"Well, you haven't suggested a gondola ride yet!" she announced with mock grumpiness over breakfact on out last day."That's for tourists." Well, we're...tourists, for fuck sake! Come on, Nick, you crusty old curmudgeon: let's do it this evening. I want to go under The Bridge of Sighs." It was pointless to put up any resistance.As dusk was falling, we crossed our piazza to a corner where we knew gondoliers plied for trade. Alicea chose a particularly ornate gondola, its seats furnished with lovely. E. the birthday girl (soma, wife of sameer) was also missing. When i enquired about her, sameer told that she was getting ready for the party and will join within a few minutes. After about 15 minutes we heard a knock on the door of the bed room and sameer smilingly said “birthday baby is ready for the show”. Sameer then opened the door and someone come out completely covered with a black cloth only legs were exposed upto ankle. Sameer then announced “presenting the birthday baby” and pulled. That smile told meeverything, and my shoulders slumped at the knowledge that I would bebraving my feelings for Josh alone this evening. My parents weren'tcoming."Why not?" I asked before she replied. Josh had invited both me and myfamily! They had every right to be there!"Honey, Josh invited your family. We aren't Sarah's family." Her responsemade my stomach fall. I knew there was a separation between my parentsand Sarah. That was for my own protection. If they were linked to Sarahas her. The Doctor likes to boast of his wealth and scientific accomplishments, as he told how he enjoyed his mountain retreat. He had invented a serum which when injected into a human body made it accept the animal cell enhancements. A virus attacking cells, growing an individual from the inside and out, from they being human, as changed to any animal form he had a desire to own, or hunt.We talked so long I forgot about John and his plight further up trail, laid captive by the Doctor. The conversing.