" Do you think Scott would wanna go too with Hayden?" Stephan asked."I'm not sure when Scott'll be back. He went to see his mom at his house.He did sa... he'd be back tonight though. What time are we talking about?" Iasked."The party starts at 8. I'll be more than happy to drive and pay your wayinside," Stephan stated."Matt, I guess we could go. I don't see any harm in it," Corey said to me."Count us in too. I'll try to get a hold of Scott later but I wouldn'tcount him in," I said. We sat around. " I wonder why Carl never thought of that?" Boys are different," I pointed out, reaching for my orange juice."I've noticed," she responded dryly. She was busy dishing out French toast and bacon. Mom had figured out it was quicker and more efficient to do French toast than to juggle bacon, eggs, bread and a toaster. She'd just scramble some eggs in a shallow soup dish, dip hearty, whole-grain bread in it and fry it up while broiling the bacon. Before I sit down I nuke the syrup -- real maple --. Santa shook his head. "I'm so mad at myself," he said in disgust."I should have been paying more attention to driving." Hescowled at his own negligence. "Now I'm going to be late while Iget the sleigh out and rehitch the team."Anya glanced at the sleigh, then smiled at Santa. "Oh, don'tworry about that." She made small motions with her hands, andchanted, and with her magic guiding it, the sleigh slowly righteditself, then began to slide out of the water, up onto the beach.Santa watched,. That would not happen on my watch. The last people to leave were the managers. On a chilly, mid November evening in 1982, as I returned to tell the bosses all the employees were in their cars and out I was ready to clock out, the manager of Linens and fine China, Ms, Waldo approached me. "My car is in the shop, I was hoping you were going my direction and give me a lift home. It's really too far to walk and I would feel safe with you." The extent of our conversations prior to that point.