” “Well... Daddy and your mother will be gone, so maybe... we'll have to see... no promises.” “They'll be gone? But it's the middle of the wee....” “Right, but they've got some fund-raiser or something they've got to go to. They're leaving first thing in the morning and won't be back until after dinner the next night.” “Holy shit. That sure creates some possibilities. Hey, how about if I ask Jarrad to spend the night? How would you like that?” “Uh, yeah... I was kinda hoping you might come up. Make that seven plates,’ laughing to herself, ‘I will happily sit this one out.’ Quickly thinking to herself how to appease everyone without causing a furore, she leant down to whisper in his ear, ‘Darling, we have a situation here. You have eight women in one room all in love with you and wanting to show you this love by serving food to you. But it will become dangerous and bloody if one makes any move and causes a stampede. Think of the Boxing Day shopping specials when the doors first open,. "I hear they had a good time yesterday?" said Miriam."Was good, except for the price. It was very expensive to go in and thenwe had to pay adult prices for all," said Laura. "So, how's work?" I have to admit, I'm enjoying it," said Miriam. "Great company. Trish isthe boss and there's another woman: Tracy." I don't recall seeing Tracy," said Laura."She works mornings. She's still here if you want to speak to her," saidMiriam. "Tracy, do you have a minute?"A young woman with short ash brown hair. 'Had he ever loved me or had he only loved having me? Was it now that I was tainted goods, that another man had taken his property, was that all that had meaning to him?... I slowly cried myself to sleep, knowing, feeling that he had never loved me, never would or could love me. I felt, I realized, I had been open to involving herself with Rich, because intuitively I had known that Jonathan had not truly loved me. Ours hadn't been a marriage of love, it had been a marriage of convenience-- for.