"Hi Joe, how's it going? You're a little early, aren't you?" said Dad. "Hi Pops. Yea, I got off a little early at work. I hope you don't mind," ... replied." I'm supposed to meet Tara here after she gets off. Then we're headed for the theatre. "Yes, she called me and told me. Come on in and grab a beer, Joe" "Thanks Dad. Where is everyone?" I asked. "Well, it's your mother-in-laws night to volunteer at the hospital. I'm kind of enjoying this quiet time,". Goodbye."After that it was a succession of wives - always someone else's - and I swore that I would never marry again. If I needed a wife to get to Marie then it was never going to happen.Then one day Marie wasn't around anymore when I went into the restaurant. Her parents had been killed in an auto accident and suddenly she owned a restaurant that she had to run. She was always in the office or backroom and I hardly ever saw her, but when I did I always made it a point to let her know I still. Hanging from a makeshift pole on the left side of the bed was an IV bag. The tubing ran down to her left arm. Janet, who had been moved from the childcare detail to the medical detail for the time being, was sitting in a stool next to her."Hi, Brett," she said, smiling a little as she saw him. "What are you doing down here?" We're down getting another air strike ready," he replied, "so I came in to tap a kidney. How we doing in here?" I'm hangin in there," Susan said, her grin widening a bit.. Since Mom and Dad are gone...”Bella smirked. “We’re taking a break to study.”Mel pulled a wallet from her large purse. “Why don’t you order us pizza?” She handed bills to her sister. “We’ll join you when it gets here.”“Sounds good.”“Let’s go to my room, Joe.”“Sure.”I followed Mel up the stairs to a bedroom at least twice the size of mine. A queen sized four poster bed. A substantial oak desk. Walls lined with bookshelves and filled with books where the vanity and the wide dresser weren’t taking.