With Dixie cups and lemonade, we toasted to Grandma Pearl, and then we offered another toast to ourselves. We lay back shoulder-to-shoulder, hip-to-hi..., and gazed at stars peeking through the maple leaves. Paul pointed to a particularly bright star winking above the tree line. “Recognize that star?” “Uh-huh.” “Remember when we first saw it?” “Absolutely.” It was Fourth of July. Long after the pyrotechnic display had ended, Paul and I were walking home. The smell of spent sulfur hung in the. The next day, they found themselves seated in the front office of Michael’s studio. Michael, being the perfect host, offered the girls some tea to drink. Both girls remarked that the tea Michael had set before them was the best they had ever tasted. Not only was it unlike anything they had ever had before, it had a very soothing, relaxing quality about it. As Michael began to explain what he was looking for, he was also judging the girls reactions to the drink and how they reacted to each. And Abby was in Julie's lap, in a similar situation. Steve affected puzzlement, and asked what was going on.It was Joanna that answered him. "I think Momma is finding out what Suri likes about playing with other girls instead of with guys. And she must have gotten pretty good at it, because we heard Suri yelling a little while ago. The rooms are soundproof, but not that soundproof. I got a bit sad, because I remember when my old Momma and Daddy used to do the same thing, before my baby sister. .." Okay..." But..." He was nice to you?" Yeah."That wasn't all of it, either. "Spit it out, Son. There's nothing you can say that will set me off." I think he, uh, likes my ass," Pete said finally."Okay," I replied, "How do you feel about that?" Weird." Weird, how?" Well..."I chuckled. "Son, I can read you like a book, so just come out with it." It, uh, might be nice..." Might be," I agreed."I've never done it." Well, you can ask him -- or are you asking me?" I asked."I, uh, you..." He hung.