“…the one stripper in that joint who looked like me.”

Joan was embarrassed in a way that reminded her of being tickled as a child. “Unbelievable,” she said. “How would you even know what Raven looked like? You left early.”

“I left early because I could not stand to watch you stare at those women.”

Joan looked at her. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Well, now you do.”

“You were…jealous.”

“I was jealous.”

Joan could feel her muscles starting to shake within her skin. She took Vanessa’s hand. “I don’t think anyone’s ever been jealous over me before.”

“They have,” Vanessa said. “You just can’t see half the things going on around you.”

She pulled Joan’s arm closer. “Wait, are you okay?” she asked as she put her hand on Joan’s forearm. Joan was not sure what she meant, but when she looked closer, she could see there were hives all over her arms. Joan then looked down at her chest. It was also bright red.

Vanessa leaned over her and checked her back.

“You’re breaking out,” she said. She sat up and then sat Joan up. “Do you think it’s something in the sheets? Do you want me to call the front desk and get new ones?”

“It’s fine, I feel fine.”

“You’re covered in hives.”

“I know, I can see that. But they don’t hurt. I don’t even feel them.”

“Should we at least get you in the shower? Maybe cold water would help?”

Joan lay back down and gestured for Vanessa to as well. “I’m fine, Vanessa. Truly.”

“Okay…” she said. “Does this happen a lot?”

Joan exhaled. “No, actually. It’s only happened one other time that I can think of.”

“When?”

Joan laughed. “I don’t want to tell you.”

“Oh, now you have to tell me.”

Joan put the crook of her arm over her eyes. “It was my seventh birthday. My parents took me to Disneyland. And usually, even if it was my birthday, Barbara was the one who dictated what we would do. My parents were always saying, ‘Well, your sister might get upset if…’ But that day…well, I guess my dad knew someone who was in charge of scheduling the characters’ appearances, and he set it up so that I got to meet Minnie, Mickey, Donald, and Daisy all by myself. Just me. Even Barbara didn’t go.”

“And you broke into hives when you saw them?”