Less than ten percent of applications had been granted and each of us knew how lucky we’d been to be offered a place.So in those initial days, the f...rst years tended to huddle together like sheep when the wolves are howling in the darkness, ready to spook and run at the first hint of trouble – or in the case of students; cry, complain and drink a lot.And in that huddle, the four of us had found each other – as individuals and then as two couples; me with Caroline Esterhuizen, and Jeff Colton. "Hey Dad," Molly said as she taped the box closed she was working on. "You gonna miss us?" She knew he was worried about the empty nest, but there seemed to be something else bothering him. "You okay?" Camden stopped by last night," he said with a carefully neutral expression.The official cover story had been that Camden and Jacob had been dating. No one had questioned Molly always hanging around her best friend and brother. Even though Camden insisted she wanted to be open about her. When she was finally all clean, she stood up and waited for Medini to give her more orders, just as she had been told to do. When Medini had the new girl under his control, he ordered her to bark like a dog. She did so obediently. The few that were watching clapped. Now, my good fellows, if you would be so kind as to direct your attention over here for a moment, I promise you wont be disappointed. With that, he told the new girl to step out of her dress, and she did so. The dress she had been. “But...” I started to protest. The look both girls gave me made me decide further protest might not be a prudent thing.Beneath the huge, ancient cottonwood tree alongside the creek where Bitsy and I had made love for the first time, we consummated our new three-way relationship, barely making it to my parents’ house in time for dinner. While I explained our new relationship, my mom just grinned smugly at me.“We heard about your land deal here, even though you tried to hide it,” she commented.