"Don't want him to think I'm too weird." The name Erika Otsuka was scribbled next to the boys embracing.And that was how Terry (sort of) sold the firs... copy of School Hearts.Ryan Bradshaw's studio apartment overlooked Tokyo and all its celestial lights. The elevator ride up had been long and painful, him and Sakura standing on opposite sides, wary of discovery, hearts pounding in their chests. Sakura had spent most of the time staring at Bradshaw's face despite herself. His expression was. She only just managed to hook a finger under the mess of hair and pull it from her eyes in time to look directly into Queen Tulie's ashen eyes as she pushed Gulda back against a tree's trunk, hard."Ouch!" she squeaked as the other woman's hands ran frantically over her arms and torso, squeezing roughly."Are you hurt?" Tulie asked, continuing to check Gulda over for injuries."No" she answered simply.Tulie's hands lifted to cup Gulda's cheeks. Gulda stared back at Tulie's round face, her round. "It's a tough world," said Bob. "Those with power call the shots, quite often. And power often corrupts. That's why you rarely want to elect somebody who's actually running for office. The ideal thing would be to draft people into office for one term and then kick them out. Never trust a career politician. That's my motto." He grinned.The kids did not.The last week required more intensive work from both teachers, both to fine tune a final exam, and to do the paperwork associated with the end of. Said, rising from the table and wiping the last bite ofchicken off his mouth."Drive carefully," Mama warned him, accepting a hug."Be careful," Helen warned him when it was her turn for a hug."Take care," I managed, receiving my own hug while trying not to think howgood it felt to be held in strong arms.On Sunday, Helen and I drove back to New Orleans together after aleisurely breakfast with Mama. We had thrown our overnight bags in thetrunk of my Focus, but the sacks from our shopping trip were.