‘Hi, I was looking for you’ the woman said. ‘I wanted to catch you before I left.’ ‘Oh, right’ I managed to say while she helped herself a...d joined me at the table without an invitation. ‘You’re outta here after today, congratulations’ I offered meekly. The woman, whose name still eluded me for whatever reason, settled in across the table from me. She was a little older than me, probably in her early or middle 50’s. Short and thin, with short black hair cut in a sharp angular way, and dressed. .. I do not think she does. I never brought or bring men home; we always do it at a hotel or motel, being most of the men that I date are married. A lot of them are from out of town and in New Orleans on business or for a convention. As for Sophie, she does not even know me, or for that matter, that I even exist. I have kept track of her and watched, admittedly from afar, her growing up into a beautiful, now married, young woman,” Cristine said.“I would never have guessed all that, and I have. Whoops.Oh, don't 'whoops' me, I thought. "I'll plug you back in... if youpromise not to make too much noise." Like I can tell her to doanything. All she has to do is play the waiting game, and she'll win.Even someone as dumb as Natsuko can figure that out.Surprisingly, she nodded.Okay, I thought, maybe I can trick her. Maybe I can get her to giveaway the secret to how to use this bottle, and what this "cleaning"thing is. I plugged her speaker back into her robotic skull."Hiiii,. “I accept the fun deficit I have created and look forward to making up for it.”Kiki rolled and then closed her eyes. “Later, please. I need sleep if I’m going to keep up with the non-stop party people this weekend.”Arwen had rolled to sit up. “I should get moving, too. I’ve got a ton of work to do before the reception and I know half of it is still going to be sitting on my desk come Monday.” She gave Nick a dirty look. “Slave driver.”“I’m a terrible boss.” Nick agreed and headed into the.