Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

"Really? Did she just ask or what?"

"No, she did more than just ask. I said I don't

like talking about it. It was very, very disturbing at the

time and it's painful to think about it now."

He nodded. thinking. 'Why would your sister be

angry at you for something like that? You would think

she..." He thought again and then he nodded softly.

"Oh," he said. "You mean your sister and this other

woman were

"Yes."

"Man. you did have a screwed up family. A

lesbian sister, an uncle in love with a doll, and who

knows what else."

"My family wasn't screwed up! Not everyone

marches to the same drummer. I'd think you'd

understand that, being you're so intelligent." He shrugged. "What about you? Are you a

lesbian?" he asked with as much emotion a doctor

might show when he asked if I had an ache in my tar.

"Is that why your sister's lover made a pass at you?" "I don't think so," I said, "Just because one

person in your family is gay, it doesn't mean you have

to be."

"So why do you say you don't think so? Don't

you know for sure? Are you attracted more to girls

than boys?"

"I'd rather not talk about all that."

"Well, have you had boyfriends?" he pursued. "It's not really any of your business," I said. He didn't look angry about my reaction. He just looked pensive, again like some doctor reviewing symptoms. I rowed on, biting down on my lower lip and sucking back my tears. Talking about it only brought back my painful separation from Brenda and

the only family I knew,

"How did your parents die? An accident?" "No, my father had an inoperable brain tumor

and my mother fell into a deep depression and

overdosed on sleeping pills."