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"It ful, Mo! To be carried like that, as if I were cattle! I cried all the way, pleading with Bart to call an ambulance in case Victor was seriously hurtbut he wouldn't listen I begged him to put me down and let me coverterrible Then he took me to--"

She cut off her words abruptly, staring before her as if mesmerized by fear

"Where did he take you, Cindy?" I asked, feeling sick, as if her hu sorry for her shocking plight At the saht this upon herself by disobeying and disregarding everything I'd tried to teach her

In a s hair fell to hide her face, she finished, "Just home, Momjust home"

There waselse I wanted to scold her, to chastise her, reain that she knew all about Bart and his fierce temper, but she was too traumatized to hear more

I got up to leave her rooes, Cindy I'll send up a servant to take out your telephone so you can't call one of your boyfriends to help you escape I've heard your side of the story now, and Bart just this ree with hisyou or that boy He was ize However, it seems you are very free with your sexual favors You can't deny that any longer, for I've seen you with my own eyes when that boy Lance was here It hurts to know that you've heeded so little of what I've tried to teach you I realize it's hard to be young and different fro you'd wait until you kne to handle intimate relationships I couldn't bear for an unknown er on me--much less take me totally--and you just ht have hurt you!"

Her pitiful pretty face lifted "Momma, help me!"

"Haven't I done my best to help you all your life? Listen toco hiin to think about sex--you don't pick up the first man you meet!"

Bitterly she railed back "Momma, all the books write about sex They don'tas love You've never explained to me exactly what love is I don't even know if it really exists I think that sex is as necessary atbut excite, your heart pounding, your breath co faster, heavier, and in the end it's only a natural need no worse than wanting to sleep So despite you and your old- fashioned ideas, I give in when a boy I like wants to make out Victor Wade wanted meand I wanted him Now, don't blaze your eyes at me that way! He didn't force me Didn't rape me--I just let him! I wanted him to do what he did!"

Her blue eyes defied o on and call o to hell, but I don't believe you any more than I believe him! If so, ninety-nine percent of the world's population are sinners--including you and your brother!'

Stunned, deeply hurt, I turned and left

The beautiful sury at Bart, at me, even at Chris She refused to eat at the table if Bart or Joel were there She stopped showering two and three tiy and dull as Melodie's, as if proving to us she was now on her way to abandoning us as Melodie had, and it was Melodie's manner she tried to duplicate as much as possible However, even in sullenness her eyes still sparked with fire, and she ed to look pretty even when she looked messy

"You're not acco yourself miserable," I said when I saw her quickly turn off the TV set she had in her bedroole pleasure left to enjoy when her room contained every luxury but the telephone, which I'd ree secret dates with Victor Wade or anyone else

She sat on the bed, staring at o and tell Bart to let ain I'll never coain! NEVER!"

"Where will you go and ill you do, Cindy?" I asked with concern, afraid she'd slip out one night and we'd never hear froh er than teeks