New York 1857When the carriage pulled up to the house, Rose knew she would receive a reprimand from her mother. "So I skipped another social event." Maybe mother will be so busy with her ladies club, and she won't have time to talk to me about my responsible as a Lane."Ms. Lane you ready?"George was holding the carriage door open waiting. "Ms. Rose, you know she ain't gonna let you stay in this carriage all day. She be watching from the window.

""I know, but I will never be what Mother and Father want.""Well that's between you, God, and your folks, but right now you better get inside and see what you can do to unruffle Mrs. Lane's feathers."As a little girl, I once attended a party where there was a puppet show. A man had strings tied to little dolls to control them. When ever he moved the sticks with strings tied to them, the little dolls would move in the direction he wanted. I sometimes feel like I have become a puppet, and my parents are pulling the strings.