Dye, with Gwen’s help, had already designed the standard trade agreement forms. They were now set up ready for signing and filling out the details. ...ye loved the computer system and took to it like she had used one forever.Gwen and Ulani were pleased to help. They could both see how the services provided by the Martyns would become invaluable as the town grew.The Martyns explained to the group that everything has an assigned value. Those values were used to do the calculations. They would. “Yeah,” I deadpanned, “it means you get pancakes.”Mom grabbed two mugs and filled them up with hot coffee. As she headed out of the room, she asked how long I’d be.“I’m about halfway through,” I told her. “Probably another ten or fifteen minutes.”“Just yell when you’re ready,” Mom said as she walked away. “We’ll get our showers after breakfast and then open presents.”That was part of the trade: no more pre-dawn gift opening in our pajamas. I know some folks might be appalled at how we wait to. Dale is old, probably forty. He has a gut. He’s not ugly but not attractive at all.“You girls in college?”No one responds. I look at Dale. How creepy is this guy? He couldn’t know if we were sixteen or nineteen. Bored as I am, I decide to have some fun.“High school.” Then, “What are you drinking?”Rachel and Dusty gape. What am I saying? Why am I talking to this creep? I’m bored and this may get interesting. Dale doesn’t even blink.“Jack and Coke,” he says with a smile.Dale slides. Sophie watched as this big man destroyed her friend in body and now she thought she saw her soul give up the ghost to him. They moved in harmony and he held her close but caringly it seemed. She thought she could hear soft cooing noises coming from her friend as this rapist seeded her. Could she be mistaken or was it the stress of this ordeal playing tricks on her mind. She was bought back to reality by the hands on her boobs now raking up and down her sides. This sent shivers and made goose.