"Do you know what else is special about today?" "No honey...?"I replied "I'll give you a hint, I had my period exactly two weeks ago...!"Then giggling... she scampered to the bathroom. I started, "You mean you're?...Oh, honey...!"I wanted to run to the bathroom door to grasp my fertile bride. Just then I saw a key turn in the lock and the door swung open. Ted and two of his friends walked in.I didn't even have time to react as I was heady from Chrissy and the champagne. Ted took two steps forward. My mother, still attractive in her advancing year, answered the door after only a few short minutes. "Hello Ricky! You finally decided to come visit your... Good Lord!!!!" she broke off her greeting as she caught site of me on the back porch.My hopes kindled by her reaction, I stood there waiting for some indication of her thoughts. I looked down slightly, embarrassed, the toes of my new boots pointing towards each other a bit as I braced myself for the barrage of questions to come."What on. " In due course I may make similar accommodations for the troopers if they wish," Ig­wanda told him, "but for now I think they will take their protective role more seriously if we retain the trappings of discipline. Go on now."The colonel was aware that he faced a steep learning curve for his troopers, inculcated as they'd been by the rigid Miller into thinking of the Edenites as implacable enemies. On board the Gardener the previous evening he'd laid down his expectations."You will be joining. She really wanted Sholandra badly now."If I'm so lovely, why do you want to get rid of me?"Now Sholandra began to weep again. Even though she seemed to be able to turn her tears on and off as it suited her, it devastated Laura to see her cry. I've caused her this pain, Laura thought, guiltily. Oh god, I can't let her be hurt so badly. I do care about her."It's not true," she insisted, softly, brushing the tears off Sholandra's cheeks with her hand. "I do care for you." You're a bitch,".