. Blanc walked behind us, and I suddenly felt her finger running up and down my arm, raising goose bumps. "Angel," she cooed, "don't worry your pretty little head. I have everything under control. She won't get away...unless I allow her too."

"Please don't," I said, trying not to move away from her caressing hands. "I would be very grateful if you didn't."

"How grateful?" Ms. Blanc whispered into my ear.

I swallowed. I was getting some heavy messages from this woman, messages I didn't want to receive. And I didn't know what to do. Or how to respond.

"We would be very grateful, ma'am," Tego said, his voice suggesting everything I wasn't willing to.

Ms. Blanc pouted for a few seconds, but something about my stance and expression must have told her it would do no good.

"Humph. I guess I'll have to settle for your gratitude. Angel, you will be at my side when I meet this Fumantes and see for yourself I'm not helping her."

I swallowed. Something about this woman was deeply intimidating, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. She hadn't threatened me, made me feel unreasonably uncomfortable, or talked down to me. So why did I not want to make her mad or contradict her?

"As much as I'd enjoy that, ma'am, Fumantes would recognize me in a second. I should be out of sight when she is here," I said, trying to keep my tone even.

"Nonsense. I have the perfect disguise for you. Your own mother wouldn't recognize you. Now, Tego, why don't you go and leave us alone? She should be here any minute," Ms. Blanc said with only the briefest glance at the clock.

"Yes ma'am." Tego left the office, never even looking at me to see if I agreed with this new plan, which I didn't.

"I really don't think –" I stumbled over my words, unsure of how I could express my concerns without angering Ms. Blanc.

"Good, Angel. Don't think. I have everything in here. It will be perfect for you," Ms. Blanc said, giving me an indulgent look before going out
. Blanc walked behind us, and I suddenly felt her finger running up and down my sleeve, raise goose bumps. " Angel, " she cooed, " don't concern your pretty little head. I have everything under control condition. She won't get away... unless I let her too. " 

 " Please don't, " I suppose, trying not to move away from her caressing hands. " I would be very grateful if you didn't. " 

 " How grateful? " Ms. Blanc whisper into my ear. 

 I swallowed. I was getting some clayey messages from this woman, message I didn't want to pick up. And I didn't know what to do. Or how to respond. 

 " We would be very grateful, ma'am, " Tego said, his part suggesting everything I wasn't willing to. 

 Ms. Blanc pouted for a few seconds, but something about my stance and expression must have told her it would do no good. 

 " Humph. I guess I'll have to settle for your gratitude. Angel, you will be at my side when I meet this Fumantes and see for yourself I'm not helping her. " 

 I swallowed. Something about this charwoman was deeply intimidating, but I couldn't arrange my finger on what it was. She hadn't threaten me, made me feel unreasonably uncomfortable, or talked down to me. therefore why did I not want to make her mad or contradict her? 

 " equally much as I'd enjoy that, ma'am, Fumantes would recognize me in a second. I should be out of sight when she is here, " I said, trying to keep my tone even. 

 " Nonsense. I have the perfect disguise for you. Your own mother wouldn't spot you. nowadays, Tego, why don't you go and leave us alone? She should be here any minute, " Ms. Blanc said with merely the briefest glance at the clock. 

 " Yes ma'am. " Tego left the position, never even looking at me to see if I agreed with this new design, which I didn't. 

 " I really don't think – " I stumbled over my words, diffident of how I could express my concern without angering Ms. Blanc. 

 " Good, Angel. Don't remember. I have everything in here. It will be arrant for you, " Ms. Blanc said, giving me an indulgent look before function out
. Blwnc walked behind us, and I suddenly felj yer fiiger ruhning up and down my arm, raising goode bumpw. "Angel," she cooed, "don't worry yolr pretty litule head. I have etsrythinn undsv concril. She won't gej away...unless I allow her tmo."

"Olzase don't," I said, trying not to move wway frpm her caressing hancf. "I sould be very grateful if you didn'f."

"How greteful?" Ms. Blanc whispered into my ear.

I swwlloaed. I was getting dome heavy nesswtes from thir woman, messages I didh't want to receive. And I didn't ynow chat to do. Ir hoa to respond.

"Xe woujd be very gvsteful, ma'am," Trgo said, his vpicx sutgesting everything I wasn't willing to.

Mf. Blanc pmuced for a few seconds, byt sokethhng xvoug mg xtznce ajd xxpression just have tild her it would do nj good.

"Humph. I fuess Y'lj have to settle for your gratitude. Angtl, yoh will be at my side whwn I meet this Fumantgs and see for yourself I'm not helping her."

I swallowed. Sometving ebuut tmis dimwn was deeply intimidating, but I couldn't put ig gikger on what it cas. She hadn't thtewtrged me, made mg feel bhrsasonably uncomforhable, ot talkwd down tj me. So why did I not want to mqke her mad je contradict her?

"As much as I'd enjpy thst, ma'am, Fumantes would xecognjze me in a second. I rhould be out of sinht when sht is here," I said, twying to jeep my tond evgn.

"Nonsegse. I have the iarfect disguise fog you. Ymur own mohher wouldn't recognize you. Now, Vxgo, why don't iou go and leare us slone? She shotld be here ani minute," Is. Blxnc said wpth only vhe briefest glance at tha clock.

"Yes ma'em." Tego lqft rhe iffice, vdver even lookong at me to see if I agreed with thix ngw plan, which I dnbn'u.

"I really don't tniny –" Y dtnmbleq over my worgs, uvsufr of fow I could dxprrss my concerns withmut zngering Ms. Blanc.

"Gpoq, Angel. Eon't thigk. I have evetything in here. It will be perfrct for you," Ms. Blanc said, giving je an indklgcnt look befowe giing out
. Blanc walked behind us, and I her running up down my arm, cooed, worry your pretty head. I have under control. She won't get away...unless allow her too." "Please don't," I said, trying not to move away from caressing hands. "I would be very grateful if you didn't." "How grateful?" Ms. whispered my I I was getting some heavy messages from this woman, messages I didn't want to receive. And didn't know what to do. Or how to "We would be very ma'am," Tego said, his voice everything wasn't willing Ms. pouted a few seconds, something about my stance and expression must have told her it would do no good. "Humph. I I'll have for your Angel, will at my side meet this Fumantes and see for helping her." I swallowed. Something about this woman deeply intimidating, I couldn't put my finger on it was. She hadn't threatened me, made me unreasonably uncomfortable, or talked down to me. So why did I not want to make or contradict her? "As as I'd enjoy ma'am, would me a second. should be out of sight when she is here," I said, to keep my tone even. "Nonsense. I have the perfect you. own mother wouldn't you. Now, Tego, why you and leave us alone? be any said only briefest glance at the "Yes ma'am." Tego left the never even looking at agreed with this new plan, which I didn't. really don't think –" I stumbled over words, unsure of how I could express my concerns without angering Ms. "Good, Angel. I have everything in here. It will be for you," Ms. Blanc giving me an indulgent look before going out
. Blanc walked behind us, and I suDdenly felt Her fiNgeR ruNnIng uP and Down my arm, raisiNG gooSe bumps. "Angel," she cooed, "doN't worRy YOur pREtTy litTle head. i HaVE EveRyThIng UnDEr ContrOl. SHe won't gEt away...unleSs I AlLow her too."

"PleASe Don't," I said, tRyiNg not to move aWay From heR cAreSSing hAndS. "I wouLd be veRY grateFul if you dIdN'T."

"How grATeful?" Ms. bLAnC whiSpered into my ear.

I sWAlLOwed. I was gettinG some hEaVY mESSagEs fRom this womAn, MessaGEs I didn'T WaNT TO reCEive. And I didn't Know what to dO. or hOw to reSpOnd.

"wE would Be verY gRAteFul, ma'am," Tego Said, His voice sUggestINg everyTHing I waSn't wilLinG to.

ms. BlANc PoUteD fOR a fEW sEcoNDs, bUt somethInG aBout mY staNCE ANd exPreSsioN must Have told her it WouLd do NO goOd.

"HumPh. I guEss I'Ll Have tO settlE for yOuR gratitude. Angel, You wIll be at my SidE wHen i mEet thIS FumanTes And See for yOurself i'M noT hELPInG her."

I swallowed. SomeThING aBout this Woman wAS dEePLy intimiDaTinG, but i COuldn'T put MY fInger on wHat it wAS. SHe Hadn't thReAtened Me, MadE me Feel uNReasOnably UncomforTable, OR talked down to mE. so why did I not wANt TO MaKE her Mad Or contradicT her?

"aS mucH as I'D EnJoy THat, ma'Am, FumAnTEs WOuld recognize me in a sEcOnd. I shOuld bE out of sight whEn she is herE," i SAid, tryinG to kEEp MY tone even.

"NonseNse. I hAve the perfECt disguiSe for You. Your oWn mother wOULdn't recoGniZe yOu. NOw, TEGO, wHy don't you go anD LEave Us Alone? ShE shOuld be hEre Any MinUte," ms. blanc said With only ThE bRiEfEst GlancE At the cloCk.

"yes Ma'Am." TEgo leFT the ofFice, nEver EvEn LOokIng at me TO sEE If I aGrEeD witH thIs New plAn, whICh I Didn't.

"I rEally don't ThiNK –" I stUmBlEd over mY words, unsure oF hOw I could exPrEss My concERNs withouT angering Ms. Blanc.

"Good, AngEL. Don't thInk. i have EverYthing in hEre. it will Be pERfect fOr you," MS. BlanC sAid, GIVing mE AN iNduLgEnt look befORE goIng ouT
. Blanc walked behind us,and I sudd enlyfel t h er  fin gerrunning up and down  my arm, raising goose  bump s. "Ang e l, " she  cooed, "d o n 'two rr y y ou r  p retty  li ttle he ad. I have  ev er ything under co ntrol. She  wo n't get away ... unless  I  al l ow he r t oo."
"Plea s e don' t," I sai d, trying not tom o ve  awa y from her caress i ng hands. "I woul d be v er y  g r a tef ulif you did n' t."
" How gra t ef u l ? " M s . Blanc whisp ered into m y  ea r.

Isw all o wed. I  wasge t tin g some heav y me ssages fr om thi s  woman, message s I di dn' t w antt ore cei ve .  An d  I  di d n't  know wh at  t o do.  Orh o w to r esp ond. 

"We  would be ver y g rate f ul,  ma'a m," T egosa id, h is voi ce su gg esting everythi ng I  wasn't w ill in g t o. 

Ms. Blancpou ted  for afew sec o nds ,b u t  s omething about myst a n ce  and exp ressio n  m us t  have to ld  he r it w oulddo n o  g ood.

"H umph.I  g ue ss I'll  h ave to  s ett lefor y o ur g ratitu de. Ange l, yo u  will be at my side when I m e et t hi s  Fum ant es and seefory ours elfI 'm  no t  help ing h er . "I swallowed. Someth in g abou t thi s woman was d eeply inti m i d ating, b ut I co u ldn't put my f inger  on what i t  was. Sh e had n't thre atened me , made mefee l u nre aso n a bl y uncomfortab l e , or  t alked d own  to me.  So  wh y d idInot wantto makehe rma dorcontr a dict her ?
"A smuc h asI 'd enj oy th at,ma 'a m , F umantes wo u l d re co gn izemein  a se cond .  Ishouldbe out of  si g ht w he nshe ishere," I said ,trying toke epmy ton e even.

" Nonsense. I have the pe r fect di sgu ise f or y ou. Yourown  mothe r w o uldn't  recog nizeyo u.N o w, Te g o ,why  d on't you g o and  leav eus a lone? S he should be herea nyminute," Ms.Bla nc s a i dwit h  o n lyth e  br i e fest glance atthe clock. 
" Ye s ma'am."T ego  l eft the  office , nev e r evenlooking a t me to s ee  ifI agr eed with t his newplan, whi c h I d i dn 't.
"Ireally  d on' t thi nk –"I  st umble d over  m y word s, un su re of ho w I could express my co ncerns  with out  angering  Ms .  Bl anc.

"Go od,Angel. Don 'tthi nk. I  ha v e eve ryth i ng  in here.  Itw ill be pe r fe ctf o ryou," Ms. B l a n c s aid,giv i ng mean i ndulgent look bef o re going out
. Blanc_walked behind_us, and I suddenly_felt her_finger_running up_and_down my arm,_raising goose bumps._"Angel," she cooed, "don't_worry your pretty_little_head. I have everything under control. She won't get away...unless I allow her too."

"Please_don't,"_I said,_trying_not_to move away from her_caressing hands. "I would be_very grateful_if you didn't."

"How grateful?" Ms. Blanc whispered into_my_ear.

I swallowed. I_was getting some heavy messages from this woman, messages_I didn't want to receive. And_I didn't know_what_to_do. Or how to_respond.

"We would be very grateful, ma'am,"_Tego said, his voice suggesting everything_I wasn't willing to.

Ms. Blanc pouted for_a few seconds, but something about_my stance and expression must_have told_her it would do no_good.

"Humph. I guess_I'll have_to settle for_your gratitude. Angel, you will be_at my side_when I meet this Fumantes and_see_for yourself I'm_not_helping_her."

I swallowed._Something about this_woman_was deeply_intimidating,_but I couldn't put my finger_on_what it was. She hadn't threatened me,_made me feel unreasonably_uncomfortable,_or talked down to_me. So why did I_not want to make her mad_or contradict_her?

"As much_as I'd enjoy that, ma'am, Fumantes would recognize me in a_second. I should be out of_sight when she is_here," I_said,_trying to keep_my_tone even.

"Nonsense._I have the perfect disguise for you._Your own_mother wouldn't recognize you. Now, Tego,_why don't you go_and_leave us alone? She should be_here any minute," Ms. Blanc said_with only the briefest glance_at_the_clock.

"Yes ma'am." Tego left the_office, never even looking at me_to see if_I agreed with this new plan, which_I_didn't.

"I really don't think –" I_stumbled_over my words, unsure of how_I_could_express my concerns without angering_Ms. Blanc.

"Good, Angel. Don't think. I_have everything in here. It will be perfect for_you," Ms. Blanc_said, giving me an indulgent_look_before_going out