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"I’oing to scold Karen for speaking to Brian, but she wanted to ain

All contact with their daughter was to be arranged with Maureen in advance It wasn’t Karen’s fault that Brian had gone against the provisions stated in the divorce settlement He knew the terms as well as she did The next time her ex-husband called when Karen was home alone, Karen would be instructed to phone him back Brian could talk to Karen only when Maureen was present, and he damn well knew it

"I can’t wait," Karen whispered excitedly into the mouthpiece

So Brian was up to his old tricks, Maureenproain…Her stohtened as she considered the alternative Perhaps he wouldher for custody of Karen, then he’d need their daughter’s cooperation What better way than to give her the things Maureen couldn’t? He was married with a baby, and Karen loved babies It would be just like hihter away from her How he’d love to collect child support pay up the phone She didn’t say anything right away Then: "That was Dad"

Although Maureen was so tense she felt as if she were about to be sick, she ed a smile "What did he have to say?"

Karen avoidedMaureen’s eyes "Not much He said he’d be by about six on Christ to his house for dinner, and then we’re going to open gifts"

"I’d rather you hadn’t talked to hi to be sure her daughter understood that she wasn’t upset with her The wrongdoing was all Brian’s

Karen sat at the kitchen table and propped her face in her hands "I’d figured you’d say that Dad thought you would, too"

Already Brian was trying to pit her daughter against her

"All he wanted to do was tellme up You don’t need to make a federal case out of it"

"I don’t mean to sound petty," Maureen said stiffly, "but the terms of the divorce were set this way for a reason"

"Yes, so you could make Dad’s life h force to send it toppling backward "You want to keep ood life and you don’t"

"Karen" Maureen couldn’t believe what she was hearing "That’s not true"

"Did you ever stop to think," Karen said, her eyes bright with tears, "that you were punishing me, too? I love Dad I ood husband, and he et soot"

"But--"

"Do you have to spoil what little time I have with him? Do you?"

"I didn’t mean--"

"Why do you think Dad hasn’t seen me in over a year? I knohy…because you hts"

"Did he tell you that?" Maureen demanded

"No He didn’t have to, I’ve seen it ed red "I don’t want to talk to you anymore," she insisted, and raced from the kitchen

The silence was like that after an atoainst the counter and waited for the feelings of guilt and anger to pass An odd co for dominance What Karen said was basically true She had made it as difficult as she could for Karen to visit her father, but it was for Karen’s own protection She couldn’t expect a twelve-year-old to understand or appreciate that

Maureen set the two chicken breasts in the oven and then sank onto the chair The conversation with Karen played itself back in her h to form her own opinions

Karen had ad it mildly She seemed to knohere he ranked in the father depart ti that she was anxious to meet her half brother

It hurt to think of Brian with another child The fact that he still had the power to wound her aht about that, too For to all outward appearances Brian, the liar, the cheat, the thief, had a better life than she had

Maureen waited until her nerves had settled down before she approached her daughter She knocked politely on Karen’s bedroom door and waited

"Who is it?"

Maureen played along "Mom Can we talk a moment?" She opened the door and looked inside the roohter was sprawled across her mattress with the portable phone pressed to her ear She wore another one of those guilty looks, and Maureen guessed that she was talking long distance to Paula

"When you’re finished speaking to Paula, I’d like a ith you ht"

No more than a couple of minutes later, Karen reappeared in the kitchen Her face was es, and she held herself stiffly

"How’s Paula?"

"Fine"