title: A Party for the Girls: Six Stories (Revived Modern Classic)
author:  H E Bates 
description: "The girls" in the title story of this collection by the late British writer "were no longer quite so young. Some were early-to-bedders; many of them played bridge in the afternoon or had sleeps and later went out to tea." When an unexpected male guest arrives at the afternoon party, the women are transformed and the atmosphere becomes charged with memories of youth, reawakened passions and competitive flirtation. The author of A Month by the Lake &amp; Other Stories continues to display a mastery of understatement, whether the setting is a remote island or the subject is an illicit liaison between a middle-aged man and a young girl. "A Great Day for Bonzo" gives pristine expression to the innocent adventure of three young children. Although the British writer has not achieved here the reputation he enjoyed in England, American readers will find much to admire in these carefully composed stories. <br />Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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  # MOMMY DEAREST
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Willow Rose
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [![BUOY MEDIA](../Images/image00148.jpeg)](https://www.buoy-media.com/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../Images/svgimg0002.svg)
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  >
  
  
  _A boy’s best friend is his mother._
  
  
  \- Norman Bates, Psycho 1960
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../Images/svgimg0002.svg)
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 1](part0003.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 2](part0004.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 3](part0005.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 4](part0006.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 5](part0007.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 6](part0008.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 7](part0009.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 8](part0010.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 9](part0011.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 10](part0012.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 11](part0013.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 12](part0014.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 13](part0015.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 14](part0016.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 15](part0017.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 16](part0018.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 17](part0019.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 18](part