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I juers will do that

I think I terrified Mrs Carpenter asat et you an alarm clock," she said shakily "You nearly stopped my heart Did you sleep well, child?"

"Yes, ma’am"

"You know, you are allowed to speak in my home I appreciate the respect, but I wish you’d talk a bit"

"Yes, ue

"Well We need to leave for school in twenty et ready And dress war" Mrs Carpenter turned and strode aith her hands on her hips

Twenty et ready for my first day at a new school? I ran to the bathroohhair, dabbed concealer on my black eye, and put a layer of black mascara on my pale lashes In my room I put on a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, pulled on socks with holes over bothsneakers, which were a size too big I got my jacket out of the closet and pushed my arms into the thin sleeves There were threein the kitchen "Here you go, Maggie Mae," she said, holding out a plate with two slices of bacon and two fried eggs shirease I took the plate and sat at the table

"Have you been raised with any particular religion?" she asked, sitting across from me

"Yes I’ve been preached to by everyone from Baptists to Catholics to Buddhists When I was five, I lived with the Sharpwhites They were Wiccan, or astrologists, or soion, except on clear nights ould dance under the stars Mrs Sharpwhite always told me that when my stars lined up,for race at every meal Do you mind?" Mrs Carpenter asked

I closed my eyes, clasped my hands, and bowedAnd thank you for blessing me with the chance to foster this child But please, Lord, let her keep her clothes on while she’s in ht be tempted to spank her bare butt And bless this food we are about to partake of Amen"

I unclasped rinned

I ate like I was going to die--I was starting a new school At least no one at o," Mrs Carpenter said as I stuck the last bite of egg into rabbed her keys fro and followed her outside

She was right about the wind It tugged at ed the jacket tofilled with snarling and baying

"Theretoward a dark building on the far edge of the gravel driveway She threw the door wide and the barking grew louder Two shadows streaked out of the dark building and ran straight at round Muzzles snarled and snapped at my face, their breath hot on my cheeks

I threwturned to whining and two slick, hot tongues began covering every inch of my exposed skin with slobber

"Shash! Duke! Get off of her before I tan your hide!" Mrs Carpenter deet up

"Maggie Mae, I apologize!" Mrs Carpenter said "I don’t knohat’s gotten into s They usually only bark like that around a wild ani to eat you for breakfast, but it sees, hardly loo, slunk over and licked et back here!" Mrs Carpenter ordered The dog took a second long lick of my face, then turned and sat at Mrs Carpenter’s feet, beside a long-eared, copper-colored dog Finally able to move, I wiped the slobber fro position

"My second husband was part Navajo He taught Native A in Navajo religion He always said animals can sense a person’s true nature," Mrs Carpenter said, her shrewd eyes studying n that I should like them, too I can see why my son sent you to me"

"Your son?" I asked, baffled

"My son, Dr John Petersen, child psychiatrist and social worker Your counselor He calledand asked if I’d take in someone special Said he didn’t trust anyone else with this particular girl and wanted to give her a chance to graduate frohtof herself"