"Is it over?" Samantha asked.

"Not yet, dear," Prudence said, stroking Samantha's hair as she would Molly's after a nightmare.

"Where have you been? There's so much I need to tell you," Wendell blurted out. He didn't care about the Prydes wrestling on the floor or this lummox Prudence holding Samantha. He had missed too many chances already. "Samantha, I-"

An enraged scream cut off his words. Joseph Pryde lay in a gasping heap while his father stood and lit a cigarette. "Everyone get to your bedrooms. Now!" Mr. Pryde roared.

"You aren't going to hurt him, are you?" Samantha asked, her voice muffled by sobs and layers of Prudence's fat.

"He's had enough for now. All of you go on to bed and in the morning we'll talk," Mr. Pryde said.

The concern in Samantha's voice told Wendell it was too late. Nothing he said or did now would make any difference. She cared too much for this brute on the floor. He had somehow captured her heart in one day in a way Wendell couldn't over four years. He slunk up the steps into his room, hiding himself in the dark closet again so no one could hear him cry.

Prudence led Samantha up the stairs, torn between concern for her friend and joy that Samantha had come back. Though never had she seen Samantha like this, so helpless and vulnerable. More like a little child than she ever had even at six years old. Prudence continued to stroke her hair and reassure her Joseph would be fine all the way up to the bedroom.

On the way to the bed, Samantha insisted they stop at the dresser. She grabbed a bottle of rose-colored liquid and squirted it twice onto her face. "What's that?" Prudence asked.

"Medicine for my pimples," Samantha said.

"You look fine," Prudence said. "There's nothing to worry about." She took the bottle from Samantha to set it back on the dresser and then helped Samantha into bed. Prudence pulled back the covers to tuck Samantha in like one of the young children back in Eternity. She brushed hair back from Samantha's forehead to give her a goodnight kiss on the forehead. "Go to sleep and in the morning everything will be all better."

"Thanks," Samantha said. Prudence turned off the light, but lingered in the doorway a moment to look down at Samantha. The kiss she had seen earlier had done this. That boy and his lips had made Samantha weaker than Reverend Crane and the Fountain of Youth ever did. That was the power he held over her. Yes, tomorrow they needed to have a long talk and set everything right. Then Prudence would have her friend back.




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