And that means food on my plate.’ A hundred thousand? Holy shit. ‘And if I continue fuck it up?’ ‘I don’t think you will, but that’s just ...e. And if you do, well…the label will eat the cost, and you’ll take all the blame. Teddy and I don’t stand to lose a thing.’ ‘I can’t tell you how heartwarming that is.’ ‘Hey, it wasn’t so long ago that you were one of the least forgiving and most finicky negotiators I’ve ever seen play the game, so don’t go feigning sensitivity now. Remember, I saw you when. ‘Daddy, please!’ She was crying openly. ‘Sam…’ I began. He spun, raising his hand as if to hit me. I stood my ground ‘SAM!’ cried Karen. He glared at her then Lori but he didn’t look at me again. ‘Out. Get out.’ and walked out the back door. ‘DADDY!’ she cried. ‘Daddy, please!’ she was sobbing. Karen approached and said ‘You better go. Run upstairs and get some clothes. I’ll talk to him. We’ll…you better leave.’ Taking Lori by the arm, I guided her to her room. I sat her on her bed. She was. He cinched up the last strap on the pack mule. “We’re just heading out now. Boktar, this is Venni, a friend of Yelena’s.”The two greeted each other, then Venni turned back to Corec. “You’re taking the North Road, right?”The North Road led northeast along the coast to High Cove, then roughly north to Lanport. The other option was to take the Mountain Road northwest, which skirted around the southern edge of the Storm Heights on its way to the plains.“Yes,” he said. “We think we’ll make better. She looked lost. I put my arm around her and said, “I’m sorry mom; did I hurt you?”I could see the tears forming and she said, “How could you?”I started telling her. I told her Paul was going to leave and she didn’t believe me. She went into the bathroom and came out dressed. She didn’t say anything to me. That’s when I decided to write what happened, as if I were she. That’s what I spent the night doing.The next time I saw my mother she looked strangely calm. She said, “I read what you wrote.