I turned and stuffed the magazines up my jacket and my hands in my pockets, just about managing to hold the bag in place. I turned down a side street,...meaning to keep away from as many people as possible on the way home.It was two streets further along that it happened. I didn’t see her, I was too busy keeping my eyes glued to the pavement, but Mrs Hotter certainly saw me. “Darren!” she called out loudly, even though she was practically on top of me.Startled, I somehow lost my grip on the brown. He seldom talked much, and for him, this was a long conversation."On days like today when you don't start, I'd like you to coach first base, just until things settle down, and I decide on somebody permanent."He nodded. "Where's Mason at?" He quit, followed Buzzy I think. Wherever he went. They were living together."He arched an eyebrow and nodded again, and we went over some signs. My inclination was to let the catcher call the game including pitch-outs and to let the runners use their own good. Heegle, but her eyes lingered on Nick as she walked away. He watched her helplessly in return until he was drawn into the study. *** Allison rolled restlessly around in bed. She and Nick had been back a week, and most of that time was spent visiting old friends and acquaintances, dealing with the bank, and all the paperwork that went along with Nick’s sudden return from the dead. She had been staying in a guest room in Nick’s home, Aurick having sold hers while she was away, and dismissing all. I knew that things were spiraling out of control. It was normal for me to take many books to bed with me. I favoured those which had been personalised as in Xmas or birthday presents. I would have fantasies about the names on the inside page. Who were they what did they look like? But there was worse to come much worse in fact? I soon learned that by stacking books on my navel I could induce pain? The bigger the stack the more pleasurable things were for me? It was quite normal for me to kiss.