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your chores. Get up orI'll turn your bed over with

you in it. Get up!'"

He reached out and I screamed and screamed. "Stop it!" I heard Aunt Victoria snap. She

turned on the lamp on the nightstand. "Why are you

shouting? Now you want to get out of this room? Who

brought you up here? Not me. I leave for a little while

and you turn this house upside down. What a mess

and I have no maid hired yet to keep after it and clean

up after you.

"Oh my God," she cried looking down at the

stale towel by the bed. "This place is disgusting and

you stink. Where's your mother while all this is going

on. huh? She's off at some Mediterranean resort

basking in the sunshine, drinking cocktails, listening

to music and dancing with Grant while I'm left here

looking after you."

She turned on more lights. At least she's back to

being Aunt Victoria again. I thought even though that

was like being grateful that the devil was only Hitler. "Well, what am I supposed to do with you

now? I can't carry you downstairs, you know. I don't

even want to touch you, you smell so bad."

She stared at me.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked. Was

I smiling.

"You think this is funny? You think you're hurting me? Ridiculous girl. First, you go and scrape yourself up on the driveway and I have to deal with that, and now, you get yourself up here and into my

mother's bed and mess and I have to handle that. too." She shook her head.

"Even I have limitations,"' She sighed. "All

right. I'll do my best. I'll fill a tub and help you into it

and then we'll see about getting you out of here." "Get... me... to the hospital." I pleaded. "Don't tell me what to do. You think I would

allow anyone into the house the way you've messed