He stops the car at the light and waits for it to turn green. “I’m very sorry about what happened to you,” Robert says in a sad voice. “My brother told me that he was helping you by giving you a place to live until you got your own student apartment. I don’t really understand why he’d do such a thing. I never believed—” “Axel is not a pedophile,” Beverly says. “Why would you want to defend him? He doesn’t deserve it.” “He doesn’t touch me like that. He never has.” “What does he do, then?” “He hugs me,” Beverly answers. “Hugs you!” Robert exclaims. “You’ve just said—” “He hugs me so he can sleep,” she explains in her frank, clear voice. “What are you talking about?” “There’s nothing ugly about what he does,” Beverly says. “At least not as far as I can tell.” Robert sighs and says she’ll have to explain everything to the police. He wonders if he’s doing the right thing. “It’s all about his insomnia,” Beverly explains slowly.
