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"Where are you learning this fancy talk. Brody Randolph?"

"My heart," he said. "It comes right from here," he added and put his right palm over his heart.

"Okay," I said. "You know where everything is you might need. Good night."

I started out of the living room.

"There's more in my heart, more than needs to be brought out," he called.

I smiled to myself. Our mother was right. He was a charmer.

I didn't risk a reply. I mounted the stairs and went up to what was now my room, almost fleeing, After I had changed into my nightgown and prepared for bed. I heard music downstairs. He made it louder and louder and then he lowered it: eventually, he turned it off. I lay in the darkness listening. My heart began to pound when I heard his footsteps on the stairway.

"Sleep tight." he cried passing my closed door. Of course. I didn't respond. He went to the guest room he always used. I heard him knocking about, the water running, and then the house grew as silent as it ever did.

He'll sleep it off. I thought. After breakfast, he'll go home and finally, finally my mother will reveal our deepest secret.

I thought about that scene for a while and it made me feel sad far him. It wasn't just the

disappointment about me either. I think for a son it must be deeply tragic to learn such scandalous things about your own mother. I recalled how high in his thinking Roy had held Mama Arnold. For a son, no woman could be as perfect as his mother. Brody was the type who would resent not having been told all these years, especially this last year.

Alison would be more embarrassed and angry, but she would direct it straight at me: I was confident of that. Now that I considered all the turmoil and tension that was about to explode in that otherwise perfect home.. I could almost sympathize with my mother for trying to keep it a secret as long as possible. Wouldn't it really be so much easier for them all if I just disappeared?

I returned to that argument, considering my discussion with Victoria. She was right, I decided. In the days to come. I would cooperate and make my return to England easier for myself and for everyone else.

All this worry and thought had exhausted me. The moment I decided to close my eyes and go to sleep, I did. I was in such a deep sleep, too, so deep that I didn't realize Brody was in my room and beside my bed for quite a while. He must have kissed me once on the cheek before my eyes opened with the next kiss. At first. I was confused. I had forgotten for the moment that he was even in the house.

I felt his breath close to my ear and I spun around, barely smothering a scream. With the moonlight now coming through the window, his body gleamed and I quickly realized he was standing there completely naked.

"Don't be afraid," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep. All I could do was lie there and think about you. Don't go back to England. I don't care what that guy promised you. He won't be as g

ood to you as I will. I'll treat you even better than my father treats my mother."

"What are you talking about. Brody? You're not making any sense. Go back to bed."

"I'm talking about us. Rain. All this year you were right here." he said putting his hand over his forehead. "Many times I would stop listening in class or even to people talking to me. and I would picture you, hear you, even smell your hair and it filled me with such a longing. I was in pain. That's love, right? It can't be anything else."

"Brody, no..."

"You like me. You'll even fall in love with me if you're not already. I just know it will happen. I have enough love in my heart for both of us anyway," he declared.

He sat on the bed.

"You've just got to give us a chance," he pleaded. "Please."

He reached out to touch my face and I pulled myself back and sat up in the bed, holding the blanket against my body.

"You're still drunk," I said. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be in here saving these things. Brody. Go sleep it off."

"No. I'm as sober as I'll ever be."

He leaned toward me to kiss me and I put my hand against his cheek and pushed him away. He resisted, pushing himself forward until he forced my hand away and brought his lips to mine. I screamed and, using both my hands on his shoulders, shoved him away.

"What, do I have bad breath or something?" he asked. "Take it easy."

"We can't do this. You've got to get out of this room," I said.