It would be lovely if you could tidy up. I can’t be bothered right now. Love L.”I collapsed onto a chair, feeling the dull ache of self-pity and j...alousy in my stomach. The joy of my weekend’s fishing trip erased from memory. But, loath as I am to admit it, there was a growing admiration. This was so cruel, so well thought out and so well executed. Who else but L could have come up with this? It hurt, yet part of my likes to be humiliated by her.I set to work; meticulously piecing details. She moved closer and noticed a light scent of burning. She touched a black streak and it gave off on her finger. Soot, she thought. The same cause of the stains on the plush animals. Moving back she saw a picture of Jean-Marie on one of the clippings. It told how a localboy had been disqualified from boxing because of excessive aggressiveness. Then some more clippings about the so called Beast winning fights. Now she understood why he was able to take the punch from Avery and knock him out with. We wanted to get married sooner, but with careers and other things, we decided to wait. We were so much more mature at the time, and It had become a special time for both of us.We started a family like so many others had done before us, and we watched our children grow up and our careers blossom, but still, nothing was more important to us then being together. We had our ups and downs like most, but we were able to manage through it. We were still in love after so many years, and our lives. We did not go tothe movies or out to dinner. I was hurt. I had not givenup my dream of marrying Karl. He is an unusual man andI tried so hard to be the unusual woman that he wouldwant.“You don’t understand dogs. They are very simple.Obedience. Loyalty. Courage. He thinks you are his now.You are his now. Think of it from the dog’s perspective.If I made love to you now, I would become his rival. Itwould ruin our relationship. Enzo’s and mine. He wouldnot trust me..