Momfixed the straps until she was satisfied. Then she told me, "You canput the sandals on yourself. No, you don't wear socks with sandals."Mom fixed...my hair and we were ready. Well actually I wasn't but Mom wasready. So we were off to the wig store, just Mom and me.Inside the store Mom needed help this time. She approached a salesladyand told her, "I would like to get a wig for my eleven year old. Shejust won't take care of her hair like she should. I warned her that ifher hair continued. I'm not completely sure I'm awake enough to understand anything complicated, so please use small words and short sentences."Priya smiled, very briefly, and very nervously, and said, "I'm not much better off than you, I'm afraid. I'm on a different sleep shift than you, so this is my afternoon, not the middle of my night. That leaves me less groggy than you, but no more enlightened. I was studying in my room when Father summoned me. He was already immersed in the Rituals when I arrived, so he. But only because you'vebeen such a good darling!"Joe was ecstatic.*************************************The next day, Pamela took Joe to the surgeon. Pamela told Joe that thishad to be a secret and that he must tell no one. After all, breastaugmentation on a seven year old isn't exactly board-certified procedure.Joe understood perfectly."Now," Dr. Fertehn asked geniably, "what size are you interested in, Ms.Van Deffen?"Pamela looked to Joe for an answer. Joe thought back to what James hadsaid. Somehow, he had to get his mother into her bed. If he didn't, she would be mortified in the morning.Taking a deep breath, he leaned down and slipped one hand under her neck and another under the back of her knees. Straining, he struggled to lift her up into his arms. As he lifted her, she squirmed and mumbled something unintelligible but still didn't wake up. Turning, with her in his arms, he stumbled out of his room and down the hall. As he reeled down the hallway, grunting with effort, he.