Suddenly, I knew... this was my child. I must have been in shock like I heard one of them say. I stood up and started looking around as I finally saw ...y husband push his way through the crowd. My heart leaped for joy as he pulled us close and embraced us with a powerful hug... a hug that I really needed."What happened?" he asked. "Oh, Victor!" I cried on his shoulder, "I looked away for a moment and he had disappeared! How can you ever forgive me?"Kissing me deeply he held my face between his. Now, wasn't his story a hell of a lot better than mine could of been?" OK, Bill. Ya're right 'bout that. I guess I ain't mad at ya, after all. Anyway, congratulations for fallin' in the cesspool an' comin' out smellin' like a rose, again."We all laughed and talked for a while and I bought a round of beers. Even Walt joined in on the celebratory liquid refreshment. Sometime later, we walked out to the street in time to see a couple of yahoos riding fast up the street and shooting off their. Good old mom and dad. Her father had been assassinated, shot in the back of the head and her mother had dropped dead from a broken heart. Her blood boiled and her rage grew at the thought of some coward shooting her father from behind. Although she would be inclined to, and like to, blame demons for her father’s death, it unfortunately had had the stink of humans. Demons were too proud to pull such a dirty trick as shooting a man from behind, especially such a respected man. They were. Then, she threatened to come back as an evil spirit to haunt him if he didn't." She laughed lightly, "I believed her and so did he."She rubbed her free hand over the classic elegant leather executive chair. "Couldn't bear to have anything but the best. Thought he deserved it. I guess he did after all the prizes he won and fame he brought to the University."He put his arm around her shoulders. "I will try to live up to his example!"Ashley missed the full implications of his remark and went on,.