Stephen gave it to her and she parroted it into the phone. Then Kylie askedPatty to say the number back to her like Mummy and Daddy did when they gave...ut their phone number. "Promise you will call back," said Kylie."Yes," said Patty."Even if it is very bad news?"This time it took Patty a while to respond. "Yes. Goodbye Kylie. Staystrong." Goodbye Patty. I love you Mummy."Then Patty hung up and the call was over. Kylie held the phone out in frontof her and looked at it intently. Then she let go. David and his two spouses were celebrating his promotion to Plant Manager of the Alexander Industries Ammunition plant. Yesterday afternoon David shared a celebration with Thomas Nichols, hosted by the employees, in the plant cafeteria. June thirtieth was Thomas Nichols' last day with Alexander Industries. After over forty years of dedicated service to the company he was retiring. Tuesday morning he and his wife were catching a ship back to Earth. After years of scrimping and saving they owned. "Yeah, I guess we've been together, oh, ten years now." Yes, we have. Um, let's take a break," she said as she stood. "Come with me."I followed her out of the room into the hall toward the rear of the house and we went into a bedroom, her bedroom.She turned to me and pulled off her sweater, then reached back to unhook her sweater which dropped away as she tossed it on the chair with her sweater.I was stunned, just frozen. It was so unexpected, so sudden and unusual that I just couldn't say. I saw you.”I was a little dumbfounded. Then I said, “I've never seen you without your husband before. I've always admired you. Thought I would put it out there.”“Well, you sure put it out there. Still want to put it out there?”“Yes.”“Then strip. Now.”Just like that. the atmosphere changed. I stood up and began to peel my clothes off. She sat back and watched me. I unzipped the black bodycon dress, easy because the zipper ran right down the front, folded it and laid it on the couch beside her.