”Karen gave her a look.“All right. Fifty. But that’s my final offer!”“Hmmmm. And David’s forty-one. That means you were a very advance... girl. And a naughty one.”“No it’s him. He’s getting older faster than I am. He’ll overtake me in a few years.”They laughed and left the room and Tom opened his hand, He brought the thong up to his nose and inhaled. Annie had been wearing them all morning and by the feel of them she‘d been very excited.That had happened two days ago and Tom was reliving. "Anyway, I was just wanted to know why social services was calling me before I called them back."Di felt her heart squeeze at the comment. "I think Carrie reported Jason to them. A case worker came by earlier today asking me if Jason has been... inappropriate." Just saying the words made her angry again."That bitch! What happened?" The caseworker kept tryin' to get me to say he was bein' a creep. When I didn't, she talked to Jason and he went off on her." The sight of him rising to her defense. " A crick?" A creek. A small river. Less useful for transport. I'll see if I can find the name."We're mostly drifting, paddling only enough to keep the canoe in the flow and properly aimed. The current does the work. The stream meanders a lot and being in the front allows me to be the first to see around each bend. Not far along, I see a blue canoe tied along the bank and I turn to look at Chuck. He motions with his finger to be quiet and then he sets his paddle crossways in his lap and runs. Our treacher, Mr. Gear, accepted her request and she was on her way.A minute later, I asked to use the bathroom. You should have saw the look on McKenna's face. "What the fuck do you think you are doing?" Kind of look. I took the second hall pass, and off I was.I made it to the bathrooms. I scanned both ends of the hall. Nobody was in sight. Coast is clear. I entered the girls bathroom. Nobody accept Sophia was in there, and she was in a stall. Thank god. I stood there, phone in hand, waiting.