At most, Polly had been a friend with benefits.I had just hung up from talking to Polly when I heard mom’s car drive in and the garage door close. I... was around 9:30, and I was anxious to know how mom’s date went. I stood up when she came in, and I could see her eyes were puffy, and she had been crying. I quickly went to her, put my arm around her back, led her to the couch, and sat her down.“What happened, Mom? Did he hurt you?”Mom waved her hand and shook her head, “No, no, he did not. He just won’t ever do anything for himself.’ ‘He thinks that he’s learned that something like love isn’t for him, it’s for everybody else. He might see a woman and appreciate her more in one glance than she’d ever know or imagine because that’s the way he is. And believe me, that’s how he really is. He sees more about a woman in an instant than anyone I’ve ever known.’ ‘We used to make a game of it. The guys would sit at a café or someplace and make a very quiet comment about a girl walking. .did. My hair got thicker,slowly but over time, noticeably at least to me. I noticedmy skin felt softer too, but not so much that anyone elsewould notice it just by looking. And only by measuring wasI able to confirm what else she'd warned me would happen, Ilost inches from my waist but they moved to my hips andass. Not noticeably when I was dressed, but I could tell itfor sure, especially when I was sitting down. Also, andagain as I'd been warned, I began to feel the extratenderness in and. ‘Why are you still stalling her?’ asked Keme. ‘I’m still hoping she will slip and reveal the thief. I don’t like sending you,’ admitted Robba. ‘Something so unique, so perfect, as that thread can’t have belonged to anyone but the emperor himself. Someone who has stolen from the emperor…’ Robba halted and shook his head. ‘I don’t like sending you into danger, son.’ ‘It might just be a strayward tailor,’ said Keme, with a grin. ‘I think I can handle a tailor, dad.’ ‘Don’t handle anything.’ Robba.