’ The emphasis she placed on my name showed me that she had recognized the discomfort that I felt at our familiarity and was trying to lighten the m...od, but sarcasm didn’t suit her. I saved time by picking up the compressor on the way home instead of in the morning so I arrived on the job at the same time as yesterday. Juliette had just parked her car on the street and followed me as I reversed the truck and compressor up the driveway, she was wearing similar work clothes as yesterday, jeans. The time passed slowly. We listened to the audience respond to each unseen act, wincing when the cheers were enthusiastic. Pete kept count of the applause, increasing everyone’s nerves as our number approached. Seven ... Eight... The sound of the theatre door opening snapped us out of our nervous silence. One of the judges poked her head out into the hallway.“Are you guys number twelve?”“Yeah?”“We’ve been calling your number! You’re on!”We looked at each other in shock. “Eleven people have gone. We would jokingly pinch each other's bottoms and I would always try to pinch where her bottom met her inner thigh, imagining my fingers going further.Before long, it was time for her to come inside. After sunbathing, she would always take a bath and this was what I was most looking forward to. I remained in my bedroom as she came upstairs and began to run the bath. I listened to her move back and forth, from the bathroom to her bedroom and then when I heard the key lock the bathroom door, I. Charlie ran out, saw me and ducked back inside to collect his raingear.As I walked through the doorway, he said, "I'm glad you're here! The phones and lights are out everywhere but here, and we have limited radio contact with Tom and Eddie. I need you to stay here and man the radios!"I said, "Yessir," and sat down at the dispatcher's desk.Normally neat and tidy, there were scraps of paper everywhere with bits of information scribbled on them. As Charlie left, I tried to sort things into some.