’ They drank and ate leisurely. While waiting for mains Rick pulled out a small box and said, ‘Happy Birthday. I overlooked giving you a present o... time.’ ‘Ooooh. Thank you. Oh it’s lovely Rick,’ Augustine cooed. ‘Come over here for a kiss and put it around my neck.’ It was a silver necklace, the letter ‘A’ on a fine chain. ‘It’s beautiful and I guess rather expensive. You are a naughty boy.’ He beamed. Their mains, steak and lightly grilled chicken arrived. Leaning forward and whispering,. I was glad Robbie wasn’t around. I thought about how my mom used to tell us not to feed stray dogs or they will never go away. I felt like a stray dog. I tried to get a good look at every blond that got off the subway. Then I saw her. It seemed like she might be looking for me too. She had her head up when she got off the subway and I saw a quick grin before she looked down and kept her eyes on the ground as she walked. I expected she would walk right past me, which would be okay. I was just. Our church was good sized with an balcony that held maybe 100 people if full which it never was and the rope was hanging down there so i liked that job as it got me unquestioned privilege to sit in balcony instead of with my mom. It was also where the sound board was which i also ran quite often.A girl that was 1 or 2 years younger had asked to be shown how to run the soundboard during service and i was happy for some nice looking company to flirt with when my dad asked me if i would show her. He cleared the door and I walked in and set my bags in the hall. I turned to him and threw my arms around his neck. I drank in his scent and sighed contentedly. Visiting Daddy meant coming come to the place where I was truly known, where I could relax and be the self only he could see. Daddy stiffened and whispered in my ear. “Have you forgotten your new rule, Bitch?” he growled. I backed up and looked at him, my mind blank. “Wasn’t he happy to see me?” I wondered. Daddy’s handsome face.