He let go of my chin and stood back, looking at me for a moment, a different sort of smile on his face, one I had not seen. It wasn't the fatherly smile he had given me so often and that I had so cherished. It wasn't a smile of laughter or amusement, either. It was more the smile of an arrogant lover who was basking in the brightness of his powerful sexuality. I was reacting more like a woman than a daughter, and once again, I felt my body tighten and harden in places.
"Yes," he said. "You're too beautiful not to forgive. We'll talk again at dinner."
He stepped out and softly closed the door behind him.
I hadn't realized I had been holding my breath for so long. My lungs nearly exploded. I glanced at myself in the mirror. The tears were gone, but in their place was a mixture of amazement and fear. What was I learning about who and what I would become?
