“Well, of course I do. I think I love each of them in their own way. That doesn’t mean that I’m in love with any of them, though. To be honest, ... don’t think I’ve ever been in love before. Have you?”“I thought I was in love with you when I first arrived at Lincoln High, but I learned that was more infatuation than love. I really liked both Jim and Wolf. I think the closest I ever got was with Jeff. I miss him so much sometimes. He was such a sweet boy, and I knew he was totally in love with. We had an official story we would tell acquaintances, that he was renting from us while he adjusted to living in the area, and the kids had already repeated it to their friends.I turned on the range to start making grilled cheese for the impatient six and four year olds.“Is the bedroom all ready for him?” Kay asked, looking at something on her phone.“Yes Miss.”I had started referring to her as Miss a few months prior at Vince’s command, and it seemed to have a psychological effect on all four. She dragsme to my feet, sits on my bed, and throws me over Her knee. Again,with my skirt up, and my panties down She thrashes my little botty andi cry that i will try never to be naughty again. After two minutes,She throws me off, sends me to the bathroom to repair my face, andstorms out of the room, calling after Her that i am to come down assoon as i am ready. When i get downstairs, She is sitting in thelounge, and says that She has some friends coming that night, andwants cakes,. “That would be a very fine thing.”Laughing, he says, “Non, not for me. A gift like that need to go to a young person with more years than I got left. Too precious to waste on an old street musician.”He’s probably right, but I refuse to say the words. Everyone has to make their own choices in life, and Frère Michel has lived a good one, despite his problems with demon rum. He holds up what he’s made.It’s an oleander flower barely the size of my thumbnail, incredibly detailed and so delicate I.