"But you bastards in St. Louis stole it. So people in Los Angeles go without." I'm not from St. Louis," Adam pointed out. "Actually, Corinth is about ...50 miles south of St. Louis. Besides, Phoenix stole the Cardinals, at least from what I've heard. I wasn't born yet. I was only three or so when the Rams moved."He paused."I really don't know much about sports," he admitted. "Or cars, now that I think of it. Or guns or plumbing. I might be a woman."Veronica laughed."No, you don't know enough. Groggily, she climbed out ofbed.How many times did I wake up, hoping and praying that I would be a girl? Of course, in her day-dreams, waking up as a girl had been glorious. Thereality was not quite the same. She had never fantasized about the mealytaste of stale saliva in her mouth, tangles in her hair, and stubble onher legs.I'm such a sex kitten. Playboy here I come!Of course, there were moments when she felt that way. But they were farfewer than she had imagined. Even so, she had gained a. I channeled Jasmine this time, to avoid personal questions. She was rich, like this guy’s daughter would be, and smart and innocent. I made up names of other friends, but I talked about all Jazzie’s school subjects. Ted ate it up.I laughed. I was a girl, playing a prostitute, pretending to be a more innocent girl.“What’s so funny, sweetie?” he asked. “Oh,” I took a sip of water, thinking. I needed explain my laugh. So I made a story about Ken running into a pole as he walked by me in P.E. I. After what you did for me and mom today, I think. . . I think you have a right to know." I almost open my mouth to tell her she doesn’t owe me anything, but the flash of anger in her eyes stops me. "I used to keep a diary. I kept all of my personal and private thoughts in it. Dad found it one day, and read it. When I got home, he confronted me about some of the. . .” She swallows, and I can see she is trying to build up her courage to continue, “things, I'd written in it. Things that were wrong.