Twelve Maidens

Five

Angela

Father comes toward me.

Grabbing my wrist, he whispers,

"Your mother will be up here in

five minutes.

I will no longer tolerate this

nonsense.

You are not a child anymore,

no matter how much you believe you are.

This charade

of childlike tendencies

can and

will not

go on any more.

Do I make myself clear?"

Giving a quick, sharp nod,

I mutter, "Yes."

He releases my wrist,

adjusts his coat,

and walks downstairs.

I scurry over to the open door.

From downstairs I hear,

"Mary, Angela needs you

to prepare," Father says.

"Yes George."

Next I hear feet

walk up the stairs.

A few tears fall from my eyes

as my mother walks in, as elegant as ever.

"Darling, is it occuring again?"

She takes my hand

and strolls to my bed with me.

We sit on my soft bed

and I lie my head on her.

Nodding, tears begin streaming down my face.

"Oh Angela."

She takes her hand

and pets my head.

"I shan't be...this way. I...can't"

Between my sobs, she says,

"I know sweetheart, I know."

I glance out the window.

Isabelle

"Isabelle you look beautiful!"

"Isabelle, how stunning!"

"Isabelle, how did you do your hair like that?"

Numerous comments

shoot at me

like bullets

as I walk downtairs,

stinging my ears with the

sugarsweet remarks.

"Oh Isabelle, look who's

here!" Father gets excited

when he notices

Gabriel

Walking towards us.

"Gabriel! It's been so long!"

Father exclaims

as we stand in the

grand room

of our wooden