When the bus stopped at the town depot, her uncle was there to meet her. He hadn't changed very much since Angela had last seen him. He was a gaunt, dour-faced man in his early forties. His raw-boned face was deeply tanned, and as usual, he was wearing a blue work shirt and bib overalls.

"Hello, Uncle Lester," Angela said as he took her bags.

"Morning, Angela," he nodded without a smile. "Did you have a pleasant trip?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied, wishing she could run away and disappear.

"I hope you brought something else to wear," he said, looking at her short mini-skirt. "Folks round here don't cotton to them kinda dresses."

"Yes, Uncle Lester," she blushed. "I have a lot of other clothes."

Without another word, he led her over to his pickup, and after opening the door for her, he put her bags in the truck bed. Getting in and starting the engine, he drove down the dusty mad that would eventually take Angela to her exile.

"Your pa tells me you been sinnin'," he finally spoke after several miles of driving.

"I wouldn't call it sinning," was her quick reply.

"You were messin' around with boys, weren't ya?" he continued.

"Well, sorta," she hesitated.

"That's sinnin'," her uncle said. "And Jesus Christ wants no part of sinners."

She didn't answer.

"While you're here," he continued, "we follow the way of God and I hope you'll take Jesus to your heart."

They drove along in silence for a few more minutes.

"Now, I'm a man of very few words," he finally spoke again. "I'm a Christian man, and that's why I'm bringing you into my home, but I have two fine children and I don't want you teaching them the evil ways of your life."

When they finally arrived at the farm house, Aunt Harriet and her twin children were waiting for them on the porch. Angela's aunt was a woman in her late thirties with a rather pretty face, but the way her long auburn hair was pulled severely back and tied in a knot did nothing to flatter her appearance. She was wearing a plain cotton house dress that was much like the ones she'd worn when Angela visited them years ago.