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over my fear and hesitation and just tell her the truth, Lisa decided. What’ve I got to be afraid of? Sure, she’ll freak out. But now I’m eighteen and I can make my own decisions.

Chapter Four
    Good morning, Mother!” Lisa exclaimed, almost skipping into the kitchen. Her mother sat at the small kitchen table, a plate of toast in front of her and a newspaper in her hand.
    “You seem happy. You had a good time last night?” Her mother commented with no emotion.
    “Yes, it was great, just great,” Lisa said cheerfully. “But ‘ve got some good news.” She took a deep breath. “Mother, I applied for college a couple months ago and I got accepted! It’s Simmons College in Boston. I’m going to study to become a social worker and—“
    “Absolutely not,” Mother snapped, interrupting Lisa. It was evidence that she was flustered. “You know nothing about the world. You can’t just go off on your own. You are only eighteen, Lisa. Why do you need to go off to Boston? Is this house and the food I feed you not good enough?”
    “No,” Lisa disagreed, tension creeping into her voice. “It isn’t that at all. I appreciate all you’ve done for me. But I’m done with high school and I’m a legal adult, so now I need to go on to the next thing. Mother, I got this acceptance letter in the mail a few weeks ago.” She held up the envelope. “I think I’ll get a job this summer to save up for an apartment there. Maybe an office job or something like that.”
    Her mother’s eyes grew wide and her mouth hung open. She reached her arm out and snatched the envelope from Lisa’s hand. “Are you ignoring me now, Lisa? You are far too young. I just told you that you were too young.” She ripped open the letter and began reading it.
    “No, Mother, I’m not ignoring you,” Lisa said slowly. “I’m a grown woman now, and I’d like to have a change in my life.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me that you were applying to colleges?” Mother asked, her voice dripping with anger. “Why are you so sneaky?”
    “I’m sorry,” Lisa apologized, not really meaning it. “But like I said, I’m grown and I need a change.”
    “Nonsense!” Mother cried. “You aren’t grown yet. Don’t speak of it again, Lisa. Besides, a woman does not need to go to college. For centuries, women did not go to college and they were just fine. You know how to read and write and how to do simple math. That’s all you need in life. College is just a waste of time and money.”
    “Mother, what if I want to be something besides a housewife?” Lisa asked. “We live in a modern world now. This isn’t the 1960s.”
    “Housewife? Are you getting married now, Lisa?” Mother’s voice had a tone of annoyance.
    “No, Mother, I’m not getting married,” Lisa replied with sarcasm. “But I want an education for a specific job. That job is to be a social worker.”
    “If you needed a job because you had no food or place to stay, then you could go get one at the employment agency without any college education.” Mother’s voice firm, she glared at Lisa. “But you are a lucky girl. I feed you and clothe you. So you can just stay right here.”
    Angrily, Lisa stormed out of the room. She stomped up the stairs, brooding. When she got into her bedroom, she threw herself on her bed and buried her face in her pillow. Sobbing, she felt helpless.
    “No crying, no crying,” she told herself. Taking a deep breath, Lisa sat up in her bed and walked over to her desk. She plopped down on the swivel chair to think of a plan, staring at the shelf above her twin sized bed. It held little souvenirs which Mother had picked up for Lisa when she traveled for work. Mostly, Mother went to England, but she occasionally went to other European countries. Two summers ago, Mother even took Lisa with her to Spain for a week.
    On the shelf, in the very middle, sat a metal Big Ben pencil sharpener. Next to it was the black and red fan, which Lisa had chosen when she