“I’ll wait for you outside,” She winked.As the door closed, Dr. Bykov let a frustrated sigh from her nostrils. “Madison, I hate to put another...task on your shoulders, but please ensure your sister keeps her grades up. It’s a rare exception for Moringa to accept a student without college credit that didn’t even apply. She’s exhausted every privilege the Masters family name affords her.”“I understand,” Maddi shifted in her seat. “We’re not very close--since Mom died. But I can try,”“Trying is all. "Only a little. Maybe." It's all right, Elizabeth. I can see you've never been treated to a place like this before. This will be a new experience for you. Don't worry. My first time here was only a couple of years ago, and I was in such awe, the only memory I have of what we ate that night is that it was delicious." We'll skip the cola, and the meal, and go straight to dessert. I feel like committing a mortal sin tonight. We'll have two house coffees, a half-litre of your dry white, and two. "'Scuse me, little gals," he said, as he walked outside. The "littlegals", Hermione and Lallie had been standing at the door, listening asbest they could to what had gone on inside.They waited until he had rode off before they began to talk. "Who doyou think he is?" Lallie asked."I don't know," Hermione replied. "I never saw him before." Shegiggled. "But Miss Osbourne must know him if she's gonna have supperwith him. Wait till I tell my Ma."* * * * *"Annie." Hedley knocked on Clara's. My uncle had, at one time, done a favor for Joe Kelly, the local pol. Joe was in tight with our Congressman and worked it so that I got an appointment to West Point. Yeah, I couldn't believe it myself, but my grades were excellent and, shit, I was going to West Point."George paused and glanced at me. "Don't get too impatient with me, David. I'm giving you background so that you'll understand the rest of this story - okay?" I nodded and he resumed."My first few months there were hell. Don't.