Morning-Noon-and-Night - By Sidney Sheldon Page 0,79

screamed.1 didn't mean to do it! It was an accident! Please! Please! Please ... !' She woke up in a panic, her body trembling. It was a recurring nightmare. I can't go on like this, Kendall thought. I can'd I have to do something. She wanted desperately to talk to Marc. He had reluctantly returned to New York. ' have a job to dop darling. They won't let me take any more time off." understand, Marc. I'll be back there in a few days. I have to get a show ready.' Kendall wits leaving for New York that morning, but before she went there was something she felt she had to do. The conversation with Woody had been very disturbing. He's blaming his problems on Peggy. Kendall found Peggy on the veranda. ' morning," Kendall said. ' morning.' Kendall took a seat opposite her. ' have to talk to you." It was awkward. ' had a talk with Woody. He's in bad shape. He ... he thinks that you're the one who's been supplying him with heroin." told you thatt There was a long pause. ', it's true.' Kendall stared at her in disbelief. '? I ... I don't understand. You told me you were trying to get him off drugs. Why would you want to keep him addictedt IL ou really don't understand, do yout Her tone was bitter. ' live in your own little god damned world. Well, let me tell you something, Miss. Famous Designer!, I was a waitress when Woody got me pregnant. I never expected Woodrow Stanford to marry me. And do you know why he did? So he could feel he was better than his father. Well, Woody married me, all right. And everybody treated me like dirt. When my brother, Hoop, came down for the wedding, they acted like he was some kind of trash.". ' tell you the truth, I was dumbfounded when your brother said he wanted to marry me. I didn't even know if it was his baby. I could have been a good wife to Woody, but no one even gave me a chance. To them I was still a waitress. I didn't lose the baby, I had an abortion. I thought maybe Woody would divorce me, but he didn't. I was his token symbol of how democratic he was. Well, let me tell you something, lady. I don't need that. I'm as good as you or anyone else.' Each word was a blow. ' you ever love Woody?' Peggy shrugged. ' was good-looking and fun, but then he had that bad fall during the polo game, and everything changed. The hospital gave him drugs, and when he got out, they expected him to stop taking them. One night, he was in pain, and I said, "I have a little treat for you." And after that, whenever he was in pain, I gave him his little treat. Pretty soon he needed it, whether he was in pain or not. My brother is a pusher, and I was able to get all the heroin I needed. I made Woody beg me for it. And sometimes I'd tell I was out of it just to watch him sweat and cry - oh, how Mr. Woodrow Stanford needed me! He wasn't so ig 'hi hand mighty then! I goaded him into hitting me, and then he'd feel terrible about what he had done, and he'd come crawling back to me with gifts. You sm. when Woody is off dope, I'm nothing. When he's on it, I'm the one who has the power. He may be a Stanford, and maybe I was only a waitress, but I control him.' Kendall was staring at her in horror.

"Your brother's tried to quit, all right. When it got real bad, his friends would get him into a detox center, and I'd go visit him and watch the great Stanford suffer the agonies of hell. And each time he came out, I'd be waiting for him with my little treat. It was payback time.' Kendall was finding it hard to breathe. ''re a monster,' she said slowly. ' want you to leave." bet! I can't wait to get out of this place.' She grinned. ' course, I'm not leaving for nothing. How much of a settlement will I gett ' it is,' Kendall said; ' will be too much. Now get out of here.".' Then she added with an affected tone, ''ll have my lawyer call your