The one who called me Sugar used to wait until he was nearly too drunk to stand, then push me against the bathroom sink and have me. His curly hair in...my shoulder, biting my breast. I don’t even remember most of it, just having a throat too sore to protest when my best friend would pull me from the mattress on the floor. She’d help me on with my pants and cardigan, shove me into her car, and never say a word. Her shame was equal to mine, and we kept each other’s secrets. Such friendship is so. As these thoughts came and went for the first time since the awful newsof my grandmothers passing the guilt mixed in with my grief about notbeing with her at the end had faded. That my absence had been by herchoice did make my feelings of guilt any easier to deal with, butknowing that Nancy was with her did take most of it away because I knewshe had she passed away surrounded by love.I'd be lying if I said that I did not worry about what what people wouldthink of me, especially if they knew. "Oh Stars! I was hoping to have more time ... on the other hand it will be quicker with their help. Still... "Aliya, this base and everyting in it is our salvage... 100%," Katrina stressed. "We're going to meet the rest of the company and with a find this big I imagine that the scientist will want a piece of this and won't be going out on surveys. So ... I want you too look after the HAMrs, make sure nothing dodgy is going on ... and I will keep an eye on this room to ensure that no data is. Turning away from the entrance, she simply said, "Come."Confronted with this daunting woman, the girls were silent for once and we followed her through a small empty waiting room and continued into a room populated with clinical examination equipment. Two identical exam tables were set up, side by side. Each station was 'manned' by a younger version of the blonde woman standing in readiness beside it.The older woman turned to us. "I am Dr. Rosen. These are my daughters, Dr. Rosen and Dr..