He was also charming and funny.He would tell her an amusing story and she would giggle girlishly. Shewould tell him an anecdote and he would laugh a r...ch, rolling laugh.Anna found herself falling in love him. Her hand moved of its ownvolition to reach out to his. Just before ordering dessert, she excusedherself and walked to the ladies' room, every eye in the room followingthe sway of her hips all the way. But Anna herself only looked straightahead with a happy smile on her face. On her way. “It’s too wide.” “It’s too tall.” “Why in the hell did you buy a blue spruce! I swear Charlie Fucking Brown picks a better looking tree!”Oh, I remember last year’s rant well. That was a three finger glass night ... no damn cider either.The snow was coming down hard and the temperature was falling just as bad. The roads were already slick but I knew my truck could handle it without any trouble so at least that wasn’t a worry. The weather must have scared people into staying home because I was. “Bethlehem ... Pennsylvania.” He picked up his orange juice and started drinking it.“Is your mother there?”He shook his head. “She died when I was little.” He paused. “I don’t remember her.”“You have any other family? Brothers, or sisters?”He shook his head again. “No.”“Grandparents? Aunts or uncles? Cousins?” He shook his head to all of them.“Why don’t you want to go to Child Services? Won’t they help you find a new home?”He shook his head. “I can’t go to them.”“Why not?”“‘Cause I have. Carlita called me on the phone, and she sounded a little stressed.“Clay, where are you?”“At Alana’s house. We stopped here after pizza. She has a few friends over.”“Okay, when will you be home?”“I am not sure, Lita,” I intentionally used my pet name for her, which would normally earn me a snide response, but she surprised me.“Can I come there?” I checked with Mary, and she had no problem. Her anger had long since been burned out.“I am on the bike, so you would need to use your car,” I said to.