Tom delivered Renée to her doorstep, and kissed her good-bye.  She nodded it was okay when he explained what was going to happen next.  He had to get over to Lydia’s so they could “get back together.”  Renée said she could hardly wait for the thirteen months and two weeks to pass so that this ridiculous charade could stop.  He kissed her again, and drove to the Brownstone residence.

            “Well, it’s about damn time you showed your face around here young man!”  Mr. Brownstone seemed more than a little disgruntled.

            “Excuse me, sir?  Your daughter broke up with me as I recall.  I just stopped by to see if she is more reasonable today, and will give me another chance.”

            “Reasonable?  You don’t know very damn much about women do you, boy?  She went out with Donnie Worthington last night.  Neither her mother nor I heard her come home, but all we’ve heard is sobs coming from her bedroom today.  She hasn’t come out to eat, or drink.  The nanny brought her up a tray, and it hasn’t been touched.”

            “I don’t understand, sir.  What’s happened?  Donnie’s liked Lydia for a long time, he’s been waiting for us to break up so he could date her.”

            “Look, when her nanny tried to talk to her, all she kept saying was to let her know if and when ‘Tommy’ got here.  You’re here, will you go up and talk to her, please?”

            “Yes, sir.  Which room is hers?”

         “Last door on the left at the end of the hall.”

            “Lyd,  hey sweetie, it’s Tommy.  Can I come in?”  Tom could hear her sobs, and sniffling.  The key turned in the lock, and the door slowly opened, but just enough for him to narrowly squeeze in.

            Lydia was a mess.  He’d never seen her so disheveled.  What troubled him the most was a bruise.

            “Tommy!” she cried, “I’m so happy to see you, please take me back!  I’m sooooo sorry!”  After Tom stepped inside, she shut and locked the door.

            “Lydia, what happened to you?  Were you in an accident?”  Tom couldn’t believe his eyes.

            “No.  This was no accident, Tom.”

        “Who did this to you?  Did Animal get ticked that you went out with Donnie, and blow his top?”

            “Nooo, Tommy it is s-s-so much worse than that.  I just don’t know what t-t-to do.  I, I, I don’t know who to turn to...  Animal doesn’t know.”  She was quivering.

            “You are a mess, start at the beginning.  What happened?  I’m on your side.  Tell me.”

            Lydia began to talk.   “Donnie picked me up, and my parents were thrilled.  Their little darling was going out with the son of the most prominent surgeon in town.  We went to Patsy’s Pizza, and were sitting there having a pretty good time.  Then Animal walked in, and sat down with us.  We all seemed to be getting along really good, and having fun.  Then we all went in the back to play pool.  I wished Donnie would have left me there alone so Animal and I could have had a better time, but he kept hanging out watching every move we made.  He finally went to the bathroom or something, then he walked back in and caught us kissing.  I could see he was mad, but it was only a date, and we hadn’t even discussed getting together again.  So, I told him to get over it, you had seen me kiss Animal before, we were going steady, and it didn’t upset you.”

       “I know how you can act Lydia, he should have fell for that hook, line and sinker.”

        “Yeah, well Pasquale was ready to close the place, and Donnie says to me that Jacques, Jack, Chevalier was having a make-out party at his parents carriage house, and he wanted to go.  I told him to see if Jenny Verona wanted to go, because you were out of town playing basketball, and she was probably available.  He ignored me, and brought me to Jack’s.  When I got there I learned that I was the party.”  Lydia’s eyes were filled with tears again.

            “What are you saying Lydia?”  Tom was feeling very uneasy.

            “I’m saying that once that door shut, I realized the only girl there was me. Jeremy Hayward grabbed me from behind, and Jack grabbed my ankles. Donnie insisted on going first because he’d bought me pizza.  Those guys held me so I couldn’t fight.  Donnie lifted my skirt, and pulled off my panties. The other boys were touching me down there while Donnie took off his pants.  I was scared Tommy, oh I was so scared.  I started to yell, but one of them slapped me across the face, and told me to shut up or it would get worse.  I don’t know how much worse it could have been Tom, unless they killed me.  Donnie shoved it in with such force that well, you don’t want to hear what it did to me.  You know I’d never done it before, Tommy, and he kept pounding and pounding and what ever he did made where I was bleeding burn like it was on fire.  He got off me then Jack immediately got on.  He moved it real fast, and it was over quickly with him.  Jeremy wasn’t nice at all.   He grabbed my head and almost gagged me to death with it.  Then he put it in me, and did it hard like Donnie did.  Tom, it was awful.  They took turns for a long time.  Donnie did it to me at least three times, and Jack made me do with my mouth what Jeremy did. I can’t believe that people do that, and say they like it!  It was nasty, and now I’m ruined!  I’m ruined!  Who’s gonna want me now?  Who’s gonna want me now?”  Lydia was crying again.

            “Shhh... Lydia, I can’t imagine hurting a woman like that.  You are not ruined.  You were raped. That is a crime.  We should go downstairs, and tell your parents, so they can call the police.”

         “No Tommy!  No!  They won’t understand.  They won’t believe me.  Remember my diary?  Dad still thinks I’ve got hot pants. Donnie already said he’d lie, and say he left me at Patsy’s with Animal, so he’d get the blame. Animal would never hurt me like that. Not my Angelo.  He’s kind, and gentle. Donnie Worthington, and his evil friends are the animals.”

           “It’s okay now.  They won’t hurt you ever again.  You’re with me, and you’re safe.  Are you hungry now, baby?”  Tom remembered what her father said.

            “Yes, a little.  I think I can eat now that you’re here.  But, I don’t want to go downstairs.”

            “Let me bring in your tray.  I’ll sit with you while you eat...  There you go.  Take small bites.  I’ll tell your parents that I’m sorry for causing you so much distress. You were awake crying all night, and are going to try to sleep now.  By the looks of that bruise on your face, it should be able to be covered with make-up by tomorrow.  I’ve got something to take care of in a little while, then I have to go home, and face the music there.”

            “Tommy, thank you.  But, it was really painful.  I’m still bleeding, and it’s not my period either.  You know about periods?”

            Tom nodded his head yes.  He only knew what little Renée had told him.

            “You called it rape?  I was scared they were going to rape me to death.  I mean it was horrifying.  It hurt so bad.  How can it possibly be good?”

            “Lydia, when you love someone, it is good.  It’s an expression of love that nothing in the world can be compared to.”

          “I’m sure you do it with Jenny and Renée.  Does it hurt them, too?”

            “Lydia, I’ve never done it with Jenny.  I pay her to say we do.  I don’t want anyone, I didn’t even want you to know that I do it with Renée.  She is beautiful, inside and out.  I love her so much, and when we did it the first time, it just happened.  She said it hurt her very much, and I was not rough at all.  I can’t imagine what it felt like for you with them using their kuk as a weapon.”

            “Kuk?”

       “Their... man part.  That’s a slang Norwegian name for it.  I’m so sorry it was bad for you.  My poor baby.  My poor, poor baby.  Lydia, I do love you, but not the same way as I love Renée.”

            “I know Tommy, I love you too, but not like I love Animal.”  She began to cry again.  “I’m not a good girl for him anymore.  Oh my God!  What’s going to happen to me now?  How am I ever going to tell him that I’m...  I’m used?  Damaged goods?  Oh Tommy!”

            “Don’t worry about it Lydia.  If he loves you, he will overlook what happened.  He knows you didn’t cheat on him.  Trust me, he will know.”

 
           “Hello Mrs. Miltonelli.  Is Angelo here?”
        “Yesa.  He’sa uppa the stairs inna his bedroom.  You a good boy, Tommy.  You be a gooda friend to my Angelo.  But, you bea too skinny.  Letta me fixa you a plate.  Filla you outta little bit.”
            “Smells delicious Mrs. Miltonelli.  I’ll have a taste before I leave.”

            “Hey there Animal.  How’s it goin’?”

            “Great!  Where’s my baby doll?”

           “Animal, what I’ve got to say isn’t pretty.  How’s your temper?”

            “What do you mean how’s my temper?  You thinka I’ma hotta headed Italiano?”  Animal laughed.

            “I’ve never seen you upset, but I got some really bad news.  And, I know it’s not going to make you very happy.  Last night, Donnie brought Lydia over to the Chevalier’s for a party.”

            “Well, I knew he was taking her out so I suppose that went with the territory.”

            “Animal, Lydia was the party.”

            “What’s that supposed to mean?”  He sat upright.

            “It means she was the only girl there, and three guys had their way with her.”

            Animal sat quietly.  His eyes narrowed, and his brow was furrowed.  “Ya know, I really wanted her, Ricsen.  I wanted her bad.  I’d tell myself to behave myself, cuz she was the one I wanted to marry.  I wanted to see that one walking up the aisle in a white gown, and a veil.  That no good dirty rotten low down stinking son of a bitch ruined my woman!”  Animal picked up his ashtray, and threw it across the room smashing it against the wall.  “Someone’s gonna pay.”

            “Animal, I’d be that pissed off if someone hurt Renée, but I wouldn’t consider her ruined.  Lydia loves you.  She had no chance, Ange.  None whatsoever.  You know Jacque Chevalier, and Jeremy Hayward?”

            “Nope.  Neither of them.”

            “Ivy Leaguers.  Parents buy them out of trouble left and right.  Donnie walked her into the party, Jeremy grabbed her from behind, and Jack grabbed her by the ankles.  They held her down while Donnie did it to her.”

            “Oh, my God!  They watched?  They held her down, and watched my baby get raped?”  He sat dumbfounded.

            “Worse than that Ange, they each raped her after Donnie was done. I think she should tell her parents and the police, but she got hysterical, and said no. She said they would blame you.”

            “Ricsen, I’m not even gonna tell you what I’m gonna do.  I will exact revenge on them.  Rich bastards have their ways, and well I’ve got mine. They will pay, and that’s a promise.  Just forget I said anything.”

            Tom didn’t ask any questions.  He knew his level of anger was high for Animal to be that calm, cool, and collected under the circumstances.  He was getting ready to go, when Animal asked him another question.

            “Your dad know you hang out with me?”

            “Not that I know of.”

            “Good.  He hiring ranch hands?”

            “Always.”

            “When I show up looking for a job, you don’t know me.”

            “Who?”

            “You got that down pat.  I don’t wanna fight with you, or anything like that, but I don’t wanna be like good buddies around your place.  I need a job, I’m willing to learn, and when I put my mind to something, I learn fast, and I learn thoroughly.”

           “Angelo!  Tommy!  Come onna downstairs and eata soma spaghetti!”

            “Mama beckons, we’d better get down there before she comes up swinging the wooden spoon.”

            “You gotta be kidding?”

            “Just stay here and find out, if you don’t believe me.  On our way down now, Mama!