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manipulate my crutches, I turned and walked into the bedroom. There, spread over the bed, was a stretch silk lace chemise. When I held it up, I realized I'd be as good as naked in it. Lengthwise, it just reached mid-thigh.

"Put it on!" I heard him shout. "I'm sure you'll look great in it. I bought it a few days ago and can't wait to see you in it."

I just stared at it. Memories of his long fingers exploring my body while his lips were close to my ear whispering words of love and affection returned in a flood, washing over me, weakening my legs, and leaving me limp and trembling. I had to sit on the bed. I closed my eyes and tried to catch my breath.

"Hey," he said, coming to the door. "Don't you like it? It was expensive," he added. "Go on, put it on. Go on," he said more firmly. "Or, do you want me to help you?" he followed. "Is that what you want? I'd like that."

"No, I can do it," I said quickly.

"Sure you can. She'd pop her cork if she could see you in that," he added, and returned to the kitchen.

Slowly, I undressed and then put on the chemise. I felt so naked, I shivered and embraced myself. When I heard him behind me, I turned. He was standing in the doorway with a dining room chair in his hands, holding it in front of him

"I like to imagine her in here with us, watching and fuming, don't you?" he asked, and put the chair against the bedroom wail. "You look better than I imagined. You're a beautiful girl. I know she never wanted you to know that, but you are.

"Well now," he said as he started to unbutton his shirt, "here we are in our own new home. What could be better than this?" he said.

Midway down his shirt, he stopped and listened. I hadn't heard anything because there was too much thunder in my ears coming from the raging storm within my heart, but now that he was silent, I did hear what sounded like footsteps above. That was followed by a loud, hard knocking on the door.

"Who the hell is that?" he asked. "Just a minute," he said, buttoning his shirt and moving quickly out of the bedroom and through the boathouse. I sat back on the bed and waited, my whole body feeling as if I had been tied and bound, too. I gazed at the empty chair.

I heard a male and then a female voice and my name. My father raised his voice and began to yell. Then I heard some scuffling, more shouting and moments later what sounded like a chair being overturned. I rose and went to the door just as a woman who looked about thirty came hurrying toward me. She was wearing a police uniform.

"Cathy Carson?"

"Yes?" I said.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

I looked past her and saw a tall, dark-haired man in a suit hovering over my father. He spun him around and placed handcuffs on his wrists.

"It's okay, honey," the woman said. "You're going to be all right."

"What?" I asked, full of confusion. "What's going on?"

Before she could respond, I looked past her again because I heard more footsteps on the steps. I saw Doctor Marlowe coming toward me quickly. I fell back on the bed unable and unwilling to stop the tears from bursting free. Doctor Marlowe sat beside me quickly and embraced me, holding me tightly to her.

"It's over," she said. "Finally, it's over."

Epilogue

The girls had gone for Doctor Marlowe. After they had read my note, they had a meeting and concluded they had to tell her what we had done and what danger they believed I was in. It was Dr. Marlowe who guessed that my father was involved and called the police, who tracked us down at the boat. They took a great chance for me, and I will forever love them.

After I dressed, Doctor Marlowe and the policewoman questioned me about what my father had done, how he had blackmailed me into going off with him. I broke into hysterical tears many times during my description of it all, but Doctor Marlowe helped me get it out and talk, and then I told the policewoman what my father had said he had done to Geraldine. I remembered he had taken the bottle of herbal pills and put it in his jacket. She searched and found it, and later, when they confronted my father with it, he confessed.

That didn't excuse us from what we had done. We were still brought before a judge and lectured. Doctor Marlowe seemed to be the only one who understood and supported us. Jade's and Misty's parents hired high-priced attorneys to help, even though they didn't seem to do that much. Star and I just had Doctor Marlowe, who in the end, appeared to have the most influence with the judge. The others had families, legal guardians, to assume responsibility for them, but I had no one now.

Once again, Doctor Marlowe stepped forward. She volunteered to be my foster parent. She and her sister were going to take me into their home. I resisted until she assured me it was something her sister really wanted to do.

"Emma needs a companion. I'm far too busy to give her the attention she deserves, Cathy. Don't worry. You'll be earning your keep," she promised.

Beggars can't be choosers, Geraldine would remind me, but I couldn't have had a better choice.

Both Doctor Marlowe and I discussed my final year of schooling and decided I should return to the public school system. She wanted me to live as normal a life as was possible, to meet people, to do the things girls my age were doing. Under her guidance and Emma's encouragement, I actually participated in some extracurricular activities. I tried out for the school play and got a good part.

Jade, Star, and Misty came to see me perform and after- ward, we all went out together for pizza We had kept in contact most of the year, despite Jade's mother's attempts to keep us apart. She blamed most of what had happened on Star, Misty, and me, telling Jade we were bad influences. How could her daughter do such a thing as bury a person?

Jade was as defiant as ever, even after the court proceedings, and her mother quickly reverted back to her regular lifestyle. Jade adjusted to her father's new life as best she could and seemed to get past another crisis.