Nothing was going on, and most of the staff was out doing their last minute pre-Christmas things, whatever they were.The weeks just past had been hect...c ones, and they always were for pulling the Christmas issue together, but now that the issue was out, there wasn't much to do. The next week's paper, right after Christmas, was always one of the smallest of the year, and they'd already gotten a good start on it, seeing as how it'd be another one-day paper, so even that wasn't going to be too. It always seemed to bask and sparkle in the southern sun whenever my plane landed. It was big, and shining — overwhelming in the long honored Texan way. But it would never touch the strings of my heart. My loss, I'm sure.It seems, though, that everything the city lacked was made up for by the Belmont hotel. Whenever they sent me to Dallas, I would book a nice suite at the Belmont. It has the charm of the mid-twentieth century. But it also has all the luxury I needed to compensate for being away. .The only merperson I had the slightest interest in---since I refused tothink about Fluke that way---was Sandee at the candy shop. I picturedher: that radiant smile, of course, which made her seem like such apositive and friendly person; but also the earlobes poking out of herpixie haircut with those adorable shiny starfish earrings on them; andher cute nose, her pert little breasts, her belly button, and even thespread of her caudal fin; which I'd caught a glimpse of when it flippedup as she. Second, I planted the idea that ‘maybe he wasn’t okay’ deep in his psyche. Deep enough that there would be no immediate effect, but not so deep that he would never reach it. Hopefully, with this idea in the back of his mind, he could start himself down a proper road to recovery, and actually confront the loss of his wife eventually. Lastly, I made sure that whenever he did eventually reach that point, he would be sure to seek professional help. I may have mind-reading and mind-controlling.