He wasn't the only one who was retreating to the bedroom for relief. I think I almost wore out "mother's little helper," and went through several sets of batteries. I dreamed of my son, incredible, carnal, incestuous dreams that left me wet and shaking when I would wake up.

This is how things began. This is how things led up to this moment as I wiped the tears from my eyes, started up the minivan and left the school parking lot. Secretly, I had thought that maybe Josh was getting over what had happened, that he was about to "snap out of it" as I had said to Mrs. Henderson....