That he loved us. We were the victims."Ray pressed his hand to her back. He was trying to help her hold back the tide of misery."Dana, we were all vic...ims. And your father did love us. When he could. He was irrational. He was unstable. He was everything you said. But that was not from the lack of loving us." Then what was it?" He had demons that he couldn't get past..." What demons can explain this away Mom?" He was troubled. One minute he was fine. He was happy. So very very happy. And the. ” Laughing, I nodded. “And now?” Chris said.“I don’t think so, Chris. Not now that I know fooling around with a guy doesn’t necessarily make you gay.” I moved my hand between his legs and cupped his hairless balls. “Why do you shave your crotch?”“I like it shaved. My friends did too because they didn’t get pubes in their mouths. Girls like it too.” Chris tugged at my pubic hair. “You should shave your nuts, Matt. I like sucking a guys balls, but not when they’re hairy.”“Maybe I’ll. As I pulled my boxers back up and positioned the sheet around me I couldn't help but to sarcastically whisper to Beth, "You missed a good time." Tomorrow, honey, tomorrow. I was just too tired tonight." she whispered back. But down deep I knew that even if we did something in the morning, this was the beginning of the end for us. I didn’t want to appear to anxious, so I waited a week and called Rick to see if we could meet for beers the next afternoon. He was agreeable and we set up a time at. It felt good. A welcome change.“Mark and Donna Farmer.” Mark shook Patrick’s hand with a dry, firm grip, pumping up and down. When he was done, Donna offered her hand with a gentle but crisp shake. Mark leaned in like they were friendly conspirators. “Tell us about it, kid.”Patrick told them that he’d seen the blue streak in the sky and felt the earthquake. That he’d noticed strange behavior in town. Absences at school. Clothes no longer fitting some citizens. Patrick felt outgoing, but not so.