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“Ketchup?” I collapse against the wall trying to get ain

“Thank the Lord… Lillian Alexandra, you alave me a heart attack!”

The sheets are a red-stained mess, and only then do I notice the three little white foil packets in theketchup?

“I don’t understand” My voice is ragged I feel like I’ve run a et them—”

Unfortunately, it’s at that veryand seems to connect the dots “Were you just…” She looks froain “Did you just come from Ruby’s bedroom?”

“Eleanor, I can explain”

“No”

Her hands go up in a halting motion, and she shakes her head violently “No no no This will not go on in my presence”

“If you’ll just letIt’shouse

Her rant continues “I will not live this way, Reton I draw the line here I will not live in a house of sin If this is what goes on, we are going to have to find another deal You cannot have sex with an employee”

I hope the noise of the running faucet drowns out what she’s saying Eleanor is ranting and stor around the room with her hands in the air

Just then the water shuts off, and I hear Ruby speaking gently “Stop crying now Use that cloth and wash all the ketchup off your face I’ll be back to wash your hair”

She enters the roooes to the dresser She doesn’t even look at Eleanor, who’s now glaring holes in her back as if she were the Whore of Babylon

“I’ll wash her hair then start these sheets first thing in the ht” Ruby holds up little girl panties and a nightgown “Good thing we had a waterproof mattress cover on the bed I’m afraid we’ll probably have to toss these Ketchup stains never wash out…”

Her voice dies when she finally looks up and sees Eleanor’s glaring eyes about to pop out of her head