Fred hugged Jackie and offered her a seat. Maria hugged her as she sat down. I shook hands with Fred and smiled a greeting to Maria, who just smiled b...ck.“How did you guys feel this morning?” Maria asked as she took a sip of coffee.“I was fine, but Jackie had a bit of a rough time. Thank Goodness this place serves breakfast until three.”“Oh, did you have a hangover,” Maria asked Jackie.“You could call it that,” she chuckled, “I swore off drinking, forever.”“Again,” asked Fred, laughing, “Don’t. Paul had finally got that promotion and transfer and now that she wastwenty-one the trust fund that her daddy had set up for her kicked in andCarrie could quit her job and raise the twins - two year old girls neededtheir Mommy.Their neighbors on the right were hardly ever home as they both traveledon their jobs, but Hoggs on the left were friendly and helpful."Hogg is the right name for them!" - Paul said to Carrie that night."God, are they fat - especially the woman! She gives me the shudders. Which reminds me, have some business I’d like to discuss with you tomorrow Dev if you’re not too busy.’ Despite protests from Dev that he could take them, the cab was called and Rusty joined them for the trip back to the hotel. Annie and Jack looked as tired as Reni felt and smiled when Jack pointed out that for an elderly man with cancer, her dad was a hell of a man. She nodded her agreement. ‘I couldn’t have found one better. The best part is he chose me, him and mom both.’ ‘So what do you. ”“I know the feeling,” Heather agreed. “When you first got here, I felt like I could barely get any words out correctly!”We all stretched luxuriously, and a moment later we sank back into the bed and rolled around, hugging each other. As Lara took a turn to lie on top of me, she smiled at me both coyly and mischievously. It had been some dozen cycles of the low tide since that magical night when the rogue wave had crested. The period had been full of wondrous exploration mixed with the honest.