She has the package under her shirt. Turning around she sticks her tongue out at me. She is a vixen. There is a bustle as Jayden and her parents are a...out to leave. Many of the ranch hands are saying their goodbyes. I have kissed Alishia and shaken Rob's hand. I kept my distance from Jayden, fearing that I might betray my true feeling for my young niece. I watch as their car drives out of sight. Jayden is gone.The rest of the day is busy. I have to correlate all the reports of my men. It takes. Her bank account now nearly rivaled that of her husband’s and she didn’t have a gambling problem. Linda’s only addiction was to stiletto heels and spicy lingerie, both of which she had in abundance. Mike didn’t even ask her how she could afford them and why there were no outstanding charges on their joint credit card. One of her favorite couples to swing with actually now paid her much less than in the beginning. She gave them what she jokingly referred to as a ‘subscriber’s discount’. Aaron. All of that is gone now and the only ones smiling are the ones who began this fiasco, the ones who have been silently running the past two decades. They got what they truly desired and what do we have? Nothing. Nothing to show for all the work we did. No memories of meaning from the lives we lived. That’s all we are, all we ever have been and all we ever will be to them. Nothing. Where did the love go, what happened to compassion? There’s not a good thing left anymore, but in a world like ours. I told them about what was happening when the new school year started next August about becoming their teacher while attending the school as a freshman and that made them very happy. The seniors sounded a little saddened, but they all hoped the best for Miss Stapleton and me.After class was over, I lightly touched Katie on the hand and said, “See you later,” as I left her alone.I had the same discussion a little later with the Jackson Heights orchestra also going over both the Teachers Concert.