There isn’t as much bigotry in the west as there is in some other parts of the country, and the members all seemed to be very close. The meeting bro...e up at about 9:00 pm, and some members gave others rides home because they had too much too drink.Most of the others had already left, and I was headed to the door, when Leon asked, “Hey, Ed, do you want to stay a little while longer and talk, and maybe have a little more beer?”Then I said, “Sure, Leon, I’d like that.”We each tapped another beer. My feelings didn't reach the level of what I'd felt with Lisa, but they far exceeded anything I'd ever felt about any one other than family.Suddenly I realized that my introspection had taken a bit of time, and Kelly was waiting. I concluded that, for whatever reason this had come about, I was okay with it. No, I was actually happy. Happy for the first time since Lisa had been diagnosed, and I would be content, no matter where Kelly and I went from here.I shut the water off, and dried my hands.. As she looked down she could see he had on a black boiler suit but she could also see a second form with a knife glinting close to her throat.She couldn't see the other man's face but she knew from the arm holding the knife he too had on a black boiler suit, she tried to make a sound, but the hand pulled tighter over her mouth and the knife rose closer, she stared at the grinning man in front of her."Pretty lady like you shouldn't leave her door open, your lucky we ain't Jehovah witness's, you. “I dunno, just here,” I replied, not knowing what to say.“Well, you could have texted at least. I had to call your mom to make sure you didn’t drop dead or something.”“I know. I was just getting back into things.” I spoke softly.“You sound like a real girl.” He chuckled.“Well duh, I am a girl now.” I knew he would make a joke about it sooner or later. I didn’t mind though.“I didn’t expect you to sound like that still.?“Like what? I’m fully a girl.” I felt a smile creeping on my face for some.