I think I said that right." FTL my ass. It's impossible."Susan held up her left hand, with the ring finger extended. "I lost the tip of this finger la...t year when a rock fell on it. It's back. That's 'impossible', too. Are you angry because you think someone is lying to you, or because you're terrified that they aren't?"Now it was Rachel's turn to be struck speechless. Her mouth worked for a moment, then her face crumpled, and she began to sob. Steve had been on the edge of collapse himself,. "But why are you crying? Doesn't my naked body turn you on?" I had no doubt that it did so.My remark didn't help. He turned to me with the saddest eyes I have ever seen."Carol left me last night." Why?"He hesitated. "It was about sex." Talk to me, damn it. I'm not a virgin." I keep asking her to let me... to let me... you know."With that, his eyes traveled to the screen, and mine followed. I reached over and turned off the set."You mean anal sex?"He nodded. "She never lets me do it to her that. When she shut the door behind her, he turned and walked back to the car. The first floor of the house was nearly empty, and she went up to her new room immediately.“Nice date?” asked Barbara.“Very.”“Andy?” asked Willa. She nodded.“When am I going to meet this guy?” asked Barbara.“Whenever.”“He, as Marilyn said in a chapter meeting, comes to the door before a date. But, then, they walk.”“No longer. He still comes to the door. He’s a gentleman. But, this year, he’s a gentleman with a car.”“He has. . I stood."I?d love a coffee. A really nice latte." A latte it is then, I know just the place."There didn?t seem to be any alternative to following her, though herlong legs meant I hustled a couple of steps for each of hers. Having tolook up to speak with her didn?t feel right, used as I was to beingtall. I probably wasn?t much more than four feet tall."I am a walking, bloody cliche," I muttered, scurrying to keep up withher confident strides."Cliches have to start somewhere. You do it well.