I briefly held her hand as we exchanged cards. She seemed to have lost her train of thought. ‘Do people call you Liz or Beth or Elizabeth?’ ‘Act...ally my family calls me Betty but it is really your choice.’ ‘I am just plain Carl.’ ‘Where in Texas are you from? Austin?’ ‘I live and work in Austin but I am from a small coastal town called Felicity. Have you heard of it?’ ‘No, good name for a town though.’ ‘You’re not from here either are you?’ ‘No, Chicago. I was sent to convince our corporate. But the attempt had the effect she'd hoped. A surge of energy drove through Phil. He was descending into the jungle, into re-primitivized man, a man who thinks only with the lusts of his flesh, who knows nothing than his desire to dominate, to overpower, to feed his own insatiable appetite. He mouthed obscenities when she washed his ass. He practically shoved her out of the tub. He punched her when she dried him off. He chased her on her knees out of the bathroom, kicking her in the ass, the. I felt a little self conscious myself. Normally I wouldn’t have, because of my cute, hard body. But next to Vanessa, I felt very plain. Even though I had curves of my own, they didn’t compare to hers. Maybe Uncle Steve sensed this, because he came over to talk to me often. Or he would give a little reassuring wink or a smile, from across the pool.It was time to get in the pool. I went inside and changed into my bikini. I came to the door and paused in the lighted doorway to survey the scene.. I had never really taken her to dinner before. Granted, we have been to Pizza Hut and some other places, but nothing like Olive Garden. Although not a fancy dining restaurant, it was a far cry from Taco Bell. I took her hand and told her to relax. Our entrees arrived and she was able to take her mind off everything. “Still planning on playing volleyball and basketball this year,” I asked between bites. Smiling, Sade said that she was looking forward to trying out again. “But I just don't.