Tim didn’t ask questions, until they were on the road. ‘Eve, look at me. What happened?’ Sadly, she glanced at him and then stared at her hands ...n her lap. ‘I had sex with Jeff.’ Bile rose up in Tim’s throat. ‘Did he rape you?’ ‘Rape?’ ‘Force you to have sex with him?’ ‘No.’ She glanced at him, and then looked out her window. ‘He was very nice. It was… exciting.’ ‘What the fuck happened!’ Eve jumped at his booming voice, but continued to stare out the side window. ‘After you left, Jeff stopped. I just remember he apologized to me for it. I guess that'swhy I remember it at all. It's the only time I can remember him everapologizing to anybody for anything. He did slap me in the back of thehead though, a lot. And boy did he use the belt. He took everything Idid or didn't do personally. If I didn't make good grades I was beingrebellious. If I didn't scrape my plate into the garbage right I wasbeing rebellious. If I couldn't get the power mower to start without hishelp I was defying him.. We love each other." Why is she asking me that?"Yeah, I know Don... but don't people get... you know? Tired of each other?" What would he say if I told him that Joan cheats on him? Would he believe me? Maybe Sherry could get the photo of Joan screwing the minister?"No... that's what being in love is about, Julie. That doesn't look very comfortable. Why don't you sit over there?" "I'm comfortable here, Don. I like being close to you. Do you ever... like... think about me? That way?" Of course. He had been her everything and it pained her deeply to recall his suffering as his strength drained away from the radiation and drugs used to keep him alive. But in the end it hadn't mattered as the cancer took him away, leaving her alone to raise her two children.Now they were all that mattered and she had vowed to protect them and raise them with love. A devoted mother, Sue seldom dated and her sex life consisted of her fingers and a toy tucked away in the back reaches of her bedside table.On.