"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jack asked.

"No," Bryan said.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked.

Jack turned to her. "Sarah is David's sister."

"Oh, shit." Emily got up and grabbed Jack's shoes. "I know another way out. Follow me."

She and Jack came out into the hallway. David was standing across the hall, his jaw clenched and his fists in tight balls. Sarah stood next to him. She was wearing her everyday clothes, but her hair was done up and her face was covered in makeup. She kept her head down.

Jack quickly slipped his shoes on and Emily led them down the hall to another staircase. The staircase led down into the kitchen area. They went out the door and found themselves at the back of the brothel.

"Thank you, Emily," Jack said.

"No problem," Emily said. "Good luck."

"I'm sorry, Emily," Sarah said in a small voice.

"You don't belong here anyway, kid."

Emily went back inside and closed the door behind her. The others hurried back to the riverfront and boarded the ferry. Once on board, David finally spoke.

"What the hell were you doing in a place like that?" he asked Sarah.

Sarah looked at her brother. "Funny. I was going to ask you three the same question."

"This is my doing," Bryan said. "This is my birthday gift to them."

"Bryan, I understand the whole right-of-passage that you feel the boys should be a part of, but not all eighteen year olds celebrate their birthdays this way."

"Not all girls work in a whore house, either," David said.

"Damn you, David!" Sarah screamed and tears started to well in her eyes. "I've heard what mama and papa talk about after we go to bed. You're selling newspapers every day, but it's just barely enough to get by on. I'm the oldest. I should be taking care of the family."

Then she started to cry harder. The guys looked at one another. Jack saw David's face suddenly turn pale.

"I'm going to be sick," David announced.

He walked away from the group and threw up over the side of the ferry. Bryan walked over to make sure David was alright. Jack felt awkward being left alone with Sarah. Even more so with everything that had just happened.

Sarah was pressing her palms to her eyes, trying to stop the tears. Jack took the handkerchief from around his neck and offered it to her. She took it and dried her tears.

"This is going to be covered in makeup when I'm done," Sarah said.

"It'll wash out," Jack said.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Um, alright."

"If it had been me in your room instead of Emily, what would you have done?"

"Nothing."

Sarah's eyebrows rose. "Nothing?" Then she was quiet for a moment. "I don't understand you, Jack. You kissed me at the strike, we go on a few dates, and then you want to break up."

"Sarah, I'm sorry. It's just…I'm in love with someone else."

"Who?"

"Somebody I'm not supposed to be in love with."

"Who?" Sarah asked again. "I can keep a secret."

"Pretty big secret."

Sarah's brow furrowed. "Jack, are you…a homosexual?"

Jack felt his heart start to race. "Why would you ask me that?"

"You don't follow a religion, you didn't sleep with the prostitute when you hand the chance…" Suddenly, Sarah gasped. "Oh, my God. Why didn't I see it before?" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Does he know?"

Jack glanced over at David, who was now sitting on the deck of the ferry. Then he looked back at Sarah. "He doesn't know."

"Jack, you two have become such good friends. Please, don't do anything to jeopardize that."

"I won't."

Then, Bryan brought David back over to them.

"You alright?" Jack asked his friend.

David nodded. "Seasick."

"Listen," Bryan said. "You guys should probably work on getting your story straight."