Rob was horrified. Jen lit up. "Damn, I needed that,"she said. "Jennifer!" Rob screamed. "You smoke?!" Uh huh," she said sheepishly. "What's wrong? Ar... you the morality patrol or something," Mindy mocked. "I just didn't know." What are you, her mom?" Mindy asked."No, I am certainly not," answered Rob. "Hey, Jens," Mindy said, turning away from Rob. "Remember that time weneeded to buy some cigs and you got the money from your Dad? It wasamazing. You said you needed money. And he just gave it to. That was fine – but I smiled to myself as I thought back to checking her out several days ago, and seeing what she was doing with herself. When I came out of the basement with the dishes, she was waiting at the corner of the fence. I stiffened, said hello and just stood there, awkwardly. I had a flashback, to the last time I was at one of those damn dinners at her parents house ... I had called her "Barb", but she had glared back at me and barked out, " ... it's Barbara " – so now you know why. She was a striking red-head with a stunning figure and a seductive smile that she flashed at both Tom and Ronda. "Jack is my husband. We're from Denver. Kiku came with us because she wanted to see the National Park." Neko," Tom repeated, "that's an unusual name." Yeah, it's really my nickname. My father was in Japan and he thought it was cute." Are you just getting here," Jack was asking them."Yes, we just got here an hour ago," Ronda seemed eager to talk to him."We've been here since Saturday. Our usual morning routine of frolicking around in the housebefore a short walk in the buggy down the farm road, stopping to watchthe cows in the field Melissa giggling and pointing at the animals tryingto take in the scenes and sights around her as a child does. By the timewe had arrived back at the house Melissa was out cold, carefully liftingher out of the buggy I carried her upstairs and put her down in her cot. Leaving the door open so I could hear her if she woke up, I climbed thefew steps.