Chapter Eighteen
The question galvanized Lee. It was a simple question and maybe it was the frankness of tone; the way in which Mindy asked, or maybe that the incident at the movie house was still so raw. Lee’s first instinct was to duck out; say No! Never! But the honesty she saw reflected in Mindy’s eyes made her think more closely about the lie that was forming on her lips. Biding for time, Lee turned to put the pizza in the oven and fiddled needlessly with the timer. She settled her thoughts: This was a weekend for open and frank discussion, she had decided. Time set aside for Mindy and Lee wasn’t about to shirk that commitment.
Lee took Mindy by the hand and led her to the table. “No, I’ve never been raped,” she started, “but I was sexually molested. It happened in public.”
Mindy’s
