He grinned back and set his rifle down. "Why don't you tie your horses and come sit a spell on the porch?" He looked back into the house and shouted, ...Cindy, it's okay."He picked a chair on the porch and sat down. We dismounted and joined him. Charles sat with his arm around Pam and Melissa sat on my lap. Darryl said, "What did you mean spouses, Pam?"Charles said, "We're all married to each other. Protection allows plural marriage. We're the first quadruple and, while most are regular couples,. "The discussion went on until the early hours of morning, and there was plenty of emotion to it. In the end, all of the women accepted the decisions that their mates made, and it was settled that Orquidea and Teodora would maintain the family, while Gemma and Clarisse sought their futures elsewhere. The two younger women would stay with the family, though, and help out where needed, until they found a new path. There were hugs and tears enough to go around, even for Jason.Twenty-four hours. "I felt like the punchline of a really elaborate joke. Phally read mymind, and hugged me. "There you are again." He smiled at me. It was aweird statement - I had never even left the shower cells."Yummy, Stiff talked to you in a foreign language and you couldunderstand it."Now that was a bummer. I stared at Phally and thought: 'Stiff didn't talkin English?'Phally nodded. So I could now understand a language I didn't even knewexisted? Phally nodded again. And I could not even realize someone. It was the most logical explanation. But I stopped myself. While I was at this end of the house, I should check on Dan.His door was slightly ajar. I pushed and it swung quietly open. I peered in. I could hear Dan’s heavy breathing from the doorway. It was steady and regular. I crept on silent feet over to his bed. I stood there, looking down at his sleeping face. I wondered if I should wake him. I decided not to. I was starting to think it was all in my head. I would finish checking the house.