Shane was waiting at Bette’s house. Angelica went in her room to pack, before leaving to apologize to the family of the girl she beat up. Angelica did not see Shane but Kit talked to Shane before she knocked on angelica’s door. Shane had been in Vancouver for five years now, she had finally found her mother…a walking skeleton stricken with all kinds of veneral diseases including AIDS. It had been very painful.    Angelica let Shane in, suprised to see her…Shane was Angelica’s favourite aunt. shane hugged back, squeezing angelica tight….loving her. They sat on the edge of the bed….shane helped Angelica pack

“it must be hard for you angie…seeing your parents fall apart like this”

“its not so bad”

“really?…you know i dont really believe that?”

“nobody believes me anymore”

“i believe that a thirteen year old with that much on her plate doesnt go pick flowers, i think looking for a release helps but maybe it doesnt somtimes”

“it’s just……”

“you dont have to say anything angelica, just here to be with you before you leave”

Angelica threw down her suitcase, the sobs came in short bursts and Shane held her….not letting go.

“its just-it’s just-its just…..my insides are bursting and shane i…..i lost my virginity with a guy, he hasnt called me yet and after he just went off and slept and didnt even talk to me after like right after….it was not even good it was horrible and i’ve been smoking pot and feeling angry and sad and and and…..i love my moms but i cant talk to them without arguing s….i cant stand it anymore….”   Shane held her tightly…”shhhh Angel shhhhhhh….now now there there…..you know sweetie, i never told you this but you i worked the streets befroe?”   “you did?”   “yeah, after running away trying to find my mom, you know what i learned? i learned how not to feel…thats how people on the streets learn how to survive they dont feel so they can do things in order to survive…it took me a very long time for me to learn how to feel again….and when i did, the world felt liveable again…and i had help, you cant learn to feel again without help….and this is it Angel, either you choose to go down that road to no feelings and see the world through hardened eyes or you choose to face pain head on with help and  recognize what you are going through what you are feeling….and you wont end up like those people who will slit a person’s throat for money for food..you wont need to use drugs to feel sometihng so fleetingly….so grab onto to it Angel, feel your sadness for your mom feel the pain but deal with it…with help, and use it to gain in life, use it to be strong for your moms…they need you to be strong for them, they’re like your kids now….”