A pouting child's mouth suckled on a woman's ripe nipple. A man's finger disappeared into a baby bare slit. But all the while the dance went on. It wa... like a merry go round until the last guest had been served. Then the carnival of laughter and movement fled the room again. It left the guests out of breath. Bright flushed faces mirrored the delight of the moment.The music sank back into the murmurs of conversation. The butler announced the first course: huge ice-filled silver plates covered. "Bradley! The coffee's really all right and it's what I need right now. Thank you."She could see the man subside a little at the reassurance. He recovered quickly and asked her, again, if anything was wrong."I guess I needed a break," she explained. He smiled at that and told her he was pleased she decided to drop in. Was it politeness or a more fundamental pleasure, she couldn't tell. "Look," she continued, "can I ask you a personal question?"He looked guarded, but nodded slowly."Have you been. .and she has to start school as a girl anyway or our punishmentguidelines, which now seem worthless, have led to this, then I don'thave a choice, do I?" Looking first at me, then mom, "Okay then, ifBecky is here to stay, then I'll expect her to behave like a girlwould, and it will be up to you to teach her what the rules about boysare and where the red light is concerning boys. And you," he saidturning to me, "you will not break any of those rules, or I'll see toit that you'll find yourself in. When he climbed out of the car, he was looking at the Gulfstream. “Is this our plane for today? It’s bigger than I expected.”“First time flying on a private plane?” Pilar asked.“First time flying,” said Nick. “Good morning, Inez.”“Good morning, Nick.” Inez gave an odd wave that allowed her to show him the ring.Nick looked at the plane again. “Do we just knock on the door or something?”Pilar exchanged a look with Inez who just rolled her eyes, then walked over and straight into Nick’s arms,.