’ ‘I was,’ I said, quietly. ‘I was.’ I was. After I went home, I laid on the sofa, my arm over my eyes, wondering just what had happened. I...didn’t go in the next day which caused an angry phone call from Suzie, wondering where the hell I was. I had totally forgotten about my eleven o’clock appointment. I apologized, said I’d be there in half-an-hour and to offer the woman a free lunch. ‘I’m sorry I’m late, Mrs. Grant. Car trouble, you know. I hope you enjoyed your lunch.’ ‘Yes, thank you,’ she. I'll be surprised if we get to talk to her alone at all." On a more mundane subject, who all *is* going to be there tonight?" The usual crowd. The two of us, Ann of course, Rob, Mark and Heather, and Barb." I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but --" Ann doesn't want us to tell anyone. Of course not." Not until we know for sure, anyway."The bus chose that particular moment to show up. We hopped aboard and found two vacant seats near the back. It's only about two miles from the stop near Jim's. “Three meals a day and not once have I gotten to eat some beef. I need red meat!”“We don’t eat beef in this house,” I said. “Just enjoy your dinner.”“Why the hell not?!” Ugh, lions, such a persnickety species. Oh shit, was that racist?“Take a wild fucking guess!” Betty shouted as she stood up and slammed one of her hooves on the table.Fred stood up as well. “I’ll eat you then!”“Say that again! I dare you! I double-dare you, motherfucker!”She and I had just watched Pulp Fiction earlier that. When Deneigh came into join them, attractive as she was, she never drew attention as the 5 men spoke with Selena, offering different tidbits about the city or questions about PolyTech. Selena was truly flattered being treated so warmly.True to Ross Curran's word, business never came up in the short lunch break. In little more than a half hour they were all headed back into their own little lairs.The small lunch platter of vegetables, fruit, cold cuts and bread that seemed hardly enough for 5.