‘I’m sorry, Mark. I’m really sorry.’ I leaned in towards her. ‘Just one more kiss?’ I said. I knew it sounded pitiful when I said it but ... thought if I could just kiss her one more time we’d feel that spark again and she’d love me again and like me again and whatever or whoever happened on this trip to leave her so certain she was done would just evaporate from her mind and we’d go back to being happy . . . or at least pretending to be. 
For a split second something changed in her eyes. But. You look for a way around the blockage, trying to find any way to climb around the blockage. Your investigation reveals the reason for the rockfall: the crags around you are made of brittle, crumbling rock that likely wouldn't support your weight. Weighing your options, you decide to try to squeeze your way past the blockage. The rock seems relatively stable, and the path beyond seems very shady. Compared to going back a couple of miles to where the rock walls are more stable, and then. You will always wonder. If you know then you can find a settled path through this in your mind and you will be at peace with your choice.”“OK, Kendi. For you and your peace of mind with my peace of mind.”When Doctor Askew returned, she had a nurse with her, and the nurse took the blood sample from Kendi and the doc took my cheek swab.“OK, we will send this out today. The lab that does the testing will get it first thing in the morning and in two weeks, or six, we will get the results. Good. Ridgeworth would attend us with a late night snack of salted fish and pickled cabbage. Derwen would go feed our children and I'd serve Ridgeworth my oral protein dessert. My pre-dawn meals were now served in Ridgeworth's bed, where we would make tender love before she had to go to work. She now had soft skin and a few of the maid's more noticeable age spots had disappeared. Derwen's friend was in very good cheer during the day and she loved how I now occasionally nibbled on her ears in public,.