All the time she felt like an ugly outsider, so of course she looked like one. She had had only two boyfriends, and she had had no luck there, either....All they had wanted was to exploit her, and the second one even beat her very often.We talked and talked. Once I looked at my watch and saw it was nearly six o'clock."The first time ever that I felt loved, was when I bought Caro." She patted the dog's head while she said so, and he looked up to her, almost with a smile. "I felt he loved me for. But that was a conversation for a later time. Probably with a therapist.Instead, she just glared at him and turned back to the bar.Rob’s comments must have really bothered her, because that night in her dream, she was still thinking about them.And him.She dreamed of getting up, just a few minutes after taking her pill and going to sleep, and walking over to the door to find him there with a smile on his face.It was just as much of a leer as it had been in real life, but while asleep that didn’t. “Did that too,” said Bobby.“How about the tack? Did you oil it?” asked Brad, looking up at his son.“Yep. Finished that yesterday,” said Bobby smugly.“All of it?” asked Brad.“All of it,” said Bobby firmly.“Find a tool that’s rusty and put some lanolin on it.” suggested Brad.“Dad, I did that last week,” said Bobby, a whine beginning to creep into his voice.“Well find something to do, dammit.” Brad’s voice began to rise.“Can’t I go out with the flock or something?” asked Bobby.“You know I don’t. Ann grinned and showed the note to Jack. "Good advice," he said, as heloosened his tie."She's incorrigible." She's your mother!" MMMMhmmm," Ann agreed as she began undoing her dress. "You know,Jack," she continued teasingly, "this dress took me a while to get in,and I had a lot of help. This is going to take a while to get out of."Jack came over, his shirt was open, and Ann twitched with anticipation.He laid his hands on her shoulders and kissed her exposed neck. Then hebegan to undo the.