Chapter 4

The following day she managed to arrange that she and Gladys walk home alone from school together.

"Gladdie, can I ask you something?"

Her friend didn't answer, only looking at her questionably.

Michelle proceeded with caution, saying, "'Member, a couple of weeks ago you didn't answer when we were all talking about incest? I was just wondering, don't you think it's wrong?"

Her friend was silent for a long time as she debated with herself whether she should respond and if so, then how. She was well aware that most of the kids suspected the truth about her and her brother Kenny.

Finally, she responded with a question, "Why do you say it's wrong?"

"I ... I, well, it is between two people in the same family," Michelle stammered.

"So?" Gladys challenged, in some way enjoying making her friend uncomfortable.

"But it's wrong for two people in the same family!"

"Is it? Who says?"

"But ... what ... I mean it's not like the two people are in love or anything. It's, it's just..."

"Sex!" Gladys offered. "And let me ask you. What was it all about for the 75% of those people who got divorced? And how about all of those so-called 'two-in-love' who had abortions? Don't tell me it was love, else why is marriage a dying breed? And if it wasn't about love, then it was about sex. S-E-X. That's all. And let me tell you, I'd rather have sex with someone that I know cares for me, who I'm sure isn't just lying to me for it."

This was probably the first and closest that she had ever come to admitting the truth to anyone.

"But ... it's your ... your own flesh and blood," Michelle said.

"Yep. and let me tell you -- that's what makes it so good."

"Gladys!" Michelle whispered, realizing that her best friend was actually telling her her secret. "You ... Billy, er... ?"

Gladys nodded. "And I happen to think it's great. I don't care what everyone else thinks. Beside, we're not hurting anyone."

The two friends lapsed into silence for most of the rest of the way home. Gladys had been sorry that she had admitted so much, but her frustrations had built up over the past year with the rumors she knew were being whispered about by the kids in school. And the way this conversation built up had put her on the defensive and suddenly she couldn't take it anymore, she just had to say something to somebody. Nevertheless, she felt that her girlfriend would not blab to others.

She wondered why Michelle showed so much interest when she hadn't before, especially when those discussions came up in school. Moreover, it was not as if her friend had a brother that she was interested in doing something with, because she was an only child.

Then another thought struck Gladys. "You know Shelly, you can't always listen to what people think. You just gotta do what you think is right."

"Yeah, I guess so."