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“I don’t think…” she started to say

“You don’t have to think” He stopped her “It’s just a e Sexy as you look in that bra, even I would not try to take advantage of you when you’re hurting” He pointed to the bed again “Lay back down”

She did, ently attacked eachuntil he felt it relax

“Do you tell Sarah stories as she goes to sleep?”

“Yeah Soainst her pillow

“I’ to tell you one, now While I have a captive audience,” he replied

“You can do anything you want as long as you keep doing that,” she said, gasping as he found a sensitive spot by her shoulder blade

Brody started “Once, in a different place and tiirl named Lou Lou lived with her mother, as too wrapped up in her own addictions to properly care for Little Lou Lou’s mother had no education and no family to help her, so she did what she could to take care of her daughter to the best of her ability Despite this fact, Lou still felt misplaced and unloved because theyone true hoood grades and working part-tias

“She hated the ht home from the clubs and the way they would leer at her But they never stayed very long Then, when the rent was past-due and the lights turned off because no one paid the electric bill, they would ain

“Then, when Lou was nineteen, her life changed Soave her a baby”

Lou rolled over and looked at hiave her a baby,” she supplied “Lou’s mother asked to be driven to the clinic for the abortion she had scheduled Lou refused Lou begged and begged for her to keep the baby She wanted a little sister, you see She made a deal with her mother If she would just carry the baby to term, Lou would raise the baby and be responsible for her care Lou threatened and stomped and told her mother she would leave if the baby was aborted Lou’s ht home to pay the rent”

Lou’s tone changed to one of sorrow, but she continued “Little did I realize at the time that my mother would be forced to quit her job when she started to show She was a stripper after all, and nant stripper”

Brody nodded thoughtfully, urging her to continue

“My part-ti there with no lights, no food, and no dignity Then, one day, roceries The rent had been paid and the lights were back on She had bought new clothes for both of us and she’d had her hair and nails done I had no idea what she did to get the money but I noticed she had a new, haunted, look in her eyes She was constantly looking over her shoulder We ain to a tiny little trailer out in the middle of nowhere

“She went through the pregnancy and was healthy She even stopped s She was clearer than she had ever been” Lou smiled “Then Sarah was born I was there in the delivery room and was amazed when they placed her in my mother’s arms I was even more surprised when she passed her to me and said, ‘I hope you’re ready for this, ‘cause she’s yours’ Froht to feed her and to take care of her”