Later that day, I showed up at the coffee shop. None of my classes after biology had been any sort of struggle. I was actually looking forward to our ...isit. We just had so much in common, with similar sense of humors. We got along famously, as an old person would say. And not for nothing, but she was pretty easy on the eyes. She showed up to the shop shortly after I arrived, wearing nearly the same clothes. The only difference was she was now wearing a tank top, and boy what a difference that. The images on the front of the Christmascards really gave the wrong impression of Christmas. It was never whiteduring Christmas. Mum told me the other day that the last real Christmaswith snow on the ground was in 1981.When we got to the church it was already starting to fill. There were alot of non regulars attending which swelled the numbers and just beforehalf eleven the church was nearly full.Just before the service started I remembered something I meant to chatwith Anna about. "Anna I know. I did think the speech he made, expressing his hopes that one day no child should have to grow up motherless as he did, quite touching, and I am sure the display of emotion on his poor father’s face moved everyone that saw it.After the opening his majesty gave a ball at the palace. I was delighted when he asked me for the first dance.“I see you’ve given up tight lacing,” he remarked.“Yes, my brother prevailed upon Mamma. He said it was out of fashion at court.”“Well, I’m certainly trying to. " Learn what? That everyone here's a goddamn monster? That syns don't even try to be human?" She said we could," Troy protested, but he had lost and he knew it. Any support he had held was rapidly slipping into the shadows. "She was a present."Simon stood, lifting Renee as he did so. "You knew better," he said softly. "You all did." He walked to the man and held out a hand."What, want her for yourself?" sneered Troy.He stood alone.Simon just waited.Troy glared at him for a moment, then abruptly.