Chapter 243

Antonia did not answer his question, she just started talking. "I am falling backwards eminence, and I do not know how to stop myself from continuing in that direction. I am losing my temper and I cannot control the words that come out of my mouth, as I did before. I had control over myself and now I have lost it. I do not know what to do. I don't want to go back to what I was. I was a hateful person and when people laughed, they were laughing at me. Now, when they laugh, they are laughing with me. I don't want to be the person I was. I don't want my son to know that person. I pray so hard for guidance and I wind up doing the wrong thing anyway. I do not want to fail at my marriage. I do not want to fail as a mother. Please eminence, help me."

Bishop Delphini sat down beside her and asked her question after question; each more probing then the last one. His questions put her on the defensive, every time, and Antonia became tenser, having to answer each