Aunty moved to one side and raised her arm, thwack, thwack, thwack and Kate yelled out after the third stroke and tried to protect her bum. “Hands b...ck, or you’ll get more,” Aunty said. Kate cried out after each remaining stroke. Aunty told her to stand up and rub her bottom. Then Kate turned back to face the table and me! Looking down in embarrassment, she said she would now receive six strokes of the cane for lying about her smoking. Aunty said, “Good, now take off your nightie for the. "She started with my hair, luckily it was just about long enough. Shetrimmed a bit here and cut of the sideburns, teased it and combed it.When she reached for the makeup, I tried to take a sneaky peak and gotmy hand slapped."No looking till I've finished."On went foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick. She stoodback and studied me."Stand up and go and look at yourself."I stood, walked to the wardrobe, opened the door so I could look atmyself in the full length mirror. Was that. Then I remembered that my wallet was in my jacket and I went back to get it. When I opened the closet door it bumped the table in the hall and Mia's purse fell on the floor and some stuff spilled out: a lipstick, a small make up case, a pair of eyebrow tweezers — and a condom. The implication of what that meant staggered me as I picked the items up off the floor and put them back in the purse and put the purse back on the table.I paid Stella, thanked her for watching the kids and then I went. What washe not telling me? He pulled into his parking spot and looked me in theeye...."Let's do this bitch."As I got out of the car I took stock of all of these high schoolstudents arriving at school. Girlfriends with their boyfriends, thenerds, the jocks, the cheerleaders, you name it. Every socialdemographic and now I was to fit in with this crowd for a second time inmy life although be it a little different. I looked down at my belly andbegan to tear up. This life I was carrying within me.