I had a friend, Stephen, in school. We were both 18 and had known each other for several years and had always been friends.Steve wasn't popular but, f...nny enough, he and I both had the same thin, muscular physique and, while I was good-looking enough, Steve was absolutely cute, as guys go. Even when he smiled and, without reservation, showed his braces, he was cute. Both of us were still a bit naive, at our age, so, what happened was very genuine and confusing to begin with. We'd often walk. He had everything to live for!The police called a couple of hours later, after Jake’s mom got home. The cops wouldn’t tell them why they were asking about his dad but Jake had a sick feeling in his gut. Officers in a patrol car arrived shortly thereafter to tell them what had happened.There were no bridges near their house so Jake’s dad had traveled miles on foot to a highway overpass and, according to eyewitnesses, didn’t even pause as he clambered up onto the railing and jumped off.Later, the. She always had some kind of scheme going with her horses, wanting money from us for one thing or another. I'd finally had enough of it and told Mary that Ruby could come by the house, but only if I wasn't there. And under no circumstances was she, Mary, to give any money to Ruby for any reason whatsoever.Consequently, I hadn't seen Ruby for several years, the last time being when their mother died a few years previously.Ruby had gotten married to a complete slacker, a guy who immortalized Che. By the time I found the phone, extracted it and managed to get it open Missy had caught up and it had stopped sounding off. The little screen informed me helpfully that I had one missed call. Well doh!"Shit!" You got a cell?" She was leaning on me, panting, peeking at my newest toy, obviously enjoying the respite."It was handed to me this morning, about two seconds before you were at the door," I puffed, slinging my backpack on again, keeping the phone in hand as I resumed jogging, Missy.