He grinned at Tabi to make her a little madder, and then turned to grin to her mother as well. As he walked towards the backrooms, he could hear Vel m...rmuring something about someone ‘settling down’.He smiled, Vel had been trying to marry him off since the first time they’d met. She was that kind of woman.Vasha went to his room and stripped. His leathers would draw undue attention in Braka. There, the best dressed people wore secondhand blankets. Most wore only rags. Vasha had rags of his own.. She didn’t reply but lay down and then placing her hands alongside her body I applied some oil and started to massage it slowly and gently into her back. Taking my time, I increased the intensity and length of my strokes until I felt her muscles had warmed sufficiently and then started to go much deeper. I heard her sigh and several times I sensed her physically relax as my movements became increasingly stronger. I then bent forward and using my arms in long strokes I heard her groan as I moved. I walked up the stairs to the brownstone and waited a bit, breathing deeply, thinking calming thoughts. We were friends, Sheri and I. Good friends. That should carry us through. I trusted her, and I believe she trusted me.My knock on the door was answered almost immediately. Jon let me in, shaking my hand. "He's here!" he shouted toward the back of the house.God, he looked more nervous than me. He was sweating bullets, rocking back and forth on his heels. I put my hand on his shoulder. "Relax,. “Yay, Pony Barbara!” Courtney shouted for her mother. “Go, Pony, Doris!” she shouted as well. Courtney was a naturally enthusiastic cheerleader. Stefan cheered as well, but he clearly wasn’t as interested in girls racing.Jessie cheered for his mom but not my mom. I sat quietly and watched. “Why aren’t you out there leading them around?” I finally asked when he didn’t volunteer the information by himself.Jessie said that a sign-up sheet to lead the girls through the obstacle course had been.