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"Okay, Olivia Okay," she said in a small voice "What should I do?"

"Justgo upstairs," I said She nodded, lowered her head and left the room

The days turned to weeks and the arrangements I had described for Belinda came to pass To ensure she didn't disobey, I had her phone disconnected When her bubble gu relatives for a few months In time, the calls stopped and our lives settled down for a while

Saht her presents, newspapers and azines, records and tapes to occupy her time By thein bed o and she ate constantly, satisfying every craving, driving Effie mad with requests for this and that

"It's not good for her, Mrs Logan," Effie corees"

"When I want opinions on diet, I'll ask For now just give her anything she wants," I ordered

However, I had to admit that when I looked in on her now, she reminded me of one of her stuffed ani the blanket into a snancy was a tuood looks She seemed to have lost all concern about herself anyway Without her doting friends and her streaiene began to suffer and if I didn't insist she take baths, she wouldn't wash her face and her hands for days She got so she didn't get off the bed to urinate, but used a bedpan and left it for hours beside the bed until either I or Effie came by to empty it

Eventually, I instructed Thelma to keep the children away from Belinda's room

"She'll give thehtmares," I said

Thel the pregnancy She wasn't the type to interfere, but she stopped by ht to express her concern

"I appreciate that, Thelma," I told her, "but for now it has to be this way"

"Why, Mrs Logan?" she pursued

I put aside what I was doing and sat back

"It's really none of your business, but you've become part of our family so I'll tell you," I said and then went on to describe the disgrace Withoutan influential person's baby and ere trying to protect the child as well as Belinda I asked her to just cooperate and understand and it satisfied her

"I'll need you to spend ive ht now," I said