Chapter 5: Just a Man

We stepped out into the hall just as the whole family arrived.

The door of the empty room stood open.

My uncle stood in the doorway in a towel, dripping, with a bright red handprint across his cheek.

Behind him, Bianca clutched her own towel to her chest.

Her hair was wet, her face was white, and she was shaking.

Nobody spoke for a moment.

Aunt Gwen looked at her husband. She looked at Bianca. She looked at the two towels.

"What," she said, "is going on?"

"She walked in on me," my uncle said. "I was in the shower. She walked right in and grabbed my arm, and when I yelled she slapped me."

"I did not mean to!" Bianca burst into tears. "I had an episode. I couldn't control it. I'm so sorry."

Mom ran to her and wrapped a robe around her shoulders.

"It's all right, sweetheart. Nobody is angry."

"I am angry," my uncle said.

"Hush," my other aunt said. "She's sick."

Aunt Gwen's face had gone very still.

"Bianca," she said slowly. "Did you touch my husband?"

"I didn't know it was him!" Bianca sobbed. "I thought it was the wrong room, I thought it was empty, my head just went blank."

Dad rubbed his face. "It was dark. She got lost. It was an accident."

Everybody turned to Aunt Gwen.

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