I followed him as he walked down the hallway and into the room next to his, following the soft whimpering. Ever so gently, he climbed into Gabi's bed....His little arms wrapped around his sister in a protective embrace.The three of them lay there for a moment as Gabi settled into a fitful sleep. Then she fell silent, seemingly comforted by her brother and sister's loving touch."Like father, like son," Melinda said with a smile. She kissed me gently, then led me back to our bed."Daddy, when will. Slowly, I went a little further away from the plane, though notwanting to get too far. I didn't know exactly where I was at, and didn'tsee anyone nearby. Patiently, I sat down on a rock, hoping that therewould be a search party or someone to rescue us. Part of me actuallyhoped that no one found me, being afraid to go back, and face otherpeople looking the way I did now. Afraid of being a freak with nofriends. Eventually though, people did come, and a lot sooner than Iwould have. Get the pool hall and service station to agree to chip in, and we'll pay our share."We talked about my project the rest of the day. Ben was a big help, offering advice as to how large the sign should be, what materials I'd need, and he even knew a sign painter, who he said would be easy to work with. When I left the café that day, something stirred deep inside me.I believe everyone around the pool could read my mind that afternoon. Mrs. Crumbly, the next door neighbor knew that I was going to. Rebecca was a blue eyed redhead with an ass that could stop traffic, and she knew it. My wife always encouraged me to go out on nights when Rebecca came over, and I was fine with that. I could not stand the way Rebecca talked to me, the smug way she looked at me right before she and Haley went into the bedroom, or the way she howled when Haley made her come. When Haley went out of town for a business trip I figured I would sleep in, relax, and maybe look at some internet porn. I was still in.