” Max rose, wiped off the seat and headed to the shoulder press.As he checked the weight, Connie asked, “When did you start doing upper body?”�...Months ago. Gym tan laundry,” said Max.“You know, if women really wanted a sense of humor in a man, I would be totally wet now.” Connie looked Max over. “I guess you’re done with weight loss?”“I’d like to lose a bit more, but I want some tone too,” Max sat on the bench. “I’ve been getting up early to think quietly and need something to do beside. Come to think of it, he realized she'd be telling the tale for the thirtieth time in a little over a month.But his smile held more meaning than anyone knew. Just like everyone else present, John would give the paternal twins presents everyone could oooh and ah over, and then later, behind the givers back, say how they thought it was a really good gift or how the giver shouldn't have been so cheap. He looked over at Tabitha, the baby of their family, who had been born ten months after the twins,. His mouth was open. He was dumbfounded. Lose ten million dollars, honestly. Holy fucking shit, he thought. That is soooo fucking ridiculous. No fucking way and it was clear to his dad that he thought that way too as his mouth sat open wide for anyone to read it clearly. “So you have no girlfriends whatsoever?” his dad asked again. “No” Chad said as she shook his head and wore a blank face. “Okay, I’ll work on that.” He got up and said goodbye after hugging his dad. Okay yes, he loved his dad. He too was dressed in a white robe, its folds outlining his muscular body in the wind.As the two parties stood in silence about a hundred metres apart, Eela could hear only the wind whistling past. With a last hand squeeze, her mother walked back toward the crowd, tears streaming down her face, and Eela was left with her father. He was traditionally required to confirm with her that she wished to continue, and he turned his kind face to her as she looked up. The nod he received was sufficient,.