' Mom hugged me tightly making softsweet noises while I cried my heart out.After what seemed like hours to me I managed to slow my crying down to asob... When I opened my eyes again I noticed that Dad had left my room, Iwas now all alone with Mom. She turned my head, making me look at her."Feeling better now?"In my new sickly sweet high voice I answered in anguish, "No I'm not.Look at me, I'm a freak, an abomination!" Mom shook me hard and saidharshly, "Don't you ever say or even think like that.. " And what's wrong with that?" I asked with wicked grin."Nothing, but I'm sick of hearing about it. No matter what we talk about, it always comes back to that." Oh, and your big holiday party isn't the same thing?" Holly had flushed a deep red."That's different and you know it! Everyone is excited about my party." Dropping her voice low, she hissed, "I bet Anton dumped you because he was sick of hearing about your sex adventure with that old guy on the beach."Holly scooted her chair back with a. " Sandra gestured to the white leather couch seatedbefore the marble framed gas fireplace. Not for the first time Leonamarveled at the wealth poured into this space. "Okay," Sanda said, "I'vegot good news which is actually bad news, but more bad for me and prettygood for you." Leona didn't respond to the cryptic statement, waiting tohear the woman out."I was able to get you a job. Off the books. But not the job I thought Icould. So, against my better judgment, I called in a favor." Sandra. We all had dinner together, and once everything was cleaned up Kim told her parents she was going to take us out to show us the pond. They both grinned, and asked how much I had bought. When I said only 1 case her dad only asked that I only take 3 cans for each of us, and leave the rest in the fridge on the back porch.Linda was once more surprised. “What, they know you go out there to drink?”Kim nodded. “Yep, Pete here and I used to hang out here at night all the time. And when we were.