looked through her hair. "She'll need a good bath and
shampoo."
"That's disgusting, Ma. We're not dirty slobs." "Until someone invents a better way to describe
you two, I'll stick with that." Mrs Westington said.
"This is no hour to bring home this girl. She has to let
her sleep."
"It's Saturday night, for chrissakes," Rhona
said. "Are you still living in those dark ages?" "I'm still a responsible person, if that's what you
mean. yes."
"I don't expect to frustrate the girl the way you
frustrated me. Ma. Here I was locked up in this house
while my friends were out there having fun all the
time. You have to trust the people you love and not
expect they'll do something terrible all the time." "In your case. Rhona, you exceeded my
expectations," Mrs. Westington said, and turned Echo
toward the stairs. She signed and told her she would
help her take a bath and get to bed.
Rhona and Skeeter watched them start up the
stairs and then Rhona turned and glared viciously at
me.
"Did you work her up into this mood?" she
asked.
"I just came down myself, surprised you
weren't back yet."
"Oh, so you let her know you were surprised.
Very convenient. I'm warning you. I'm not going to let
you turn her against us." Rhona said, stepping toward
me.
"I don't have to do that. You do it so well
yourself," I replied and, even though I was trembling,