As I was about to decline thankfully, she again persisted. As if trying to help her find reason with, I said: “See, do you think your hubby would ap...reciate if he came to know about it?Why should you put yourself into unwanted trouble?” She replied gleefully: “Why not? You know, he keeps high regards for you. And, he talks very high of you. In fact, he had asked me to invite you occasionally for dinner or lunch suiting to your convenience”.That dispelled my doubt. So, I said okay and thanked. Even on the coldest mornings they never hurried and always took time for a kiss before diving into the icy water. Sally watched them almost every morning.Very occasionally Sally would miss a morning because she over slept. A more frequent cause for Sally to miss the morning swim was if she spent a night at her best friend Alice’s house, or Alice had slept at her place.If one of the girls were to stay at the other’s house it was usually Alice staying with Sally. Alice’s parents had split up when. “Maybe you aren’t so ignorant about women after all!”“Oh, I am, but I figured out what was going on there when she and I skated. Right after you told me what you wanted, and my head was still spinning, she asked me for advice. It dawned on me later she wanted it as much as Dale did, but because of the full-court press, she was reluctant. I tried to explain it to Dale a few times, but he wasn’t getting it.”“She asked me flat out if she should sleep with him. I told her ‘no’.”“That was more or. It was gold and flowed like a dress to the floor. Most importantly, as a way to surprise Gideon if he reappeared, other than the corset, I was naked underneath. I had left my rather matronly panties at the trailer.I set up the booth like any other night. Except, tonight I had made a soft palette out of blankets in the private back room. If my parents noticed, I would give them a knowing look and claim I hadn't slept well. It wasn't actually a lie.As the smells of popcorn and cotton candy filled.