Girls on the Line by Jennie Liu

Author:Jennie Liu
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fiction-Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction, People and Places, People, Places, Asia, Social Themes, Pregnancy, Pregnant, History, Historical, Asia, Asian, Asian History, Bravery, Carolrhoda Lab, China, Courage, Culture, Family, Family & Relationships, Friends, Friendship, Girls on the Line, Jennie Liu, Pregnancy, Teenager, Teenagers
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
Published: 2018-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Luli

In the middle of the night, I’m roused by a low buzz. At first I think it’s the alarm, but suddenly I realize it’s my phone. I pull it out from under my pillow and fumble it open, wondering who’s calling me this time of night.

“Luli?” The voice is muffled. I can hardly hear it.

“Yes?”

“Luli, it’s Yun.”

“Yun!” I yelp and bolt upright in bed. One of my roommates groans. I lower my voice. “Where are you? Are you okay?”

“I’m at the—” She seems to be whispering. I can’t make out what she is saying.

“Yun, I can’t hear you. Speak up.”

She raises her voice a bit. “I can’t talk. I’m at the Institute. Will you come here?”

“At the Institute!” Even though I went looking for her there several months ago, I’m astonished to hear that she’s there now. “What are you—”

“I have to go! Come as soon as you can. Tomorrow. Please!”

She clicks off and I’m left wondering how she ended up back at the orphanage. Surely she’s not working there? What happened with Yong—with the baby? I try to count the months, but I don’t know exactly when Yun got pregnant, so I can’t be sure when she would’ve been due. For the rest of the night, I hardly sleep at all.

The next morning, for the first time since I started at the factory eight months ago, I don’t show up for work. Instead, I get on the earliest bus.

As I get off and walk toward the Institute, sleet and wind spitting in my face, my mind circles with questions. Has Yun gotten rid of the baby and asked for a job here? Or did she have it and bring it here to give it away? But that doesn’t make sense. People leave their unwanted babies on the street or someplace where they’ll be found, too ashamed to bring them to the Institute in person.

“What’s this?” The gatekeeper opens the door and pokes his head out of his guardbox. “More visits from old friends?”

“What do you mean?” I mumble, a little surprised he recognizes me.

He comes out and slams the door behind him. “Yesterday we had a young lady like you curled up in front of the gate here.” He gestures at the ground. “Only she was like this.” He puts his hands in front of his stomach, traces out a big mound, and frowns disapprovingly. “Turns out it was one of you girls who went out a couple of years ago.”

Yun. So she is still pregnant. “Where is she? Is she okay?”

“She wouldn’t talk to anyone.” He pulls open the gate to let me in. “I don’t know how she got here. Didn’t see anyone drop her off, didn’t see her walk up. Don’t know how long she was there before I noticed her. She was just huddled up there. Wouldn’t answer me. I got the director, and as they were getting her inside, one of the caretakers recognized her.”

“Is she still here?” I turn toward the looming block of the orphanage.

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