I looked about, thecrowd had grown to more than fifty people. He'd expect me at the Bar nearthe TV. This was a problem. I couldn't just walk up to him...like I'dmanaged with Matt. But a plan came to mind.Thirty minutes later I was in the ladies room and Bill approached theempty stools I paid the barkeep to hold. Two shots and the brews were setwaiting. A Twenty-dollar tip can do good things. He sat down and thebarkeep told him I was in the 'Ladies room'. He chuckled and sipped theb&t. He didn't. ..”“You told her that?” I blurted out. That was so unlike Marilyn.She giggled and nodded.“What did she say?” Great, if Taylor blabbed even half like Marilyn, most of northern Baltimore County knew I was a member of the Mile-High Club by now!“She winked and asked me to tell her what it was like. Then we told Grace and Missy.”“You didn’t!” Holy Christ!“Jesus! No, I didn’t! You call me gullible! No, I just told her to get a plane with a cockpit door. If she drew any conclusions from that, then she. . and disappeared. Debs gasped and I felt a leaden lump in my stomach, but Calida, equally abruptly, reappeared, laid her hands upon the smooth bark, then turned and bounced over to us."Did you see? My tree took me back!" Her face fell a little, "It's not the same, though." She brightened again, "But it was still lovely. I could feel her life, even though I wasn't ... her ... in the same way anymore."Betula was smiling as Calida turned to her and spoke, "Does that mean I'm a Dryad, now?" Yes. Soon, she was full on grinding against me. I had a little to drink by that point, and she had had more than me, so we were both a little out there. I looked at her, and I saw the same look in her eyes that she had had in the bathroom stall. She wanted me, and I wanted her too. She leaned forward. Lets get crazy! She yelled in my ear over the music. Yeah, she was a bit drunk. Just a bit. She pulled me over to one of the sofas that lined the wall and threw me down on it. She leapt on top of my.