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Show A NOVEL CHAPTER ONE When their father died, Sharon wanted to move in with her brother. But he was a young bachelor about town, living with three other young men in a beach apartment in Playa Del Ray. He did not want her there. Or as he said, he did not want her "exposed to that kind of environment at your age." In later years she was to conclude that Robbie had made the right decision. On weekends there were parties which often ended with a couple young women sleeping over-it was more than a matter of Sharon being in the way, but how she would have been affected by living in such an arrangement. But at the time, she resented his decision, hotly resented it. With the pure intensity of which only a sixteen year old is capable. When.he called on Sundays, or dropped by to take her out for a Coke, she would always mention that she hated where she lived, always work it into the conversation. But she didn't press further than that. It was hard on him, too, having a younger sister to look out for. She didn't want to make it any more difficult than it already was. So, largely, she concealed her resentment. It was not good for her, to hide it, to cover it up. It seemed to gnaw on her. She wasn't even allowed that, she thought, to have it out in the open. She felt sorry for herself-a "martyr" was the term she used, the word, in talking with herself. As a child the sufferings of the church martyrs had held a fascination for her. St. |
