" Since high school," Pam laughed. "I'll see you and raise another thirty." I'm out," I said.Laura called, and Pam showed her the three jacks in her h...nd."Damn it," Laura slapped down her cards. "All right, my deal, right?"She picked up the cards and started shuffling. Mom, meanwhile, had slowly sidled around the table and slid into the seat opposite me."So, is this seat open?" she asked.Pam and Laura looked at her and burst into laughter. My mother frowned. Nothing could have been better. ?I wish I had my hair back!??Don’t worry about that,? Aalia comforted me as she held open a massive towel. ?You’re due to go back to see the doctor on Wednesday so hopefully you’ll be off the drugs then and you hair will grow back soon after.?As soon as I was dry, Aalia opened a fresh bandage mask and slipped it over my head:?What do I wear under the blue man-tent,? I sarcastically asked??I’m glad you asked that Greg,? replied Aalia. ?Normally you would wear a pair of silk or satin lightweight. "What's wrong?" Do you guys have a knife sharpener?" I think so." I dug around the knife drawer until I found a metal stick with a rough surface. "Something like this?" That'll do." He grabbed all the sharp knives from the drawer and put them on the counter. He picked up one and leaned back against the counter, and then began to run the blade rapidly against the sharpener."Are we supposed to do that? I don't think either one of us have ever done it." I can tell." He grinned and shook his head.. "Megan, if I was twenty years younger I'd be all over him. Why wouldn't he have a girlfriend?" Valerie suddenly thought the thought that terrifies every heterosexual mother at least once in her life. 'You don't suppose he's..."Megan didn't get it. "What? He's what?"Valerie didn't want to say the word. 'You know... different? Doesn't like girls very much?"Megan got it. "GAY! You think Robby's GAY?!" She broke into peals of laughter."What's wrong?" said her flustered mother. "Why are you.