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"Right I'm sure they're all exactly like you," I commented dryly

"Well, they are!"

"Neverabout this When we get home, you'll simply tell heryou were unhappy there"

"That's not a lie," Belinda followed

"Of course it's a lie," I charged "It's not why you're being brought home"

"Well, you lie soel," she wailed

"The difference, Belinda, is you're comfortable with a lie" I turned and looked back at her "I' fat lie"

"I knew it I knew you'd hate me now," she moaned "Just stop the car and let me out on the road somewhere I'll find a new home and a new family"

"To terrorize and destroy?" I asked

"No Just stop the car!"

"Let's not do this," Daddy said "It only prolongs the agony and we've got to think about your mother, Olivia Please"

"Sure," I said "Let's sweep soet aith another gross act We're not doing her any good, Daddy," I insisted

"I'll take care of it," he said It was an empty promise

I could almost hear the echo inside it But I let him hold on to it, and I simply stared out theht sain, she had gotten what she had wanted

Whether Mother could see through the falsehoods or not, she went along with it She even felt sorry for poor Belinda, who ate up the sylared so angrily at her, she stopped and went to her roo to do, at least for the ti to do at the office