Michaels if I could leave Walter's car on his lot until my father and I could figure out how to get it back home. He offered to drive Walter's car hom... for me if I'd give him a ride back to the lot. I told him sure. He wrote up the contract and told me that my father would sign everything later, then he and I drove home. I drove him back, and then I drove home once again.I found Walter sitting on the couch watching television. When he saw me he smiled in a way that let me know that he was. “Answer me!” I couldn’t look away from her eyes. Like through a fog, I heard my own voice answer her, clumsy and trembling, “yes, Lydia.” * * * * * I can’t remember all that much about the short drive to the dorms. Deborah asked me a number of questions about my classes, hobbies and family. She learned that my parents had moved to the other side of the country and that I didn’t really have close friends in town. She had me tell her about my changing room adventures in detail. My cheeks burned. I asked them if it would be all right for me to go over to Clara's house for a short visit. I'd already checked to make sure Clara's mom was going to be home too. They told me to go ahead, but not to be too late, or to overstay my welcome with Clara's mom.When I was let into Clara's house, I could see right away that Mrs. Townsend wasn't comfortable with my being there. We were all sitting in the living room, Clara was making small talk with me, and Clara's mom was sitting on an overstuffed. ”“Of course you did.” She smiled, and her finger traced the line of my jaw. “Why, look, she’s blushing! Did you really imagine that it was something to be ashamed of, or that I wasn’t doing it as well?”“You were?”“There isn’t an echo in here, is there?” Mila’s finger was still stroking my face. “Poor dear Juliana, you really need to be helped to set yourself free, don’t you? I should have known when I saw that nightgown.”“Well,” I said, made suddenly bold by the beer, “what do you want me to.