He saw her leaving the library when he came back from the garden, but she walked by him without acknowledging his presence.“Rose,” he said, follow...ng her. “Rose, talk to me.”“I don’t have to obey you anymore,” she said without turning or slowing her pace. “You’ve given up your right to command me.”“Please Rose. At least join me for dinner.”“Very well,” she said. “You can stop following me now.”Standing on the landing, he watched her disappear around the corner.The Beast spent the afternoon. It was one of those things they call a thong."Why not, most all the girls are wearing them now." Adult girls yes, but you're still sixteen." So, what difference does that make?" You're not wearing it," I said, emphatically."Tell me why not." Because you are still a virgin and if you wear that on the beach you won't be for long. That's why." Jealous?" she asked, with a smile. "Tell me that you're jealous and I won't wear it." Jealousy has nothing to do with it." I replied."You are; you're. I wanted a daddy for my kids, but even more a partner in life. I was starting to think life would never be the same. Just as I started to think that love was gone, I got a surprise.I was on Facebook, looking at friends posts, when I got an unexpected, but welcomed, message. It was from John, a long time friend.John had stood by me through a lot, and I knew he had always had a crush on me, but never acted on it. I read it in disbelief, he was wanting to know how I had been, and if I had found. There was no blood or goop on her fingers now.I don’t know where she had put my phone, but she was handing it to me right before she started moving her finger all over her watch.“Paul, Molly says your nose won’t bleed anymore now,” I told him. “I would say she apologized, but she doesn’t really feel things the way we do. When she was swimming her mind was running through the things she knew were in the car, plants along the path from the house, and the likely things your mom has in the kitchen..