" How old are the kids?" Ten or so." So no snarky teenagers who are far too shallow and far too immature."He nodded."Might be. It's different." You me...n you're not saying no? This doesn't fit any formula." All the more reason to go with it. Tell you what. There's this restaurant in town, Seaside Clam Shack. Come pitch it to my partners as well. Be there at 7:00."He looked surprised. I hadn't shot him down. I was probably his last resort. After all, we had sex in everything. We even featured. Finally, I said, "Well, I'm sorry your day sucked, honey. I've had some fun -- I played hooky all afternoon and went shopping." I took a deep breath and turned to face my son and was rewarded to see that he was staring at me as he ate.He ducked his head down to avoid my gaze and paying attention to his brownie, asked me the leading question I had hoped he would ask. "You never take off work, Mom. What's the special occasion?"I came over to the table and sat down across from him, crossing my. " Her eyes met mine and lingered for a moment before she pushed away my hand and stood up. "You really shouldn't be saying things like that to me." "You don't like when I tell you how beautiful you are? So you don't think it's true?" "I didn't say that. It's just that it makes me feel. . . weird, coming from you." I took her hand and placed it on her chest and then leaned in til my lips were right by her ear and whispered, "I don't think that's true. I can tell by the way your body just. Thought you ... knew ... me better ... than ... thaaaat," she bawled.Bobby began to get a glimmer of what she was upset about. "You mean ... all those guys ... they were lying?"She nodded, sniffling and he held her tighter."I do have some legs to break!" he growled.Mandy shook her head. "No. It's as much my fault as it was theirs. I let them lie about me because ... well because it's just easier to deal with that than have everybody think you're Miss Goody Two Shoes." She stamped her foot, just.