There I was, prating to Miss Parker about seeing people for who they are, and all the while Kristi was playing me for a fool, giving me exactly what she knew I wanted to see. In one simple little interaction, she saw instantly what was important to me, and she gave it to me in spades. Telling me about her childhood, becoming distraught and tearful, arousing my protective instincts. I saw a kind, hurt person in her, and I believed implicitly in that person. Strange, that after everything that happened, I can’t help believing that that person was really there…once.