FROM THE MEMOIRS OF REGGIE MANTLE,
TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH
AFTER SPENDING YEARS EXTRACTING MYSELF FROM THE ARCHIES IN ORDER TO LAUNCH MY SOLO CAREER, I FOUND MYSELF WORKING WITH THEM AGAIN.
IN THE SPRING OF 2028, VERONICA LODGE-ANDREWS INVITED MY WIFE OLGA AND I TO WORK ON AN EP TRIBUTE TO SONGWRITER NEIL SEDAKA. SHE AND CHUCK CLAYTON (MY REPLACEMENT IN THE BAND) WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE RECORDING SESSION IN NEW YORK CITY, SO WE STOOD IN FOR THEM. THAT DATE PRODUCED SEDAKA JUNCTION, THE GROUP’S ONLY HIT THAT YEAR.
THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE ARCHIES WERE EMBROILED IN A CONTROVERSY THAT DERAILED THEIR CAREER! A TAKEN-OUT-OF-CONTEXT CELLPHONE VIDEO, SUPPOSEDLY DEPICTING THE MEMBERS IN BLACKFACE WENT VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT RESULTED IN THE BAND BEING ACCUSED OF RACISM! AMID THE SUBSEQUENT FURORE, A SOUL MUSIC ALBUM THAT THEY’D JUST RELEASED - ONE OF THEIR BEST RECORDS EVER - GOT TAINTED BY ACCUSATIONS OF “APPROPRIATION”! THAT’S A FANCY TERM THAT MEANS STEALING CULTURE, IN THIS CASE FROM BLACK PEOPLE.
MEDIA APPEARANCES AND CONCERT DATES DRIED UP, POP CULTURE CELEBRITIES DENOUNCED THEM, ATLANTIC RECORDS TERMINATED THEIR RECORD DEAL “FOR CAUSE” AND SOME MUSIC OUTLETS ACTUALLY BANNED THEIR ALBUM! IT WAS A BUBBLING HOT MESS LIKE I’D NEVER SEEN BEFORE: CANCEL CULTURE ON STEROIDS!
YOU MIGHT THINK I’D APPRECIATE NOT BEING PART OF THE ARCHIES DURING THIS PERIOD, BUT THE OPPOSITE WAS TRUE: I FELT AS MUCH ANGUISH AS IF I WERE STILL AN ACTIVE MEMBER! EVEN WITHOUT KNOWING THE DETAILS, I NEVER DOUBTED THAT THOSE RACISM CHARGES WERE FALSE. MANY IF NOT MOST PEOPLE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY KNEW IT, TOO! ALL THE SAME, THE ARCHIES BECAME PERSONAE NON GRATA IN MUCH OF THE WESTERN WORLD; AND DURING THAT TIME, IT LOOKED LIKE THE END OF THE ROAD FOR THE GROUP.
BOTH OLGUITA + I WANTED TO BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE. THAT’S WHY, INSTEAD OF CUTTING A SOLO ALBUM THAT I HAD SCHEDULED, WE FOUND OURSELVES VISITING THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS DURING THE WINTER AND EARLY SPRING OF 2029. ARCHIE + VERONICA HAD ASKED US TO PARTICIPATE IN A SPECIAL PROJECT - ONE THEY HAD EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE WOULD BE THE LAST ONE THAT THE ARCHIES WOULD EVER UNDERTAKE!
THE GROUP’S NAME HAD BECOME POISON: THE PUBLIC DIDN’T WANT TO KNOW FROM THEM. THERE WAS NO MARKET FOR NEW ARCHIES RECORDINGS, BUT THEY . . . WE. . . HAD PROVEN OURSELVES DEFINITIVE INTERPRETERS OF THE GREAT AMERICAN ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SONGBOOK. BEFORE THROWING IN THE TOWEL, ARCHIE WANTED US TO PUT OUR STAMP ON SOME CLASSIC ROCK OLDIES THAT WE HADN’T RECORDED BEFORE. OBVIOUSLY, THE MASTERS WEREN’T GOING TO BE MARKETED; HE INTENDED TO PLACE THEM IN HIS ARCHIVES FOR RELEASE @ SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
THE BAND HAD SPLINTERED, AND NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT THEIR STATUS WAS. RECORDING OUR PARTS INDIVIDUALLY MADE MORE SENSE THAN GETTING EVERYBODY TOGETHER. HOWEVER, REMOTE RECORDING WASN'T AN OPTION: ARCH + RONI INSISTED ON US ALL USING THE SAME AUDIO FACILITIES. @ STAGGERED INTERVALS, WE FLEW TO HAWAII, WHERE THEY HAD SET UP RECORDING SESSIONS. WE DIDN’T WANT TO ASSEMBLE AS A GROUP IN ANY EVENT; THAT WOULD'VE ATTRACTED TOO MUCH ATTENTION! PRESS FOR THE ARCHIES WAS ABSOLUTELY VICIOUS DURING THAT TIME. IT COULDN’T HAVE BEEN WORSE IF WE'D BEEN DENOUNCED AS CANNIBALS OR DEVIL WORSHIPERS!
THE ARCHIES IN BETTER TIMES,
CUTTING NEW TRACKS IN
MEDELLÍN, COLOMBIA
MY PRODUCER, TONY BRISEÑO, AND OUR OLD FRIENDS BIG ETHEL (NOW A TOP GOSPEL SINGER UNDER HER GIVEN NAME, FAWN MASON) AND ROD MACK FLEW IN TO HELP US WITH THIS PROJECT, BUT THEY COULD ONLY STAY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. BETTY COOPER FLEW IN FOR A WEEK, BUT HER EX-HUSBAND JUGHEAD COULDN’T MAKE IT @ ALL; HE STAYED IN RIVERDALE. DUDE WAS STRUGGLING TO SALVAGE HIS RESTAURANT CHAIN, WHICH WAS SUFFERING DUE TO THE RACISM SCANDAL! HE EVENTUALLY CLOSED IT DOWN AND WENT INTO BUSINESS WITH HIS SON, CELEBRITY CHEF MONTANA JONES - BUT THAT WAS A FEW MONTHS AWAY.
TREVOR SMITH DIDN’T MAKE THE TRIP, EITHER. HE WOULDN’T RETURN ARCHIE’S CALLS OR TEXT MESSAGES FOR THE LONGEST TIME! WHEN HE FINALLY DID, DUDE BEGGED OFF. TREV HAD BECOME A FULL-TIME MUSIC PUBLISHER SINCE WE LAST SAW HIM, AND WAS NOW STRICTLY IN BUSINESS MODE. HE THOUGHT IT BEST TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM WHAT HE CALLED THE GROUP’S “MARKETPLACE TOXICITY”! ARCH + RONI UNDERSTOOD HIS REASONING; I’M NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE IN THEIR PLACE!
I WASN’T THE ONLY ONE WHO ARRIVED WITH A SPOUSE: KEVIN KELLER BROUGHT HIS HUSBAND, DR. CLAYBORNE WALKER. BY THEN, CLAY WAS RETIRED FROM MEDICAL PRACTICE. HE WAS NEVER A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, BUT KELLY HAD TAUGHT HIM HOW TO PLAY PERCUSSION AND HE WAS MORE THAN COMPETENT; @ THESE ARCHIVAL RECORDING SESSIONS, WE HAD HIM PLAYING TRAP DRUMS AND VIBES, TOO! I REALLY ENJOYED CUTTING TRACKS WITH CLAY + KELLY; OLGUITA + I WORKED ON THE PROJECT WITH THEM AFTER ARCH, RONI, BETTY + ROD HAD COME AND GONE.
CHUCK CLAYTON HAD QUIT THE GROUP FOLLOWING A BITTER FIGHT WITH ARCHIE; THE TWO OF THEM STILL WEREN’T ON SPEAKING TERMS! THROUGH HIS LIFE PARTNER, GERALDINE GRUNDY, CHUCKII DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE; BUT ALONG WITH HIS WRITTEN REFUSAL AND APOLOGY, DEANIE SENT ALONG AN AWESOME ARRANGEMENT FOR THE SONG “RUNAWAY”. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SINGING LEAD ON IT!
THOSE HAWAIIAN DATES WERE SUPERVISED BY D’ANGELO WONG, OUR FORMER EUROPEAN PRODUCER. HE AND HIS WIFE SONSERI HAD RELOCATED TO MAUI FROM MILAN, ITALY A FEW YEARS EARLIER. “DANDY” HAD A HOME STUDIO THERE BUT VERONICA FOUND IT A LITTLE TOO STATE-OF-THE-ART FOR HER TASTE. “THERE’S NOT ENOUGH NATURAL REVERB,” SHE COMPLAINED. “THE ROOM SOUNDS DEAD! WE CAN'T WORK THERE.” INSTEAD, WE TRACKED @ BABY GRAND STUDIOS AND PLANET MUSIC IN HONOLULU AS WELL AS AUDIO SHANGRI-LA OVER ON THE BIG ISLAND. I VAGUELY REMEMBER US WORKING @ BABY GRAND BACK DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE ARCHIE RECORDS ERA!
ONE OF OUR SOUND ENGINEERS WAS AN OLD HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND: BELLA BEAZLEY WAS THE DAUGHTER OF “MS. BERNICE”, SUPERVISOR OF RIVERDALE HIGH’S SCHOOL CAFETERIA! BACK THEN, BELLA USED TO GO AROUND WITH A BIG BOOM BOX ON HER SHOULDER; NOW HER PLAYBACKS WERE ONES THAT SHE RECORDED HERSELF! IT MADE SENSE THAT SHE’D END UP BEHIND A STUDIO CONSOLE. OUR CHIEF ENGINEER WAS KRISTIN GORRIE, THE BEST AUDIO JOCKEY IN THE ISLANDS!
IT’S A GOOD THING I GOT INVOLVED, BECAUSE ARCHIE DIDN’T HAVE THE RIGHT CONCEPT FOR THE MUSIC. HE’D RANDOMLY CHOSEN A BUNCH OF STALE ‘50s ROCK STANDARDS - THE KIND OF THING YOU HEAR ON SECOND-RATE OLDIES RADIO! HIS SHORTLIST OF DOO-WOP TITLES JUST LEFT ME COLD. ARCHIE DIDN’T LIKE HAVING HIS CREATIVE VISION CHALLENGED, BUT I’VE NEVER BEEN AFRAID TO GO HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH THE GINGERBREAD MAN! I WANTED TO PUT SOME SOLID ROCKERS ON TAPE: FAMILIAR SONGS, BUT ALSO RARITIES! THAT’S THE FORMULA THAT HAD ALWAYS WORKED FOR US IN THE PAST.
IT WAS OLGUITA, GOD REST HER BEAUTIFUL SOUL, WHO SUGGESTED THAT WE CONSIDER THE CATALOG OF DEL SHANNON. THERE’S A WEALTH OF GREAT ROCKERS THERE, AS WELL AS SOME FINE COVER VERSIONS OF EARLY R & B FAVORITES. DEL’S MUSIC WAS THE PERFECT COMPROMISE BETWEEN ARCHIE + ME: HE COULD HAVE HIS GOLDEN OLDIES CAKE, AND I COULD EAT MY HARD ROCK CANDY, TOO!
AND ONCE WE GOT INTO THIS PROJECT, WE DIDN’T WANT TO STOP. BEFORE WE KNEW IT, THREE MONTHS HAD PASSED, AND WE’D COVERED OVER FORTY DEL SHANNON RECORDS. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM WERE DEL’S OWN COMPOSITIONS.
BUT, IT'S THE STRANGEST THING: THERE'S A PORTION OF THAT TIME IN HAWAII THAT I JUST DON'T REMEMBER @ ALL. IN FACT, ALL OF US WHO WERE THERE HAVE GAPS IN OUR MEMORIES THAT WE CAN'T EXPLAIN!
Now It Begins!
THE BIG HURT
A SEQUEL TO “THE FREAKING OUT
OF GERALDINE GRUNDY”
CHAPTER ONE:
“ANADARKO”
THE TIME: NOVEMBER 1918
THE PLACE: CÔTE D’AZUR, FRANCE
THE NARRATOR: EL NINJA
BUENAS NOCHES. MY NAME IS RICARDO ESTEBAN FONSECA. THEY CALL ME “EL NINJA”. I’M A DANCER. I ALSO SING.
I BEGAN MY CAREER IN THE MUSIC HALLS OF GERMANY AND THEN FOUND STARDOM IN SPANISH CABARETS. @ THE HEIGHT OF MY FAME, I OPENED A FABULOUS NIGHTCLUB CALLED ISABELLE, NEAR THE BEACH ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA. IT IS MY VERY OWN PERFORMANCE SPACE, AND I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF IT!
BUT NOW, I’M LYING ON THE STAGE OF MY SHOW PALACE, AND A MAN IS CRADLING ME IN HIS ARMS. THE MAN IS MY PARTNER, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. BLOOD IS GUSHING FROM A DEEP KNIFE WOUND IN MY CHEST . . . ¡AY, DIÓS MÍO! I AM DYING. AS CONSCIOUSNESS SLOWLY EBBS AWAY, MY MIND CAREENS BACK ACROSS THE YEARS; SCENES FROM THE RECENT PAST RECALL HOW I CAME TO BE HERE. IT WAS A LONG AND DIFFICULT JOURNEY FROM THE UNITED STATES . . .
I AM CHEROKEE, AND I WAS BORN IN CHEROKEE NATION, NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA. I’M NOT AN ORPHAN BUT I ONLY LIVED WITH MY PARENTS FOR A SHORT TIME. THAT’S BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLACED ME AND MY LITTLE BROTHER IN A BOARDING SCHOOL FOR “INDIANS”. DANTE WAS SO YOUNG, HE CAN’T EVEN REMEMBER MAMA + PAPA!
WE WERE LOADED INTO A HORSE-DRAWN WAGON AND DRIVEN TO THE NOTORIOUS ANADARKO INDIAN SCHOOL. IT WAS RUN BY A RELIGIOUS ORDER; OUR TEACHERS AND CARETAKERS WERE PRIESTS AND NUNS. THE HEADMASTER, FATHER FRANKLIN, RULED OVER HIS STAFF AND STUDENTS LIKE A CRUEL DESPOT! HE HAD OUR LONG HAIR SHORN OFF, STRIPPED US OF OUR NATIVE CLOTHING, FORBAD US TO SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, AND FORCED US TO CONVERT TO THE CATHOLIC RELIGION. THE RULES HE IMPOSED ON US WERE DRACONIAN, AND HIS PRIESTS WOULD BEAT US SEVERELY FOR THE SLIGHTEST INFRACTION!
I REMEMBER HOW MUCH I HATED THOSE PRIESTS. THE NUNS WERE MEAN TO US, BUT THE “MEN OF GOD” WERE FAR WORSE! THEY CALLED US “HEATHEN” AND TRIED TO MAKE US FEEL ASHAMED OF BEING CHEROKEE, BUT I NEVER WAS. I CAME FROM A PROUD FAMILY OF DANCERS, AND TRADITIONAL DANCES CAME NATURALLY TO ME; DURING RECESS, I WOULD PERFORM AND THE KIDS WOULD GATHER AROUND TO WATCH. NEVER DID I FAIL TO GET PUNISHED FOR THIS!
PUNISHMENT TIME FOR RITCHIE FONSECA!
I WAS MADE TO GO WITHOUT SUPPER AND I GOT LOCKED INSIDE CLOSETS FOR HOURS AND HOURS. IT WAS AWFUL, BUT I PREFERRED THAT TREATMENT TO THE BEATINGS. THE PRIESTS WOULD PUMMEL ME WITH TREE BRANCHES AND LASH MY BACK AND LEGS WITH WHIPS! THEN THEY’D MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS AND SAY THINGS LIKE, “YOUR PUNISHMENT HURT US MORE THAN IT HURT YOU” BUT THEY WERE LYING! JUST LOOKING @ THEIR FACES, I COULD TELL THAT THOSE BASTARDS ENJOYED ASSAULTING ME. WITH EVERY BLOW, THEY WOULD QUOTE THE BIBLE; IT WAS TWISTED AND SICK!
FATHER FRANKLIN AND HIS PRIESTS WERE SADISTIC BRUTES, AND THE NUNS WERE COLD, HATEFUL OLD BAGS; BUT NOT ALL OF THEM WERE BAD - OR OLD. WHEN I WAS ABOUT FOURTEEN, A NEW TEACHER CAME TO THE SCHOOL; SISTER ISABELLE WAS THE YOUNGEST OF THE NUNS. SHE TREATED US KINDLY, AND WAS SECRETLY FASCINATED BY NATIVE-AMERICAN CULTURE. SOMETIMES, INSTEAD OF TEACHING US, SHE WOULD LET US TEACH HER; WE’D TELL HER ALL ABOUT OUR TRADITIONS.
ONE DAY, SHE WONDERED ALOUD WHAT A HARVEST DANCE WAS. I OFFERED TO PERFORM ONE FOR HER. SHE LOVED IT, BUT GOT IN BIG TROUBLE FOR ENCOURAGING ME! FATHER FRANKLIN’S SPIES HAD BEEN WATCHING SISTER ISABELLE; HE DIDN’T APPROVE OF HOW THE CHILDREN RESPONDED TO HER SO WARMLY. TO HIM, THAT WAS EVIDENCE OF “LAX DISCIPLINE!”
THEY PUNISHED THE SISTER BY PULLING HER OUT OF THE SCHOOL. LATER, I LEARNED THAT SHE WAS DEFROCKED AND EXPELLED FROM HER NUN’S ORDER! IT WAS RUMORED THAT SHE HAD DARED TO CRITICIZE THE WAY WE KIDS WERE TREATED. WHEN SHE LEFT, IT WAS LIKE DARK CLOUDS HAD BLOCKED OUT THE SUN; I BECAME MISERABLE! I STARTED REBELLING, ACTING OUT; AND MY WHIPPINGS BECAME MORE FREQUENT.
FOR SOME REASON, IT SEEMED LIKE I ALWAYS HAD TO BE NAKED WHEN THEY BEAT ME! THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED, A PRIEST TRIED TO PENETRATE MY ASS WITH HIS FINGERS. I YELLED AS LOUD AS I COULD AND STARTED FIGHTING HIM! ANOTHER STAFFER CAME AND HELD ME DOWN. TOGETHER THEY TIED ME UP, AND THEN THAT PRIEST LASHED ME UNTIL I PASSED OUT. WHEN I REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, I HAD WHIP MARKS ALL OVER MY BODY, AND MY BOTTOM WAS BLEEDING!
I MADE UP MY MIND TO RUN AWAY, AND LESS THAN A WEEK LATER, I DID! THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF TAKING MY LITTLE BROTHER ALONG; HE COULDN’T RUN AS FAST AS ME, AND I KNEW HE’D HOLD ME BACK. DANTE CRIED PITIFULLY, BEGGING ME NOT TO LEAVE! I SWORE THAT I’D COME BACK AND RESCUE HIM, BUT I REALLY DIDN’T KNOW HOW I’D KEEP THAT PROMISE. ALL I KNEW IS THAT I COULDN’T STAY ANY LONGER - IF THAT PERVERTED PRIEST TRIED TO TOUCH ME AGAIN, ONE OF US WAS GOING TO DIE!
I DON’T REMEMBER HOW, BUT I FOUND OUT WHERE SISTER ISABELLE WAS. HER GIVEN NAME WAS SVETLANA, AND SHE WAS ROOMING WITH A MAN AND HIS WIFE ON A FARM JUST OUTSIDE ANADARKO. I FOUND IT, BUT THE FARMER BECAME ENRAGED WHEN HE SAW ME. HE CALLED ME A “GODLESS DEVIL REDSKIN” AND TRIED TO RUN ME OFF WITH A SHOTGUN!
ISABELLE, THAT IS, SVETLANA SAW US FROM A DISTANCE. SHE RAN TO THE FARMER AND STOPPED HIM JUST AS HE WAS ABOUT TO SHOOT ME. “LEAVE HIM BE,” SHE BEGGED. “RITCHIE WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS! HE’S BEEN BAPTIZED.” EVENTUALLY, SHE PERSUADED HIM TO LET HER TAKE ME UP TO THE HAYLOFT WHERE SHE HAD A MAKESHIFT ROOM. WE TALKED FOR A LONG TIME.
SVETLANA STILL HAD CONTACTS @ ANADARKO. I TOLD HER ABOUT THE PRIEST WHO RAPED ME, AND TO MY GREAT RELIEF, SHE SAID HE WOULD SOON BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER INDIAN SCHOOL. THERE’D BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT HIM, GOING BACK SEVERAL YEARS! WHILE I HATED TO THINK ABOUT THAT MONSTER STILL HAVING ACCESS TO KIDS, @ LEAST DANTE WOULD BE SAFE FROM HIM. I HAD WORRIED MYSELF SICK OVER THAT!
EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOW HOMELESS AND IN DESPERATE STRAITS, I FELT SORRY FOR SVETLANA; SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW THAT THE CHURCH HAD CAST HER OUT! “INSIDE, I STILL FEEL THAT I’M A BRIDE OF CHRIST”, SHE TOLD ME. “BUT THE BISHOP SAID I WAS WORSE THAN A JEZEBEL. HIS WORDS WERE LIKE A DAGGER IN MY HEART! OH, WHAT WILL BECOME OF ME NOW? AND OF YOU?”
WITHOUT HER NUN’S HABIT, SVETLANA LOOKED VERY BEAUTIFUL; HER WAVY DARK HAIR HUNG DOWN OVER HER HAZEL EYES. SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY SHE BRUSHED HER CURLS ASIDE FASCINATED ME; I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT I LOVED HER! AN IRRESISTIBLE URGE TO KISS HER LIPS CAME OVER ME, AND I DID; SHE DIDN’T RESIST. MINUTES LATER, WE WERE MAKING LOVE ON HER HAYBED!
IT WAS MY VERY FIRST TIME WITH A WOMAN. I FELT OVERWHELMED WITH JOY; BUT SVETLANA STARTED TO CRY. IN CONFUSION, I RELEASED HER FROM MY EMBRACE. “WHY ARE YOU SOBBING?” I ASKED. “DID I HURT YOU? PLEASE FORGIVE ME; I DIDN’T MEAN TO.” SORROWFULLY, SHE SHOOK HER HEAD. “WE’VE COMMITTED SACRILEGE!” SHE WAILED. “I AM A BRIDE OF CHRIST! GOD WILL SURELY PUNISH BOTH OF US!”
JUST THEN, THE FARMER BECAME SUSPICIOUS. HE CAME TO THE BARN DOOR, LOUDLY ACCUSING US OF EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE DOING! HE DEMANDED THAT I LEAVE, AND I HEARD HIM RATCHET HIS SHOTGUN. HURRIEDLY, WE BUTTONED UP OUR CLOTHES!
BEFORE I CLIMBED DOWN FROM THE HAYLOFT, SVETLANA GAVE ME SOME MONEY SHE HAD HIDDEN UNDER HER PILLOW. SHE TOLD ME TO LEAVE OKLAHOMA! “I SENSE THAT YOU HAVE A FUTURE ON STAGE WITH YOUR TALENT FOR DANCE,” SHE SAID, “BUT YOU WOULD NEVER BE SUCCESSFUL HERE. YOU MUST GO EAST!”
AND SHE ADDED, “YOU MUST NEVER LET ANYONE KNOW THAT YOU ARE AN INDIAN! IF YOU AVOID THE SUN, YOUR SKIN WILL LOOK LIGHT ENOUGH SO THAT YOU CAN GO AS A WHITE BOY.” SHE LAY HER HAND ATOP MY HEAD, SAID A QUICK PRAYER AND THEN HURRIED ME ON MY WAY. DESPITE WHAT WE’D DONE, I KNEW THAT I COULD NEVER THINK OF HER AS THE GIRL WHO TOOK MY VIRGINITY. TO ME, SHE WOULD ALWAYS BE . . . SISTER ISABELLE!
END OF CHAPTER ONE
"SOPHISTICATED BRAWN"