Yes, I think I’ll be home before 9:00. Love you.’ I hung up the phone, relieved that I had a few more hours before I had to face him again. I hea...d a signal on my computer to alert me to an incoming Instant Message. I looked up at the IM Window on my screen. white_russian: Good evening, sweetheart! I knew you’d be in the office late. What are you doing? I froze. Oh my God. My fingers trembled as I typed my reply. HK74: Sasha, is that you? white_russian: Well, of course it is. I didn’t dare. “Sorry about rushing our guests through,” I said to my dad, “but they and their kids are beat.”“It’s OK, Son. With all the grandparents here, it has to be really overwhelming! Did you hear from Jessica’s parents?”“They asked her to bring the kids to see them. They aren’t happy with the arrangement here.”“Not surprising,” my mom said. “Most right-thinking people wouldn’t be.”“And yet, you’re here,” I said flatly, then turned back to my dad, “Are you coming by the office tomorrow?”“Yes. I’d love. “If it’s an old habit, perhaps discussing it embarrasses her.” He turned to Heather. “Please forgive him.” He smiled with a twinkle in his eyes. Heather was silent for a moment. While her physical arousal might have been stultified, her intellectual arousal certainly hadn’t. This was a game she could play. “Perhaps,” she said, smiling at her host, “Ivan, you would be so kind as to open another bottle of wine.” She held up her empty glass. “And then I should very much like to hear your theory. Sitting down at the table, he asked, “Can I ask you gentlemen to join me upstairs to watch a sunset?”The two men looked at each other and nodded. Walt answered, “Sure. I take it you want to talk to us about something?”“Yes. The sun will be setting soon and it’s a warm evening outside. Let’s get out there before we miss it,” answered Ed as he stood up.The three went up the stairwell to the roof where the sky was beginning to show the full colors of sunset. Ed smiled as he looked at the horizon.