"Why, you're quite welcome!" Erin had replied. "I'm enjoying this too. It's like being with my baby sister."Hugh had blushed at the comparison. But wh...n he looked into the mirror, the braids did make him look like an awfully young woman. Erin was 28, but right now, in Erin's body, Hugh looked no more than 20. Hugh's body was 32.Erin's realization about age made her think twice, "I've lost 4 years of my life!" she said, seriously."Worse than that," Hugh replied, "given the life expectancy of. Austin did nothing wrong. The personwho needed a second chance was me and I should do whatever it took toget him back.I went over and called Austin when I was at his front door. I told him Iwas not leaving until we talked. I told him I owned it to him to talk tohim right now. Austin said no. I understood why Austin did not want totalk to me, he was in the right. Also, I was not being honest with thereason why I was over there. Yes, I owned it to him to talk with him,but this was about me. I. His swordsmanship stank, yet this teacher was determined to raise his skills.Then they rode the hamox all day and he suffered. The hamox is a curious beast, mostly docile but with a nasty habit of biting anything that gets close to its mouth. The coarse hair of the beast is oily and not particularly pleasant to pet. The horns are thick, coming out of the side of the head and then curving up to a wicked point. To Porter, riding a hamox was reminiscent of the mechanical rides his parents placed. Mom was going to be in her bedroom, but Denise figured this was one that might go down better if she talked to Dad first. Not, she reminded herself ruefully, that either one was very accommodating when it came to school stuff.She searched the first floor and called out into the basement, but Dad wasn't anywhere. Sticking her head into the kitchen she had startled Theo, who was supposed to be studying but really was having a sandwich and listening to a tape -- with the volume at full blast, to.