Joining the senior school at age 13, meant that we all as 3rd years had at least a couple of hours of work set.I sat, flopped more like, into the bean...bag at the foot of my bed. Jamie chose to lie on her bed, her head resting on her fists as she read her assignment.We studied in silence for about 40 minutes, Jamie rolled onto her back, reached down and pulled up the grey socks we all loathed and straightened her dark green skirt pulling it decorously down over her knees. Sensing the movement I. Reason seemed to slip away."Harrumph!" Emma sounded after a second or two, her tone filled with annoyance. That 'harrumph' broke the spell. Instinctively, I broke away from the woman. I pushed her away and stepped back into the company of my wife and family. My face was coloured with embarrassment."Sorry..." gasped the woman apologetically. As she spoke, she too took a step backwards, moving away from me and my family. Then she glanced awkwardly at Emma and apologized again. "I so sorry .... ” Somehow Yves had managed to attract a waiter and get the bill and pay it without Em noticing. “At least twice,” said Yves. Em opened her eyes and said, “Oh yes!” Yves took her arm and said, “Let’s go. I’ll tell you the rest of my plan while we’re walking to the car.” They left the restaurant, together but to other dinners looking only as if they were friends or business associates. Yves was as discreet as Em. “By that time the sun will be setting. The sunset from my pool terrace is. I waited. She looked, challenging me with her eyes. I just waited. Finally, without either of us saying anything she conceded and relaxed."Ok," I said. "Let's put everything on the table." I listed all the reasons she should go back from me going to jail to her finishing school to her parent's probable anguish at her being gone without a trace.She countered with her reasons for not going back, which tragically were nothing more than simple communication failures. No physical abuse and little.