I must have been on my third or fourth beer, and the place had quieted down somewhat as the crowd thinned out and the "regulars" kept their appointed ...laces at the bar. It surprised me to look up and see the woman who had been at the bar earlier standing right in front of me. She asked if she could join me, and I said that I would be honored to have her sit down. She already had a glass of whiskey in her hand, so I didn't offer to buy her a drink.She said she had noticed me sitting there all. ”“The cathedral, right? Where Dave and Julia attend?”“That’s right,” Stavros said. “We go for Christmas and Pascha, but that’s about it. We did have Alexa baptized. It keeps the peace in both families!”“Are you still going to the Russian church occasionally?” Sofia asked.“Occasionally, but you know very well that my family situation limits my participation. Not to mention not being sure what I believe.”“The services are beautiful, no matter what,” Stavros said. “A bit of ritual is good for. I don't want to miss anything." You are bad." And you, my new friend, are slow."We watched Heather jump up and run after her friends."Nice ass," Steve mumbled at her receding back."Yeah, it is," Vicki agreed. "Isn't it Paul?" Yeah. Yeah, you're right."Steve knew an opportunity when she saw one. "So, what about us, Paul?" Don't do anything Steve, please." You'll be embarrassed?" It seems likely."Vicki had an idea then. "Tell you what. If we lie down, would you put sunblock on us both?" Oh, good. We lived in a small, two-bedroom, and one-bathroom house. Ever since my dad left when I was only five years old, my mother struggled on as any good parent would, sacrificing many aspects of her social life to ensure that I received everything I needed. I always respected her for that, and I made sure I would find a job after high school to help pay the bills.Unfortunately, that hadn’t happened yet.She had asked me to put a load of darks in the washer while she was in the shower, and I obliged.