In walked my mother from the bathroom."What are you going Danny?"I know my face got red and I stuttered trying to find something to say. Mom walked ov...r and took her panties from my hands. I knew she was pissed at me. She turned away to put her panties in the hamper. I must have lost my mind. I took hold of the towel she had wrapped around her body. I pulled it away.I think we were both shocked by what I had done. I was now looking at my Mom's chubby body. Since my Dad left us, Mom had put on. The queen moaned and pushed. "His head's out," Alyson announced."Shoulders... arms... hips -- he's a chubby little fellow... he's out."She caught the baby in a small, blue and gold blanket. Myrtle used asilver dagger to cut his cord. "Tansie," Alyson said, "clean the babyoff." She held the child up so the servant girl could take him." Yes'm." Tansie carried the child over to a prepared table in a cornerof the room. She set it down and looked back over her shoulder. Thewomen -- there were. Carla was shoving the food cart with my dinner on top of it. The plate held barbecue chicken breasts, a half-cup of rice, and a pile of spring mixed greens with a vinaigrette mix. My mother prepped food for my special diets after she discovered my fate."Wake up, sleepyhead," Carla giggled, trying to sit me up. "You have a guest too."My hospital room was a double bed room, which meant another patient could bed in the same room as me. When I turned to the second bed next to the door, my mouth. " The governor rose to his feet and summoned the guard. Before he couldissue the full instruction the Messenger spoke again. "And bring his slut wife here too." As he looked down into the courtyard the Messenger's shoulders beganto shake, the laughter rising within him came spilling out in a low and evilchuckle that by now was well known in the whole of the commune. ***The husband was bound hand and foot and stood at the side of the roomnear the door. He was gagged and his eyes locked wide open.