I waited outside for her to pick me up. My mind wandered down the path of my punishment of the Pastor for his transgressions. The worm needed to be pu...ished, he had earned it.When Mom arrived, she asked me if I would like to pick up dinner. We were not far from our favourite Indian food restaurant. I agreed enthusiastically. I hoped my favourite waitress would be working tonight.I was in luck. Not only was she working, she was the order taker at the takeout desk. Nalini struck me wordless. For. We’ll blow ’em all away. We’ll….oh God. Yeah, just like that, girl.’ I can just let it all slip away. ‘Yeah. Ummm. Ohhh. Hey now. Goddamn.’ It feels hard between my lips but it’s still so small, so skinny, and I move faster, tightening my lips around it, licking it with my tongue, trying to pull it out, make it bigger. ‘Hey girl. You keep doing that and you’re gonna end up with a mouthful.’ I pull my head away and run my fingers up and down it. I look at it, the pitiful little thing, and I. Well ... I can’t even really describe it. I know it was in a whole different class from what I did early today in my room.Where did those ribbons and chords come from? They look to be an exact match to her dress. Oh shit!I quickly had her stand and checked over her dress. I was even more confused now because there was none of it missing, but the ribbons and shiny braided chords I had put in her hair couldn’t have come from anyplace else. I didn’t worry much about it as I turned her around to. He made no noise, didn’t move—hell, his eyelids didn’t even flutter while he dreamed. His heartbeat, the soft rise and fall of his chest and the warmth of his breath on my hair were the only things that hinted that he was still alive. I lay there on his chest for a long time, listening to his heartbeat, listening to the language that his body spoke, the sounds that filled me with warmth because just hours ago that heart had worked in overdrive, quickening from taking and giving pleasure.I had.