My World Was Changing, And I Was

I Wanted So Much To Keep You Safe. I Did My Best. I'm Sorry Things Didn't Come Out Different For The Two Of Us. I Wish I Could Have Been Good Enough For You.

I Had Learned How It Felt To Want More Than The Sweet Touch Of Hand To Cheek Or Lips To Palm, More Than A Kiss, More Than An Embrace. I Was Starting To Discover That It Is Not Only The Mind That Understands Love, But Also The Body.

After A While, Footsteps Sounded On The Flagstones Outside And There Was A Gentle Tap At The Door. Of Course, One Of Them Would Come. So Close Were We, The Seven Of Us, That No Childhood Injury Went Unnoticed, No Slight, Real Or Imagined, Went Unaddressed, No Hurt Was Endured Without Comfort.

She Went On Because There Was No Going Back.

My Daughter," I Said Blankly. "i See. Correct Me If I Am Wrong, But I Thought It Took A Man, As Well As A Woman, To Make A Child. Is This Infant's Father To Be A Crab, Or A Seagull Maybe? Or Were You Planning To Shipwreck Some Likely Sailor On My Doorstep, So I Can Make Convenient Use Of Him?