Jen handed the bag of groceries to her husband and came to me. We embraced, both talking nonsense about how long it had been. She pulled away, smiled ...ervously and excused herself, disappearing into the kitchen, leaving me reeling.I can't do this, I thought. She feels the same, smells the same and looks the same as four years ago. But where could I go? I had no prospects and a reputation to mend.Ed must have warned Jen not to pry about my life. The conversation at dinner was guarded. I praised. Mark barely looks at me these days,” Beth said as she released my head and sat back down. “I would never neglect such a beautiful, sexy woman if she were my wife,” I lied. “Ah you are so sweet,” Beth said smiling broadly. “Mark isn’t screwing your brains out every night?” I gushed. “No he certainly isn’t,” Beth said sadly. “It’s been ages since I felt sexy and exciting,” she concluded. “We can fix that easy enough,” I said with my toothiest grin. “How so?” Beth asked sheepishly. “I was. ‘But I don’t know how to dance – I mean – not old-fashioned ways – just the kind we dance at school.’ I smile. I think I must seam ancient to you sometimes. I put the needle on the record. A Strauss waltz started. ‘That’s OK – it’s easy and fun and I’m going to teach you – but with a twist.’ I smiled at you wickedly. You giggled. ‘Bad, bad Daddy.’ ‘Yes, and no, darling. Hopeless romantic ‘Daddy,’ I think.’ Facing you, I lifted your right arm and slowly tied the red ribbon around my left wrist.. Then she disappeared to let the captain know we were ready. He came back on the speakers.“Welcome aboard, everyone. Our flight today is 19100 kilometers, approximately five and half hours. Our cruising speed today will be at Mach 3.2 at an altitude of 22.8 kilometers. Arrival time will be just after midnight local, UTC.”Loretta hopped up and ran to the bathroom. Two minutes later she was back, as we taxied to the end of the runway. Acceleration was fierce. And it didn’t stop. It felt like we.