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— that work for her doing the garden. His name is Stephen.”
    That ole fool runt to her closet and snatch that coat. It still had cookies and candies all pin in it like she be a walking snack machine. Her face go even more ashy than before, and her eyes go plumb wild. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that she was afraid.
    “Quincy, I don’t feel so good. I don’t think I’ll have breakfast this morning.”
    “What are you talking about? Take off that coat. It’s summertime.”
    “Maybe when that boy is mowing the front I’ll come over,” Biddy say, and I could see a cryin’ jag about to commence.
    “Biddy, what are you worried about? He ain’t gonna hurt you.”
    “Boys look at me dirty. They say dirty things and they laugh. They do things.”
    I didn’t know exactly what she meant by that, but I had me a bad feelin’. “OK, you stay here until he mows the front and then you come over. I’ll tell Lizabeth you not hungry.”
    I went to work, my head still trying to sort itself out. I punch my time card in the computer like they showed and went to fetch my apron.
    “Well, if it ain’t Butt Ugly.”
    That boy from yesterday.
    “My name is Quincy.”
    “My name is Robert. You need to say it real nice.” His eyes were gone slitty, and his words slid through his teeths just like the devil his ownself would talk.
    He stood between me and the aprons. “I need to get me an apron.” I reach my arm out past him.
    He grab my wrist. “Say ‘please.’” He step in close to me and turn my arm up so it hurt. He was close enough I could feel his breaths on my cheek. “Say ‘pretty please.’”
    “You let me go.” I say it loud, but my insides shake.
    “Not until you say ‘please.’ Not until you beg me nice.”
    I jerk my arm, and he twist it up harder. He push me back ’gainst the wall and push himself hard against me.
    “Quincy?”
    Jen come into the little room. Robert drop my arm quick-like and step back.
    “What’s going on in here?”
    “We’re just getting acquainted,” Robert say.
    I shook my arm and rub where he had helt it. There was too many things just then and too many people and I couldn’t think what was what. I step past Robert and grab an apron. Then something inside me clutch up and I turnt back to Jen. I wisht I had Biddy’s coat. “That boy call me names and grab my arm. I want him to stay away from me.”
    Jen’s face got red. “Robert,” she say.
    “That ugly bitch is lyin’,” he say. “She come on to me. She’s just a lyin’ ho, trying to get me in trouble.”
    I couldn’t believe it! That boy call me a ho! These folk didn’t know me. They might believe him.
    “That ain’t how it happen’,” I yell. “I ain’t no ho, and I didn’t . . .”
    “Quiet, both of you,” Jen say. “Let’s go see the manager.”
    Jen take us to the manager’s office. I tell my story and Robert tell his lies. Then the manager axt me to get on to work and leave Robert with him.
    I went to my work. Jen pull me into the back. “Did that boy hurt you? You know what I mean? Did he . . . ?” She stop and look kind of embarrassed. “Did he touch you?”
    “ ’Course he touch me. I tole you he grab holt of my arm.”
    Jen made a face. “Quincy, not like that. Did he ‘touch’ you?”
    I get it. “No, not like that.” I don’t know why I didn’t say he push himself against me. I know Jen had seen that.
    “He’s a bad one, Quincy, and he’s been in trouble here before. Stay away from him.”
    “I ain’t no ho. I don’t want no truck with him.”
    “I believe you,” Jen say. But her face say different.
    The manager’s door bang shut. Robert stomp out yelling.
    “I don’t need this crappy job. I had enough of this shit.”
    He jerk his apron and throw it on the ground and come up to my counter. He look hard and point his finger straight at my face. He didn’t say nothing. He just stare at me and jab his finger, then snap his thumb like he firing a gun at me.