" At the being's gesture, an image appeared before me. It showed a well dressed woman, laughing gaily as she shared a formal meal with a man that coul... best be described as the ideal of handsome success. The woman wiped a tear from her eye, and began to speak. Her tone was one of mocking joy, and her words cut deep into John. "Oh him? What about that sad bastard? John was just a means to an end. The dumbass actually thought that I loved him, and I still have no idea why. I mean, come on. I've. ’ She kissed his bottom lip and then let her tongue sneak out to lick the sweet ice cream off him, making another group of kids go eeeeewwww. Pulling away, she turned back to the sights and licked the dripping strawberry ice cream off her hand. ‘I think I’m the one with sticky fingers today.’ ‘Well I think that officially puts this official first date as better than the unofficial one,’ Todd grinned. ‘and I guess I do kiss on the first date. I already knew you did. But hands off of Allen now,. "Edith remained nearby as others greeted her, and then moved away totheir homes or other duties. It was nearly noon, and Edith was asked tostay for lunch with the Stormclouds. She accepted, as did River, afterone of the people living on the far side of the reservation promised tolet her parents know what she was doing.Over lunch River noted her surprise at the fine work that Ben did on hiscanoes and snowshoes."I think you need to find another junior ranger, Wayne," Edith said."There are other. He’ll remember this for the rest of his life!’ Her face takes on a dreamy look and I wonder if maybe she doesn’t wish she could take my place. ‘Do you realize how depraved we are?’ I ask, smiling in spite of my concerns. ‘Yes but in a good way,’ she smiles back. ‘What you’ve done for Jeremy is nothing short of a miracle! If it wasn’t for you … well, I don’t want to think about what his life would have been like.’ ‘He’d have eventually figured it out,’ I assure her, even as I realize that I’m.