He kissed her goodbye at the door and immediately sat down at his laptop to email Amy. * * * * * ‘First Snow! Meet at 5:30’ read the text from Mil...s. Amy smiled. The running group had a tradition of running at the park the day of the first snow, and this time the conditions were perfect. It had snowed overnight, just a few inches on the ground and the storm had passed that morning, leaving it cold and crisp under blue skies. Amy rushed home after school let out, and changed into warm running. The daily routine I must carry outhas given me soft and flawless skin.I brush my hair. I do it by habit now. 100 strokes per day was thecompulsory minimum.I hear a noise and he enters the room. My jailer. My tormentor. Myhusband.He rummages in his sock drawer, and then he sidles over. I deliberatelyavoid looking at him in the mirror. He pushes hair away from my neckand kisses me there. I lean my head away to give him more to kiss.What can I do? He owns my neck. He owns me."You'd. "It's all part of the process," he said. "It won't take but a minute. Please put on this gown. I'll be right back."Another ten minutes passed as she sat on the table before the doctor returned. He did all the normal things doctors do to examine a patient and then opened a drawer and extracted a pair of stirrups which he put into place. Karen knew to lie down and lift her heels and rest them in the stirrups, but she usually only had to endure this at her gynecologist's office."Thank you," said. Does this kind of inter-magical speciescooperation happen often?" I asked."No, sadly. But for the last few years I have been part of a group withthe goal to try and get more of us working together. It has not beeneasy. Most magical creatures have become isolated from any not of theirown kind that much suspicion and prejudice has developed. But I believewe actually need each other." Well, I am glad things worked out this time. Those girls are sweet, Iwould have hated to have something happen to.