.." she observed. "So... um..."I blushed again. "Yeah," I said looking into her blue eyes. She was sopretty."Rough day then?" she asked, head tilting.... made a vague gesture with my hand. "Well. About normal for me..." I see..." Sue said with a nod. "So... do you have anyone to talk too?These must be confusing times." No. Not really. I, Er, yeah. It's hard. But I'm getting there. Slowly,"I said. Reed was watching with a look of clinical curiosity that creepedme out suddenly. "Look. I have to go.. "I have to admit I'm awfully nervous about this." You'll be fine, dear," said the older woman reassuringly. "I think you'll find you're in for a real treat."Igwanda re-entered. "All finished, Amanda?" he asked his wife."I think we're ready, dear," she said. "Oh, how are we going to introduce Simone? You know it's easier for them with one name."He shrugged. "Accorda, I suppose." He turned to his trooper. "Or do you prefer a nickname, Trooper? Corda?"The soldier made a face. "That's what he. I got up, sighed, and walked to the shower. I was sure this year would be just like the last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. Boring classes and stupid classmates. And the stupidest one of all, Debbie Palmatier, would do everything in her power to make my life miserable. I don't know what made her start hating me in seventh grade. Maybe it was the fact that I got straight A's and she barely avoided flunking out every year. There was no way she saw me as a romantic. " I understand," I said. "Don't worry, I won't forget anything." As long as you are good, you don't need to worry about your father,"she said, "It's your brothers that might be a problem."At the time Mike was 11 soon to be 12, I was 9 soon to be 10 and Richwas 6 soon to be 7. All of our birthdays are in July.After dinner that night my father told my brothers that he needed theirhelp. As they were getting in the truck I heard Rich say "Hey? How comeMatt doesn't need to go?"I knew that my dad was.