"Prudence."

"What a lovely name, very classic. I don't think I've ever met a Prudence before. A few Constances and even a Temperance, but never a Prudence. It's very unique," Suzie said.

Prudence didn't care how unique her name was, she just wanted to leave this awful place and go back to Eternity. Why had Samantha run away and left her to face this alone?

"How about we find something pretty for you? I'll let you have it free of charge for me being such a knucklehead." Prudence didn't say anything. Suzie took her hand, leading her to the back of the store to a section labeled 'Plus Sizes.' She thumbed through the rack until pulling out a mint green T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. "These are good for a girl your age. Why don't you go into the changing room to try them on?"

Prudence looked at the clothes skeptically, but then decided they couldn't be any worse than what she had on now. She took the clothes and trudged into the changing room. Her reflection in the floor-length mirror on the door brought tears to her eyes. Why was she cursed to be so fat? Why couldn't she be skinny and pretty like Samantha or Helena?

She sat on the bench in the little room to cry, keeping her eyes on the floor so she wouldn't have to see her bloated reflection. After a few minutes, Suzie knocked on the door and asked, "Do you need any help in there, honey?" No one could help her with what she wanted most.

Outside the store, Wendell leaned against the clapboard façade, studying the automobiles as they passed. He wished Samantha would come back and Prudence would stop dallying in the store so they could return to Mr. Pryde's house. The sight of so many automobiles made him want to tear apart the one at Mr. Pryde's house so he could figure out how it worked.

He recognized one particular automobile as belonging to Mr. Pryde. He cried out with relief when the car pulled over and Samantha jumped out of the passenger's seat. She dashed across the road, nearly getting run over by a passing automobile. Samantha ignored the automobile's horn and, as she had so many times in Wendell's dreams, threw herself against him.

"This is the happiest day of my life," she said.

"Why?" he managed to ask, hoping she didn't feel the sudden bulge in his pants.

"I'm going to find out about myself," she said. Wendell tried not to let his disappointment show. The bulge in his pants faded away as quickly as it had appeared. "It's so wonderful. I know how old I am now-how old I really am. And I know I've been to this place before."




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