We cheated on each other. We abused each other. We betrayed and manipulated each other. We denigrated each other. We betrayed ourselves. Many young bl...ck women grew up hearing their mothers, aunts and sisters stories about the worthlessness of black men. And many black men grew up hearing black women calling all black men worthless and untrustworthy. Many of these young black men were decent. Some were bad but not all. Regardless, all of them were blamed for the actions of those who came before. Laurel went to say goodbye to Lady Joan, saying she hoped they would be back this way one day soon. Lady Joan smiled then handed Laurel the lute, Laurel stared at the instrument in her hand "I can't take this Lady Joan, I have no way of paying you for it" The Lady chuckled "no child this is in payment for your music, you gave me a service by singing your wonderful songs and I am paying you with the lute." Laurel hugged the lute against her chest, her eyes wide she thanked the Lady, not quite. Sam jumped to his feet and offered a hand to help Joan. They were both nude. It was more than obvious what they'd been doing."Mom!" Joan said. "We didn't... " Get out of here! Go to your rooms, right now! Both of you! God damn it, right now!"The kids fled upstairs, though the bit of a giggle that floated back to her didn't indicate that they were very worried about her anger. The sound of two doors closing followed. Caroline found herself trembling. How had this happened? How long had it been. .." She turned and looked at me and shrugged "... who's taken pity on me and I'm going to get cleaned up and dried off and then I'll come home." Silence again. "I don't know. An hour, maybe two." He was talking again. "No, I think it'll be OK. I'll call if I need you. Thanks. Love you."She hung up the phone. I surveyed myself up and down. "Oh yeah," she said. "It just seemed easier if I told him you were a girl. He's not the jealous type, but why create a problem where there isn't one?" I.