"Be brave, love, this is our firststep back to our lives. For us."Scott straightened her back. "For you."***She ran from one building entrance to an...ther to escape the bitingwind. She had gotten disoriented and parked, thinking to find theclinic on foot; she was sure she had to be close. Her jeans,sweatshirt, and jacket were proving to be woefully inadequate atkeeping out the cold. Her spiky red hair was crusted with icecrystals.To push herself on, she repeated the mantra Seanna taught. She sometimes delighted in seeing people bend to her will, seeing them flush with anger or embarrassment when her venomous tongue hit the mark. She was a bitch, through and through, and I’d fallen into the ultimate vanity, thinking I could tame her.“Brad,” she said, her face somber and direct. “I don’t know quite how to say this ... I...” she trailed off, I suppose looking for the right words. I sat silently, not offering any help or brooking any bullshit.“Last year,” she started, “the company. I.saw lloyd laying on the couch, looking almost sleep i kissed his cheek and his eyes opened. "hey" he said. "you sleepy"? i asked immediately. "alittle but don't worry" he replied i had on nothing but my Taylor Swift cover. i laid on the floor . it was silent. he kicked me softly with his leg. i turned around."what"?? i asked "come here" he whispered hoarsely. i got up and stood by the couch. with his hands, he pulled my face down towards him. our tongues danced once more. my cover fell off. ‘In fact , she continued, ‘If my booze addled brain recalls correctly you gave as good as you got!’ Alice, who was to my right and pressed against my thigh stirred and groaned. ‘Oh God, my head!’ she croaked. ‘Mine too’. Said Roxy from the far side of the bed.For a minute there was silence and then I giggled. I found the whole thing suddenly very funny. ‘Christ!’ I said, ‘The whole fucking lot of you ravished me!’ ‘Mmmm’. Said Roxy. ‘But you liked it baby and don’t say you didn’t.‘I’ll testify.