“Have there been any messages left for Molly?” Maria asked the bar man. “No, sorry ma’am” was the reply.Maria picked up her phone and preten...ed to look through her messages. “Asshole” she muttered under her breath. “Well, I guess same gain please” “Must be some kind of idiot to stand you up” Maria spun around to face the nerd who was looking at her and smiling.“Pardon” she said.“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help hearing you and guessed you might be waiting for someone. I’m of the opinion that anyone. ’ ‘What a waste of two great people.’ ‘You can say that again.’ ‘Well if we can be of any help let us know.’ ‘Thanks I appreciate that.’ The subject was changed then when Rachel asked me, ‘You told us you were trying to connect with Travis Development how did that ever work out?’ ‘It’s still working so I’m still in the running. I hope to hear something in the next few days.’ ‘Good luck on that. It sounds like a big win for you if you get it.’ ‘It could be the start of something very good. "My name," I pause, "is Xander." Then your folks shoulda learned to spell in this country. Used a Z." He makes a theatrical snoring noise. "Zzzzzzander." He guffaws. Drains his can and throws it in the fire where it spits and fizzes as the print blackens and metal curls."They could spell just fine. Xander is phonologically consistent with other words. Such as xenophobia, with which you're intimately familiar." Well ain't you just the life and soul."I seethe but take a deep, practised breath.. . why?" It's hard again," she said.He explained the biology of things to her."So it's not for me?" She sounded disappointed."No," he said firmly."Too bad," she said lightly. "I really like playing with it." Isn't this kind of sudden?" he asked.She nodded. "Uh huh." So don't you think you've experimented enough?"She shook her head. "Nope." Your mother is going to kill me," he said softly."My mother is going to share you," said the woman child."You're insane. She'll never agree to that. She'll.