I reached back and grabbed the tip of the thermometer, twisting it between my fingers and moving it in and out. It felt wonderful, for just a moment, ...nd then...“For somebody who didn’t want to have their temperature taken, I see you are liking it.”Oh my God! It was Stacy. She saw me. I stopped immediately and, by this time, Stacy was standing next to the bed. She took my hand and placed it next to me. Then, she took the thermometer and twisted it just a little bit, and then removed it. I was. It was another day sun shining on her bed, woke her, 7.39am on a clear Sidney morning, her fuddled brain thought, k**s breakfasts, then she remembered, the k**s were at mothers, hubby away, and she was booked for a treatment today, she arose, threw on her dressing gown, toileted herself then made coffee, and toast, today was not the day to feed a big meal to the butterflies swarming in her stomach, she did all the usual domestic things, phoned mother and the boys, read the post, washed up put. I would meet him there and we'd talk... like close friends do over a drink or two. Often he would be very highly-strung and aggro about his work or his clients or some government official. I was one of the few people he could safely do that with. So, just when he was being most assertive and tense I would suggest something like this, "You're looking very tense Ricki dear, wouldn't you like to get out of those things and slip into something pretty"Just saying this to him would be enough to make. When the house was cleared, he grabbed one of the donkeys lashed to the carts, guiding her to the cemetery where a mass grave had been excavated. They quietly placed each body into the hole, making sure to place the bodies rather than drop them under the careful eye of Adilah, who met them there.They filled in the grave and took a moment in silence. Then everyone departed to repeat the same task for their loved ones and friends, this time with words and rites of farewell. All day they buried.