”“Did you have a good birthday?”“The last four days have been awesome,” I said. “It’s great to have all my friends around, and I was ver... happy about Bethany’s progress. It’s been eight months since things fell apart, and it seems that being away from the house has helped.”“You still love her,” Kara said.It was a declaration, not a question.“Of course I do! I could never stop loving her. If I could put things back to the way they were, I would.”“At the expense of Jessica?” she asked.“Before I. Jim’s stream was the first to peter out, he said “done “ as the last drop fell. Beth stuck her tongue out at him and was able to go for another ten seconds.That’s when Beth realized she had a bit of a problem. “Jim, I think maybe I should have been sitting the other way around. I can’t see the controls and I’m not sure what to do. Come over here and help me.”Jim got up, pulling on his swim trunks at the same time. The bidet was just a few steps away, he looked over Beth’s shoulder to see the. Damn! It looked like Karen was crying. He felt the urge to run out the front door and not look back. He never intended to hurt Karen, but it seems like he did.The loss of his wife four years ago had left him devastated; his best friend and lover wilted away from inoperable cancer right before his eyes. It took a lot for him to be here today, and now Bill wished he hadn't made an effort. His body language said it all as he shuffled his way to the front door and outside. He walked up the street. Pull yourself together, Emma. You did the right thing. Nobody else knows what’s happened yet. God, I’ll have to tell my parents and my friends. They’ll bug me about my plans. How am I going to pay the rent anyway? I’ve got enough saved for a couple of months, but then what? Back to Mom and Dad at 26? I feel my brow furrowing already. Christ, my unemployment honeymoon is over after one afternoon nap. I don’t have anything planned for this evening. I’ve been coming home spitting most Fridays.