"He never lied before," Linda said quietly from the doorway.
"You—heard?"
Linda nodded.
Abby tried to smile. "I'm afraid, dear, that Dr. Gower is like all men. When he couldn't have what he wanted—" her face clouded at the thought—"he tried to shock me, to hurt me, to make me ashamed...."
"Would it make you ashamed to have me for a daughter?"
Abby's heart beat quickly. "Of course not, Linda. But the circumstances—"
"I see," Linda said slowly. "They have a name for children like me; that's what you're ashamed of. Or maybe, as Dr. Gower said, you're afraid for yourself!"
"But it's not true, Linda, don't you see?" Abby insisted.
She put her arm on the girl's shoulder. Linda shook it off; tears welling in her eyes.
"You don't even want to know," the girl accused. "You don't even care." And she turned and ran from the room.