He caught up with the woman as she overlooked what appeared to be a permanent encampment. Below in the swirling snow, humans and Orcs interacted in th... daily life of those who live in the lands of summer sun and winter night."Observe." She commanded. "In other lands, they would be mortal enemies, but here, the land does not forgive mistakes. Survival takes precedence." She turned to survey the landscape. "Look around you, is there not life, is there not beauty to be found in the bleakness of. "How refreshing!"I looked into her eyes at that moment and saw her warmth and sincerity. Instantly that core of shame I had inflicted on myself those past several years vanished! My experiments on the gay side of life were okay and so was I. In having shared them with someone I loved and admired I was now free to own them. Claire had said so and accepted me for exactly who I was and even praised me for something I thought was meant to be kept a dirty dark secret forever. I told her as much and. “Go on and have your dinner, you must be starving!”I wasn’t in the mood to eat then, though I was really starving. The thought of her and I alone in the apartment made my mind wander wildly. Oh all the possibilities! But I began to eat anyway on the couch, in front of the TV, just like I usually do.“Enjoy your dinner while I go have my shower”, Mrs. Lee cooed, almost hinting at me to join her! Or did I let my imagination run wild?She went into her room, but didn’t close the door! Soon, I heard. ”The Pollards had arrived on Friday and on Saturday morning, and the Klinsman contingent were also in place by Saturday, the children all being involved with decorating the tree and the rest of the house, and so when Claire entered through the front door at Saturday lunchtime, the first people she saw were Adam (9) and Stuart (7), James Pollard’s children, decorating an entrance hall table with a crib.“Hello Mrs Klinsman,” said Adam cheerfully. “D’you like our crib?”Claire, completely taken.