It’s funny, but in all the while I had been coming here, I never once considered that she had a partner. I guess, I just didn’t want her to have o...e at all.I could see that my pianist had now rotated so that she was now side on to me. I could see the stage lights glint off her shoulders and scatter onto the black and white keys. She had changed the music and was now playing some gentle Jazz. She was so talented. What was she doing in a place like this? I suddenly felt like Bogart, I was. . and ... I meant it."No ... Ian. It's too soon. You've only just appeared again. I'm not ready to make that kind of commitment again. I've tried once and failed. I can't let myself fail again."I could tell by the tone of her voice that I had surprised her and she wasn't ready to consider a permanent arrangement."I'm sorry, Bernie. That was a stupid thing for me to say. I know it's too soon and I know you have to be certain. I do love you, but I can wait. Hell, I've waited this long, I can wait. She asked him, Jim, Zoey, and Marlene to hang around for a little while to see if they could help in some way. There were no expectations about what the ‘informal’ visit was supposed to produce.Heather, the journalist, asked, “Renee, just what kind of place do you live in? Is this a condo or what?”Renee looked surprised, “I thought you knew. I am part of an intentional family. We all live together.”“I don’t understand; how’s that work?”Renee started to answer as Ellen rolled her eyes, “We are a. I knew that I needed some suntan lotion on too, but I was putting it off as much as possible. I thought if I stayed in the water that I would be ok. My father and I both came outside with drinks, lovely icy drinks, and told me and my mum to come and grab one. I swam over to the side and jumped out. As I took my drink, my Uncle grabbed me by the arm and pulled me onto his lap. I spilt some of my drink down my chest, and my uncle licked it all up, but even after licking it all up he.