"Here they are," she said, showing him pictures of the two girls."They're your nieces...or maybe your sisters now. They're really lookingforward to yo... coming home. I really hope they'll become your closestfriends. Here's Kayla, you had hair just like hers when you were her age.You could have been twins."She noticed that brought a smile to his face."You want your hair to grow back out, don't you?" she asked.He nodded his head yes."Wanna know a secret?" she asked him in a whisper. "I'll let you. "Oh, and if Rachel called like you wouldn't be out of here in ten seconds?"The conversation behind me devolved into the usual mess of male insults and posturing. Ah, home again.Cassidy O'Leary crinkled her nose when I hugged her outside In-N-Out. "Jeez, Ben. You stink! You could've at least showered before you met me."I raised an arm and saw the spreading wet spot at the armpit of my T-shirt, not to mention how the white material was damp and clinging to me at my chest and in the small of my. ‘Come on, how can you say that?’ Rod whined, ‘I’m really willing to try. I really am.’ ‘You know, Rod,’ Lois said, ‘I think its possible you mean that, but it’s too late. Our marriage, if that’s what it was, is over.’ ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Rod looked at her, puzzled. ‘Our marriage, if that’s what it ever was?’ ‘Rod, you don’t care about me,’ Lois continued, ‘and I’m not sure you ever did.’ Rod had no idea what his wife was talking about. ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘I do, too, care. Something coiled around his spine, tightened. What other pictures does she have, huh, daddy? Makes you wonder, doesn’t it, daddy? “Yes. Just send it to me. Email it. I’ll be in the office downstairs.” “Okay.” Ariel tapped furiously on the phone. “Sent it.” She threw herself back into her pillow. “I’m going back to sleep. Bye.” Roy backed out of the room and headed downstairs. Sweat beaded down his forehead, rode his lashes into his eyes. It stung. He squinted and wiped it away. .