"We walked to the counter together and she purchased her favorites from the clothes she'd ***********ed (not even allowing me The Chance to offer to p...y for them myself), including the totality of the outfit she'd shown me in the fitting room.The male employee behind the counter didn't ask us about what we'd done, or why some of the clothes were soaked, content to ring her up. After he gave her the receipt, though, he gave us a thumbs up, a nod, and a shit-eating grin.Penelope and I just leaned. "But Annie's OK - she's taking it the right way, I can see that, growing up fast and finding out things about herself that are surprising her. She reminds me of when I was her age and getting it in the neck just like she is now. Joanne should be proud of her! Sorry to be so hardhearted! I know you three are fond of each other, but it's a brutal business, this freedom struggle. If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen." Rubbish, Frieda. We aren't fighting to install a regime as brutal. However, by the time the toast popped up, I had recovered. Hmmm.As a science writer, I fancied myself something of a scientist. “What do I know about what’s going on?” I asked myself. The known facts were (1) It only affected human males. (2) Earliest onset was around age ten to twelve, though there were some as late as age fifteen or eighteen. (3) The symptom was simple: Men got weaker physically. Their large, voluntary muscles became weak. It appeared that there was no effect on the. He entered the waking world with a twitch. I whispered in his ear; “Hey beautiful“. “You perv, how long you been watching me sleep?“ he asked with a grin. “Long enough.“ I replied, a little embarrassed for watching him sleep. “Well, I‘m glad it‘s you. Let‘s go downstairs and grab something to eat, I‘m starved.“ he exclaimed.I gave out a faint laugh and backed away from him in order to get out of bed. As I bent over to pick up my boxers, he stopped me saying “what you need those for? My parents.