh T. and I froze for a second.

“No idea, Miss T. Ana,” she said as she tapped my foot like a brake pedal. “Some nerd was probably working on his science experiment down there.”

“Or those Scapellis got into some trouble with someone. I swear, that Wario is the biggest drain on this city. How do you whine like a big-ass baby and have tons of hypemen behind you?”

“He’s rich. Gotta be something he’s doing right.” DT pulled his face from the bowl, lips bright yellow.

“DT, I can’t stand how much credit you give that blimp. Only in MC does being a nasty orc get you somewhere.” She downed her glass of wine in one take. “Now try that in another place and see how far it gets you.”

As they talked, my mind was mainly focused on the action under the table. Minh T.’s feet did an excellent job of keeping me relaxed. She kept her movements deliberately slow. And if the conversation ever seemed to heat up, just a little, she would pat the top of my foot like a dog.

Then she began to slide her toes under the arch of my left foot. Phew! Thank goodness I had the cup in front of my mouth when she did this. The moment those four little digits made their move, I scrunched up my face like a hand puppet. The fizzy soda masked my giggles for ten agonising seconds until her foot flew away.

But after dropping the cup, all their eyes were back on me.

DT spoke up. “You’re just spending one night here?”

I nodded, finally sighing in relief. And now— EEK! It came back! Her toes were trying to fit my whole foot in between them! Did Minh T. want me to look like a moron? If so, mission accomplished. I began to dribble soda from my mouth.

“You’re definitely Minh T.’s friend,” the boy continued.

“When’d you actually meet her?” my mom asked Minh T.

“Second grade.”

One detail too many! I had to shut her…

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Wait, but those couldn’t have been her feet! She was on my right. But this assault was coming from my left. So, it could only be one other culprit. And sure enough, when I looked in his direction, DT was staring right at me. This time I had the good sense to cover my mouth so no one could hear my struggles to contain my laughter. But under the table, two siblings’ feet were in a bit of a war. And he had a smirk on his face the whole time.

DT’s feet were smaller, but that gave them one advantage: lighting-fast movement speed. I couldn’t escape them, and crossing my legs wasn’t comfortable due to the intense aching. Wherever my feet went, his followed. At least Minh T. showed some mercy. But DT, he aggressively rubbed the tops of my feet with his soles. And he could do it ten times easier because his soles felt sweaty and slippery. Either he failed to get his butt in the bath or he had the same issue as me with controlling sweat.

When he slid his foot between my big and second toe, these purple eyes bulged. How long could I last without bursting out in snickers? Every time I looked back at him, he was either picking at whatever beans lingered or giving me a sharp glance.

Wait! What were Minh T. and my mom talking about now?

“I swear, you must stick to a particular type. I’ll be damned if she’s not a twin of TT in every way.”

“HMM!?” Once I responded, the rubbing that DT did to my feet finally broke me. What started as a small giggle turned into rambunctious laughter. And now his toes were playing with the back of my foot, squeezing that part above my heel. One, two, three! I banged on the table that many times, causing a bit of cheese to squirt onto my cheek. AAH! And he wouldn’t quit the tickling! Get away from my arches, you demon!

“Don’t get so loud.” Excuse me. Minh T. wanted to be authoritative today?

“I mean,” my mother continued, “her eyes are the same colour.”

“Nah, those are contacts. She’s a natural emerald-eye.”

The older woman scratched at the cotton candy mess that was her hair. “Purple contacts even though she’s obviously wearing glasses?”

“She’s gotta wear both. Ask her eye doctor ‘bout it, ‘cause I ain’t got no explanation.”

A nice effort to save my identity, but soon would come the important day. While I finished the rest of my meal, it hit me that my body would be too weak to continue on the entire night. I needed deep sleep in order to be ready for the emotional toll tomorrow would bring.

I rose from the table, panting. “Thank you for the meal, ma’am, but I must get some early rest.” And after washing my bowl in the sink—tons of soap and a sponge, some habits still came natural to me—I spun to see…

“Had fun tickling me?” I asked.

“Just a little bit.” The boy dumped his bowl on top of mine. “Hey, you wanna play a game?”

“Game? Um, did you forget what happened to me? Look, I’d love to if I was feeling all good, but…”

Not caring one bit about my answer, he grabbed my arm and tugged me into the living room like a ragdoll. “Come on! It’s a Wii. It’s like the most amateur system on the planet.”

Minh T. chuckled. “I dunno, Dane T. Better off giving her a pre-school toy.”

Way to root for me, best friend. Okay, so I had to entertain my brother by playing whatever video game he wanted. How bad could this be? Worst thing would be a constant losing streak, but I knew my body wasn't gonna let me play enough for that to happen. Besides, I remember getting perfect marks with that Kirby’s Avalanche game at Minh T.'s house when we were kids.

But that was as simple as moving the blocks down the whole time and praying they'd match.

“Don’t keep her for too long, DT,” my mom called out. “We don’t wanna make her worse.”

If she knew who I really was, oh, she’d totally want to make it worse…

“Not sure I understand this.” I spent minutes waggling this remote in the air. How did it even work? Okay, a button on the top, a button on the bottom, and a cross to move around. But what the hell were these “1” and “2” buttons for? I couldn’t touch them without flipping the whole thing upside down.

“Does every girl treat gaming like it’s climbing a mountain?” He tightened the strap around my right hand. “Just hold it like a TV remote.”

“I’m sorry. Games aren’t my thing anymore.”

“Be happy we’re on a Nintendo system, so we can hit you with something nice and simple.”

Oh, so our mother could afford to buy DT all these machines, but couldn’t upgrade our old TV? The moment the black box turned on, the sharp hum returned. Then an image slowly flickered across the glass screen. It said “Wii Play” in orange and grey. Finally, a chime played, and the kid bounced next to me on the leather couch.

He kept a close eye on my face while he scrolled through all those text bubbles and logos. Even when playing a game, he still found ways to put me on edge. Especially as the bright lights in this household meant that my face was as clear as day.

“You pick,” he said, guiding my hands. “Just aim at the TV and press A. I can go for whatever.”

“Not even gonna make a bet out of it?” I immediately covered my nose to let out a loud sneeze.

“How’d you know I do that?”

Quick on my feet, I responded, “If you haven’t caught on yet, Minh T.’s a blabbermouth.”

“Hmm…” After scanning me more than an X-ray, a soft smile appeared on his face. But don’t be fooled. It was a look of deviousness. “Well, you’re sick and all, so I’m not gonna make it too humiliating for you. Loser’s gotta give the winner a foot rub. Deal?”

If he’d been any other boy and a few years older, it might’ve sounded cool. But given our familial bond, the thought of having to massage his feet made me uneasy. Was that normal? Expected?

Even still, I nodded anyway. “Don’t hold back.”

With all the years I’d left him alone, I was in no position to complain. Besides, a quick glance at his bare feet made things a bit better. Either luck was on his side, and he had developed flawless feet in his pre-teen years, or more likely, the foot fanatic in the kitchen had had an influence on him during my absence. His nails were too pristine for an average boy. Too clean, too well-trimmed. And name me one junior high school boy whose feet weren’t as dry as wood. Lotion was and is a foreign concept to the male gender.

What options did this game give us? Fishing? After a Cheep Cheep left a mark on my face way back, no thank you. Billiards? Hehe… Minh T. might’ve known what she was doing, but I sure as hell didn’t. All I saw were randomly-coloured balls on a lawn that looked nothing like a pool.

“Charge?”

“Doesn’t get easier than that. We get to murder a bunch of scarecrows on cows.” DT then read the instructions very slowly, as if I were a toddler. When he clicked the confirmation button, I instinctively leaned on the edge of my seat.

Sick or not, I had to give my all. A victory made sure I wouldn’t be touching his feet and feeling even weirder.

And as soon as I saw that bug-eyed cow with the overly simplified udders, more giggling filled the room. “Why does it look so drugged out?”

“Because it IS drugged out.” His butt almost fell off the couch with how forward he moved. “Whoever knocks down more wins!”

Three, two, one… START!

And off we went! DT immediately hit the first three rows of scarecrows perfectly, earning bonus points from the looks of it. My cow was way too far behind, and unless she got a rocket up her ass, she had no chance of catching up. So, when I got to the fifth line of these blocky targets, I tilted the controller as far down as I could. The spacing between me and DT was tight, too tight!

“Ah, I thought I was gonna breeze through this!”

“Overconfidence’ll get you killed.”

Aiming for a bouncing scarecrow in a royal outfit, my cow was the first to take it down. I was able to guide it to the next two lines of scarecrows without an issue, as DT was always just a second too late. But even then, he still had the majority of points. I’d have to continue perfectly to stand a chance at winning.

Hmm… He WAS sitting right next to me. I had fingers…

Ugh, I’d rather be a loser than cheat to beat a 13-year-old at a game. So, on I went with my ugly cow. Together, we defeated another king and brought down two more lines of these demented puppets. And then another cow jumped over my head. And—

“You can jump!? When was that a thing!?”

“Someone should’ve been listening.”

The boy’s laughter grew louder as he finished off the remaining scarecrows flawlessly, sending the final king into the distance of this fictional farmland. The world “Goal!” popped on the screen as cheerful music played, and his character celebrated on his white cow. Meanwhile, mine wore a look of shame as it crossed the finish line. Man, he ended with over 200 points, and I was under.

“I actually got scared you were gonna win,” he said, stretching his feet over my legs. “Nice try.”

“Puh-lease. A few more goes, and I’ll have you crying like a baby. ACHOO!!”

He put the controller down. “Oh right, You sure you got the energy to go through with this bet tonight? If you don’t—”

“I think I can handle it.”

“Just saying—”

“It’s already in motion, kid.”

I grabbed my little brother’s soles and started to fluff them along the sides. Five seconds in, another tingling sensation occurred in my private region. Every second that passed made the moment even more uncomfortable. Especially knowing that the foot freak could’ve been watching us since the living room and kitchen weren’t far apart. But come tomorrow, I was gonna have to do a lot of repaying. Best to get some of it out the way early.

I flattened my palm on his right sole, moving down until his toes curled. How he wasn’t laughing at this was a mystery.

“Doesn’t tickle you, huh?”

He shrugged.

“Hey, for a boy, you take nice care of your feet.” I hovered the foot before my face, pressing my thumbs below the arch and against the heel. “I would’ve expected some cracks or gnarly toenails, you know. But they’re pretty dainty.”

“Well, um, thanks…?”

“Saying that like you’re not too sure of yourself.”

“It’s just that no one’s really said that about me before. It’s like, nobody’s going around talking about how nice people’s toes are normally. Especially if they’re talking about a guy’s.”

I raised a brow. “Could’ve sworn you said you liked my nails as we were coming up here.”

“Well, Minh T. kinda made me notice them more since she’s been with us. That’s all.”

Yeah, that answered that. Hmm… Considering how much he touched my feet under the table, the next question was inevitable. Did my little brother have a foot fetish of his own? I obviously refused to ask him that, especially with two extra adults around, but anything was possible. Now that he’d admitted that Minh T. got him to pay more attention to feet, she probably had some influence on him.

Now, if she did anything suspicious with him, believe me, I wanted to know.

DT’s left foot still had that beauty mark around the arch. If we’d taken a family photo and someone had to pick us out by our feet, he’d be one of the easiest. On the other hand, his feet were well proportioned. They weren’t as long as mine, but they weren’t as wide as Minh T.’s either. Sure, the boy’s arches gave mine a run for their money, but otherwise his feet were right in the middle. Not too big, not too small. Just right.

The more my hands explored them, the more I tricked my brain into accepting that this was normal. Too bad the tingling in my groin didn’t go away. If anything, it got stronger when I ran my finger along the tops of his toes. The way they bounced up slightly when I pushed them down was just so…cute.

“How does this feel?” I asked, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

“Not that bad.”

“So, is getting your feet rubbed a common thing or something? Seems like an odd demand out the gate if you ask me.”

He shook his head. “Definitely not common. I’m usually sweaty, and when I kick off my shoes, my feet are the last things you want your hands on.”

“What made you ask this time?”

“Well, I WAS gonna have you suck my big toe. We’re always throwing that insult around at school, ‘Suck my big toe!’ But it seemed kinda too much since you’re already not feeling great.”

Hmm… To risk it or not to risk it? I tugged on each of DT’s toes, imagining them in my mouth. And every time I looked at his face, I felt so much dirtier on the inside. This was not normal, not in the slightest. But his feet were giving me those Captain Toad vibes. By all accounts, I shouldn’t have been so interested in them. They belonged to a male. In this case, a blood-related male.

Yet something about the sole made my heart race. Faster and faster…

“You okay?” he asked.

“AAH!” Dumb of me to have my blood pumping so much in a state of poison! My chest burnt like hell! Coughing not only hurt it severely, but it was getting my throat drier and drier. “Water! Please!”

“I’m sorry!” He pulled his legs back, running off the couch. “I should’ve done something different!”

No, I tried to tell him it wasn’t his fault. But my body’s reaction didn’t give me any room to speak. I just kept choking, grabbing onto the arm of the couch for support. It felt like someone was scraping rocks against my throat. Like a Peach punishment for failing to accomplish the mission.

“Drink, drink!” Minh T.’s voice was like a shrill fire alarm. I sipped the glass of sink water she shoved in my face. Though it didn’t immediately fix my breathing, the liquid at the very least brought some mild relief to my throat. When I opened my eyes fully, tears pouring out, all three Toads were looking at me with deep concern. Including… No, she couldn’t have been…

“Haven’t seen someone this sick in a long time, especially someone as young as you,” she said, rubbing my inflamed cap. “Poor thing. Minh T., you should get her ready for bed. DT, turn on the A/C for that side of the house. And do you need some Koopa Tea, um, Princess Peach’s assistant?”

Fortunately, the hot shower steam managed to loosen my respiratory system a little. See, this is why nobody takes cold showers. The whole time, Minh T. was standing just outside the curtains, expecting me to fall at any moment. As they were so transparent and thin, I could see her pacing back and forth while I slowly soaped my body.

“I don’t get it at all.” I kept my volume low enough in case either relative was eavesdropping.

“Me either. We’d been through so much since you got your job, and you never got sick then. I think all this work is catching up to you.”

“Not that. Achoo…ACHOO! My mom is acting creepily nice. That goes against the laws of nature.”

“People change. Should I remind you, best friend?” Her sole appeared against the shower curtain, wrinkled and blushing. “Even daring to put my foot on your face would’ve gotten me slapped before. Now you’re a big girl who can handle a little foot rubbin’. Yes, you are.”

I covered my giggles. “But her whole personality has swapped. Maybe it’s just because she doesn’t recognise me. Ugh, even as an adult, I guess I should expect another playdate with Sir Extension Cord again.”

“Hey, I know she may not have been the best mom back then…”

“Fucking understatement of the century.”

“But since I’ve been filling in for you, I think she’s been doing a decent job with Dane T. Still yells a bit too much for my liking, but after this new discovery, the boy’ll deserve a bit of it. And I don’t think she’s had to hit him since fourth grade, when he got into a fight with a boy.”

“Is that so?” Tons of envy continued to build up inside of me.

“Guess you’ll find out from her tomorrow.”

“And while I’m sick. This week is going so perfectly.”

She took a seat on the toilet, looking up at the ceiling. “We’re gonna have a lot of fun at the Star Festival, so don’t you go dying on me yet.”

“What exactly is there to do?”

“Celebrations, treats, games—games that may involve hands and feet—and all sorts of exciting stuff. You’re not gonna regret going, I promise.”

Minh T. also told me that these simpler clothes were HER casual pyjamas, which she’d leave in this place for her temporary stays. Since the heating was usually on and not the air conditioning, there was no need to keep long-sleeved clothes here. Besides, she just had her stuff in my old room, a fitting place. So, after stepping out the shower and into this oversized night attire, I sank into my bed.

“I haven’t checked this all day,” I mumbled, flipping open my phone as Minh T. hooked me to the breathing machine.

The biggest notification on that tiny screen came from, shocker, Penelope. It read:
“Mother says you didn’t activate the mics in the coins.”

Then another one:
“Are you there?”

And finally:
“Miss Toadette, send a message if you’re there!”

Aw, the last one tore at my heart. Even if an order from Peach, the little girl’s concern was nothing short of sad. But unfortunately for Penelope, she’d have to go to bed thinking something grizzly happened to us. It was too late to alert her crazy mother of our failure. The last thing I needed was a dozen messages where Peach would take her daughter’s phone and yell at me through text. Phone, turn off.

“If you gotta get up in the middle of the night, just remove the tubes from your nostrils like this.” Minh T. demonstrated the act for me before walking away.

“Thank you.”

“You’re very very welcome.”

After flicking the lights off, she shut the door and left me in darkness. That eerie yet relaxing hum made shutting my eyes a much more peaceful experience…