Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

No. Social studies? No. What then? Boyfriends,

kissing, petting, making babies! Her brain is so full of

that stuff, she can't concentrate on anything I tell her

to do. And she's asking me questions that would

embarrass a prostitute!"

"I didn't tell her anything a girl her age

shouldn't know, things girls younger than her know," "Who told you to tell her anything?"

"Why do you want to keep her so socially

innocent and ignorant?" I fired back, my eyes small

with accusations. "Why would you want that?" Instead of answering, he ignored me and

continued with his assault. "And then you show her

that... naked doll, a life-size, naked doll with... with

pubic hair? How could you do that?" he asked,

grimacing. "Did you get some sort of sick pleasure out

of watching how she reacted?"

"You don't understand what happened.'" "Right. I don't understand. At least you're smart

enough to realize that. My advice to you is to just pick

up and leave. Get into that motor home, drive off. and

go live with one of your own relatives, the first ones

who'll take you in."

"Oh, you're such a goody-goody, so protective

of poor Echo, so worried I would corrupt her, while

you go and carve your initials in a heart in that rock

with her and get her to think you're going to be her

boyfriend."

"Rock?"

"For your information, she showed me how you

touched her, too! In places you shouldn't have! I've

been thinking about telling Mrs. Westington. only I

didn't want to start a whole mess after being here so