Traynor's illness, and who might be walking through the door any minute as her replacement.Ilsa found her desk, and, after a quick glance at Melanie, ...usied herself with the work from the previous class she had missed. Her focus was on the textbook when the substitute walked in, but she knew it because the class quieted, as twenty-seven pairs of female eyes surveyed and assessed the new female who would be replacing their beloved Ursula Traynor.She stayed on the page, wanting to finish the. Norman told her to cool of, that "Thing" was less than a year old.Paulene told him she would be using one of the old gas burners while that piece of junk was being fixed. She said she really had too much on her trailer but she was going to have a stand by mower on it from now on.She saw Jeff standing with his arm around Fay's shoulders and asked if he was Fay's father.Jeff said he was and stuck out his hand as if to shake hers.Paulene said " I don't shake hands with a good looking man like. .”I noticed her voice had started to crack a tiny bit.“It what?”“I liked it ... It felt good.” She told me with a great deal of shame.She went on to tell how he’d become demanding, intimidating, and just plain wicked. He convinced her it was all her fault and threatened to tell everyone what she did if she didn’t submit to his demands.She had to stop her story every few minutes to wipe her eyes.She told me how she’d lived with this for years until her mother had come home unexpectedly to find. My family's been here almost since New York was founded." Plenty of time to establish safe territories. "Landlord's a decent gig. Good income, flexible hours." I refrained from adding the other perks. No boss to notice regularities in my time off. Space to make soundproof rooms to muffle screams and growls, even in a crowded city. Arrangements to discreetly handle gnawed remains..."You're a landlord? I may have to hate you on principle." But she was smiling as she said it."Hey! Most of us.