"I thought it would. But even here, an ocean away from Manhattan, whenever I think... whenever my mind returns... at the smallest..." Don't worry! Don...t worry about anything!" said Phillippa comfortingly, rocking back and forth gently on the huge sofa, a rhythm that must have reminded both of them of the maternal affection neither had the fortune to bestow on children of their own.Marianne noticed how close her lips and nose were to Phillippa's nipple. It was thin and quite definitely stiff on. She could not make sense of what was going on.Angie was no longer on a toilet in a stall with her pants down. She was on her back,naked with her legs up in stirrups of an exam table. Panicked, she tried to move but found she was strapped down tight. The teenager was unable to move an inch, even her head was strapped down. A bright light shown in her eyes half blinding her. The straps that held down were so tight she could not even rattle the table. Foam blocks on either side of her head kept. Because of me. Because I’d called off my wedding. Because Daniel had been unfaithful. Yet less than a week later, I’d spent the night with Luke. Didn’t that mean I’d been unfaithful too? Didn’t that make me a hypocrite? I couldn’t decide, couldn’t rationalise any more, the constant analysis of my actions keeping me awake night after night until I thought I’d go crazy from sleep deprivation. I needed to tell someone… ‘Becky.’ To my surprise, when I straightened up I found Sarah behind me. She. ” I pleaded.“You know the rules, cash only.” Tom cackled.“Well, maybe we can bend the rules just this once.” Carl said as he looked sideways at my daughter.“No way!” Tom exclaimed.“Let’s just hear him out.” Eric chimed in. “What do you have in mind?”“I’ll give you $25 back for your daughter’s dress.” Carl said calmly.“Holy shit.” Tom muttered.Eric just sucked in a breath and looked at me as I contemplated this new development. I weighed the pros and cons, and then spoke up.“I’m in if Candy is.