CHAPTER 11

I was stunned that he had used these words for me. For her daughter. A lone tear escaped my eye. The realization of what he had just said struck him hard too. He came for my hands with apologizing gaze but now I was in no condition to listen to his explanation.

He had said that I was a whore. I ran upstairs to my room and locked it. I had never imagined that my father would say such a word to me. Ever. If mamá was here with me she would have calmed him. She would have never let her say that to me.

My reflection in the mirror caught my attention and my locket glistened in the light coming from the window. I moved closer to it and removed my tears.

The locket was given to me by my mother. It had two wings at each side that would open up and inside it was engraved prostátis in ancient Greek. It meant “protector”. I remember that once my mother told me that she got this when she was young and sightseeing at a temple with her friends. She and another one of her friends had helped an old