Chrissy’s mom continued, “You know much more about that Elite world than you should, David. Many centuries ago, a group of elite families tired of...having a dictator over them who took a cut of what they earned to feed his opulent lifestyle. They split away from the larger group to form their own small, tightly-knit group. Changing their businesses and practices not directly to compete with the elite families made them slowly fade from their memory. Over time that group became an invisible. ” She threw that off as if it was just a saying.“How long have I been here?” I asked. She looked at her clock. It was nearly ten. I wasn’t sure if it was morning or night.“About 34 hours,” she said calculating. “It’s Wednesday morning.”“My God,” I said. “I need to check in. Riley will be panicked.”“Don’t tell me Riley is your wife,” Peg moaned.“No, my partner,” I answered.“Thank goodness,” she said and rolled on top of me with another kiss. “I did not haul your ass out of that river and thaw. I wanted to inspect the bridge before driving over a structure that might or might not support the weight of an SUV loaded with two adults and a month's supply of food for four people. If the bridge didn't look like it would support the vehicle then Marti and I would have to carry everything the remaining four miles to the cabin.Marti stripped off her tee shirt and cutoffs to wade in the creek while I inspected the bridge. She was wearing a very tiny string bikini under her clothes. Her bikini. Her assertiveness had taken him by surprise."Please don't, Anthea. I don't want to hurt you but it's not going to happen." How do you know?" she asked plaintively."For a number of reasons, the first being the age difference." There are plenty of married couples twenty years apart in age." I don't deny that but they got married a lot younger. When they married they could look forward to forty odd years together. Marriage to me would mean about twenty at the outside and there's every chance that.