What was happening to him? The iron rod of control he had exerted over his life had turned into water, slipping through his hands while he watched in horror. Howard followed Anita to the Suburban and was silent all the way home.
There was nothing to say to her about what had happened. She had seen it all and done what was necessary to save him from the bullies. He felt lessened by the experience. The old Howard was gone and had been replaced by a weak-kneed teen. Somehow he had lost his manhood and never noticed. Anita had moved into the power vacuum and took over his life with the confidence of a mother guiding her naïve son through the problems of adolescence.