He fumbled with thebuttons on his blouse, and it seemed to take forever for him tounfasten them all. Then he unzipped his skirt and peeled off his sli...,stockings and body briefer. He kicked the clothes under his bed and puton his jeans and sweatshirt. What had he forgotten? The lipstick! ThatGod he hadn't messed around with the rest of his mother's makeup. Hefound a black sock in his dirty clothes and rubbed furiously at hislips.When he'd done the best he could, he sat down on his bed and tried. I let her in and she looked like shewanted to kill someone, and that someone was me. "You read my diary, didn't you?!?" Jackie whispered angrily. "I'm sorry, Jackie. I don't know what to say." I answered.Jackie just stood there for a second and then started crying. I wentover and gave her a hug and she clung onto me and cried pretty heavilyfor a few minutes. When she was done, she looked at me sternly."You didn't tell anyone, did you? Your Mom?" No, no one." Well?" Jackie looked at me,. I'll miss them, but I have new parents now."She was unknowingly crying as she said that, causing her to hugValerie tighter as the grief finally let loose with all of her pent-upanger and frustration. After several minutes, Denise finally calmedenough to enter the chapel and endure the standard funeral session.The toughest part was the internment, with Denise crying as Duke andMelody's ashes were placed in a special vault in a wall alongsidehundreds of others who had been cremated like the Halls. As I walked deliberately, but slowly, from the house onto the patio to the music, the sheer white cape fastened at my neck billowed out behind me in the early evening breeze that seemed to drive away a portion of the constant humidity. Around my neck, I had chosen a white lace choker that I hoped presented the image of a collar. Underneath the cape, which provided only an illusion of cover even from the back, my outfit consisted of white lace garter belt and stockings, and white 4-inch strap.