"I don't know, either. The damage is already done, I guess. Christ, what a mess!" I said sourly."Listen," she said, "can you ditch football practice t...night? I was going to skip cheer practice, so let's go somewhere and try to figure this out, okay?"Reluctantly, I agreed to meet her right after school. Maybe we could come up with a solution if we talked it out some more, I thought.At the end of the day I asked Brad to cover for me at practice. He agreed to tell Coach that I was feeling sick and. Tables and chairs were laid out in front of the TV and underneath was a video recorder and selection of gay porn tapes. Brian closed the blinds and the room slipped into near darkness. Somehow, I preferred it this way. He reeled off my list of tasks: serve nibbles to his friends, make beverages, serve beer and spirits, wash the dishes. Ok, I thought, not too difficult. Just before the two friends arrived, I had filled the bowls with crisps and nuts and set the video. Beers were at the ready.. The paintings featured Alana both wearing clothes and nude in front of backdrops of Santa Fe scenes. I completed the series just before the New York show. Erin said she'd schedule the Santa Fe opening for the week before Christmas.Milestones, the events of life.I started to worry how long I'd remain Eric Kleiner. At the New York show, my life as Eric Kleiner would be five months old, the same term for my life as Debra Oakman. When I'd opened my eyes as Eric Kleiner, I was a drug addict, under. Honestly Lena, I won’t lie to you, I’m OK, very healthy for my age.’ ‘I believe you,’ I said holding myself in check now. I had to be strong because I didn’t know how he would react when I finally asked him. ‘What happened on Sunday really hit me hard. No, don’t interrupt, let me finish. I realised that I might lose you,’ I started to cry softly, ‘and I couldn’t stand it. The thought of losing you after such a short time.’ He hugged me tight and I cried softly into his shoulder as he whispered.