In the land of Moribund there is a young girl. She is very timid. She never gets into trouble, yet she is very brave among the few friends she has. Her name is Ambrosia. Ambrosia is sweet and always afraid to do wrong. The thing she wants most is the love, attention, and affection from her mother. Her mother is always busy. Ambrosia knows quite well that her mother loves her-that is why she must work very long hours and some times she even works several jobs. Even when her mother comes home, she is never really there. She is preoccupied with grown-up matters-so Ambrosia is left to tend to herself.
Well…..that is almost how it is.
You see, Ambrosia’s mother has invited a man to stay with them. He’s been there as long as Ambrosia can remember. His name is Terance. Ambrosia’s mother is very devoted to this man-although Ambrosia never sees them hug or kiss, she knows her mother loves Terance. Terance is not Ambrosia’s father but she knows to respect him as if he were and that he loves her as a father should. She has never met her real father, but feels that Terance is just like the dads her friends have-but she is still told to call him “Uncle Tera.”
Tera would tend to Ambrosia when her mother could not. He was always the first to offer to take her out of the village for journeys to other villages to show off their horses. This would allow Ambrosia’s mother to work longer hours and extra days for her masters. Ambrosia loved the journeys away from home. It was like the stories her friends would tell of family vacations, except she only got to vacation to other villages, and without her mother. For years Ambrosia would be alone with Tera. He would always watch her, take care of her when she was sick-give her medicine-and slept with her every night. This would make Ambrosia very happy. She finally would get the attention she was looking for.
Over the years, as she woke each morning, Ambrosia would be in pain. Unable to figure it out herself, she decided to wait for her mother one night. Her mother came home exhausted, but Ambrosia felt it was important to talk to her mother about the pains she’s been dealing with. Her mother explained that these were probably growing pains. Young girls tend to get pain in these areas when they get older-it’s how they turn into young ladies. This made Ambrosia feel better–she was only becoming a lady. There was nothing wrong after all. Since she had her mothers attention, Ambrosia asked her mother if she could sleep with her tonight. Her mother said “Yes, if there’s room tonight.” Excited, Ambrosia pranced to her mother’s bed and was greeted by Tera as usual. He was resting as usual. So pleased to have a “family” moment-sleeping with a mother and a “father” she crawled into her usual  spot next to Tera on the bed.Tera asked if she wanted to play their game. Delighted, she accepted the invitation. These games made her laugh. He shakes the bed like an earthquake is happening. Of course Ambrosia has to hold on to him, she didn’t want to fall. So he moved her to her usual position-laying on top of him. She held on and the game began. He shakes, she laughs. He shakes and she laughs. She laughs until the game has to stop because he tells her “there’s stuff coming out-let’s clean it up.” Ambrosia lays next to him, tired now. Mother should be coming into bed soon. She prays that mother will have room tonight.
The bed beneath her begins to move slowly-as if someone is moving closer. This awakens Ambrosia. She must have fallen asleep waiting for her mother. At the same moment she realizes that Tera is the force moving closer to her. Mother is nowhere in the room. She pretends to sleep. He moves slow-her heart beats strange. Why does he move like that? He moves with a purpose. He continues on-slowly he begins to put his hands up her pajamas. Startled, she fidgets and rolls over, away from him. This seems to be enough to stop his efforts. What was he doing? Again she drifts to sleep. Another day comes and the pain is worse today. Ambrosia starts to ponder if her pains are a result of Tera. That’s probably not it. He loves her. Maybe, she thinks, she should tell her mother about last nights events. Her mother would probably think she’s lying. Just looking for attention. So at last, she decides to keep it to herself. And for a few more years—-she does….