"Hand me some of those cans," she said. I helped her pack the rest of the shelves and held her hand as she steadied herself off the stool."Mom, you lo...k great," I blurted.She smiled brightly. "Thanks, Alex. I don't seem to get compliments that often anymore." Are you kidding? You're a knock out!" I wasn't lying either. My mother was very beautiful for a forty-three year old. She had short blond hair, large green eyes, big breasts, and a trim body to die for. I never really took the time to. My fault, my error, my failure, that short period. Then the ending, nearly three long hard years of worry and fear, finally over. One is never ready. There were no children as a result of our unions, I was fertile, so was Ted. It simply didn’t happen, only God knows the answer to that. We would have welcomed but we also never really had a concern or even discussed it. My time came in my 43rd year, no chance for children after that. I ended up with another man for a brief period. Ted degenerated. Himo had a way of being able to meditate almost anywhere and frequently waited until the last possible moment to rouse herself from her peaceful practice. Qiao did not want the General to think they were taking this less than seriously, and that was hard enough with Malark strumming on his lute.Himo rose from her lotus position in a graceful motion without using her hands. She always moved fluidly, even for an elf. “General Grodan, hero of the battle of Raven Rock,” Himo said formally, nodding. Ross had beendivorced, and his ex-wife had custody of their 6 year old girl.Fortunately, Jamie thought, that his ex has the kid, so I won't get stuckwith her. Better yet, they got divorced before Ross won the money, so shedidn't get half of it. He still would have to keep paying large childsupport bills, and watch the kids every other weekend, which was when Rosshad her over, but he decided that he could live with that. Jamie kept thinking of having all that money and those women, and whathe'd.