Shit, blast and damn. How do I leave her behind without hurting her feelings? She’s so dang innocent; I was sure a rebuff, though not meant to be one, would hurt her feelings. Was I ever this innocent? No, but some of my new sisters used to be when we first met, so I know the signs.

I was thinking hard about a plausible excuse when she clapped her hands across her mouth and looked at me like she’d committed a crime.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t ...