She thought back to the time when she had first looked at the stars over Ku’s shoulder. It was the dark of the moon ceremony when the unattached peo...le flock to the beach in search of their best partner. In their culture one tried many to find the best. Ever since she’d reached her maturity, she indulged in the monthly ritual and had tried all of the available young men multiple times. None of them felt like quite the right match, but when this man from another village had been there, even. ( the Sicilian barber) the chemist guy, ( he was Indian) the dry cleaners guy ( he was Portuguese )Said, the kebab shop owner, the other 4 were from Cyprus, as I walk in the garden, they all stop talking looking at me very excited, I say, what a nice surprise! looking at them I ask, if I can have some thing to drink, Carlo gives me his drink telling me,, you look BELLISIMA! kissing me on my cheeks a bit to flirtatious, Said start saying, lets have some drinks before we start the barbeque, after. Although she rented the house, it had become her home, like an exoskeleton. She still had a lease to honor. More importantly, to move would be heartbreaking — to leave behind the soft green carpet, the worn patterned wallpaper, its sounds as it settled at night, the way the light shone through its high, ornate windows. Moving just wasn’t an option. Marie had lived alone for the past year and a half in this modest-two bedroom home in the country, with neighbors occupying houses just as. You were just looking for one of your proxy sessions where you'd watch us screwing? Shit, Sharmila, you played one card too many didn't you?" I, I know what you mean and... yes, I did only want Jake to..." You blew it? I'm so sorry, Sharmila, it must be hard for you to watch us canoodling around like a couple of lovestruck 16 years olds." No, not in the least. It makes me happy, honestly." Really?" Mary asked her, doubtfully, "well, you're a complex person, that's for sure." She gave her one.