They douse themselves in expensive perfume and chew gum to cover up the persistent smell of vomit.

It seems that no-one at these meetings actually lives in town, their mothers and fathers are more than willing to drive hours across State lines four times a week to attend appointments and therapy sessions while the over-exhausted girls sleep in the passenger seats. On these car trips, mothers will take road exits that advertise fast-food restaurants and general stores and will order the largest caloric values of food in hopes that their daughters will be tempted enough by the smell of the grease-stained paper bags to indulge in the foods’ fattening salts and oils.

SAINT CLARE BY AUDREY J GORDEN 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 38