.." she managed, staring at the collection of paintings and pictures. "What is... never mind. Here's the notes for you... and the homework for over Ch...istmas, you don't want to get too far behind, after all." Thanks." That's it? No explanation of what's wrong, why you've been off lectures?" No." Oh, fair enough." She took off her coat, laying it over the end of the bed, and sat down on the chair by the desk."What are you doing?" Waiting." For what?" For you to tell me what's going on with you. ..” snapped the nurse, sweeping her tongue across uneven teeth, removing evidence of chocolate from her mouth and forcing a smile, her eyes wide open and both eyebrows raised, questioning eyes staring at the helpless figure in the chair. “Not you again,” she barked. “Mark Brand, if I’m not mistaken,” she added, shaking her head in disbelief, the mere mention of his name breaking her from her mental food orgy. “What is it now, or should I say, who is the victim now?” He wasn’t in the mood for. . what?”“Mom it’s me, Jerry.”“Oh yes, Jeremy. Are you alright son?”“I’m fine mother but you look as if you could use a stiff drink.”She seemed to think about that for a minute or two. “That would be nice son; yes I think a drink would be in order.”I helped her up from the vanity and into her housecoat and we walked arm in arm, back down the staircase and into the den. I got mother situated on the couch and then I walked over to the bar and made her favorite drink, a gin martini, straight up,. .nothing...just me and thewhip..He cracked the whip again and I rolled over to my stomach, rising againto my knees. I placed my head down, hands behind my neck and moved themup to my head again. I then threw my arms out and placed them in frontof me as if in submission to the Master.The Captain laughed and cracked the whip twice more around each of mysides. I slid one way and then the other as if to get away from him. Islithered my body along the floor, turning towards him, lifting myhead, my.