Oh, I am sorry I didn’t mean to see you naked, ma’am, but...but I think you’re very pretty!” She laughed and smiled at me, much to my relief. “Oh, sugarplum, I’m not mad at you!” she assured me, coming to sit on the bed next to me and putting her arm around my shoulder. “I want to get you home safe and sound, ” she continued, although I could sense from the way that “her voice had changed that perhaps that was a bigger task than it seemed it should be. “But I’m not sure I want to go home!” I protested, staring up at her in wonder. “You’re so pretty, why can’t I just stay here with you?” “Oh, honey!” she said heavily, her smile fading away. “I am sure your poor momma is worried sick about you, don’t you think?” I shook my head, not wanting to return to my mother – the mother who would later
