"Not much else is," agreed Miranda with equal mirth as a group of people ran by with fire extinguishers, heading down the long slope to the pier, "Sti...l, it's the fastest way to get anything to Porta Vista, I suppose." I've been there," her lover commented, suddenly very interested in the little candy skulls one of the venders was selling, "Nice place so long as you avoid the reef." So it is true then?" The giant tentacruel? Yup. It's true," Misty chuckled as Miranda got the salesman's. I asked why would she hurt me. John told me she might or might not as she is sometimes unstable. ”Is that why you sent her to a shrink?” I asked him.”She told you that too, ” John said with a wondering look.”John, what is wrong with her?” I asked.He told me it would take him all night to explain it. I smiled at him as I told him I had all night if he would invite me back to his place for the weekend. John smiled as he told me our place Kay and that I was welcomed there anytime.I told him we had. I got up and brought her a cup of coffee.Together we looked at the table to see four pairs of eyes watching us. I could see Mary's face blush and could feel my own getting hot. Suddenly Shannon started giggling and soon Linda and the boys started as well. I looked at Mary and she began to laugh as well. Finally I joined in and we laughed at ourselves for several minutes. Finally I got serious."Nothing has changed for now. Mary is still the housekeeper and in charge of you kids. We aren't sure. Because we had a long platonic relationship, we knew almost everything about each other. I mean, food, drink, movies, actors, authors, likes and dislikes in almost everything. When sex entered the equation, we knew almost nothing about each other. Sometimes, after we had made love, we cuddled and spoke of these things that we liked, preferred, desired and wanted to do for each other. It was some of the most intimate conversations of my life. Kathy always used her "new language" in these.