They said “hi” and hugged, Allison couldn’t help but notice Lacey’s perfume, which was intoxicating. They made their way into the building and...got a lane. They were at their lane inputting their names and getting ready to bowl now and Allison was very intrigued by Lacey but had no idea how to approach talking to her.“So, you and Steele?” Allison offered. Lacey was putting her hair up and smiled at Allison. “Yup, me and Steele”. “Does he make you wear that?” Allison asked pointing at the collar. I didn't want to leave here anyway. All my friends and contacts are here; in Michigan, I knew nobody. When he left I went to work in a Denny's, earned just enough to keep a roof over my head and while I had food if I was working, I wasn't working all the time. So, Rick came along and I knew better but I was tired and I was hungry and I wanted out of the life I was in. I'd been with Rick about 7 months when I wandered into the Pearl and saw you trying to drown yourself in alcohol." Carol, what. ” “I’m not quite old enough to get served in pubs yet, will it be OK?” I said to him, a little more innocently than I meant it to sound. “Well, the fella I’m taking you to meet is the landlord, so I don’t think it’ll be a problem.” He laughed and looked at me. “You look older than eighteen anyway, and surely you aren’t trying to tell me you haven’t had a drink in a pub before. Or have young lads changed out of recognition since I was one?” He was right, of course I’d done the teenage being. "No, no. Don't worry," Rex answered jovially. "I was just getting out of the shower," he lied. He found the cassette of May and dropped it into the machine, making sure Jon had seated himself in front of the big screen before turning it on. "There! Is that the one you're talking about?" Goddamn!" Jon said as the image of May's softly undulating body appeared on the screen. "Yeah... that's the one!" He gazed intently at the scene of May he had seen the other night, the scene where she was.