The first one, quoting Miyamoto Musashi, reads “"The important thing in strategy is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless act...ons". The second, quoting Niccolo Machiavelli, reads “If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.” Whether applied to war, politics, or business they have served me well.I always knew what I wanted and she prepared me to ensure I would know how to get it.The day that changed my life I never saw. Hell, it's probably not safe for me to return home either! Do you need to stay with a girlfriend? If we were in a relationship, and if you were my girlfriend, maybe we'd have a few more options ... so I guess we need to decide where we are today first ... and plan for tomorrow next. Especially if Trixie, and not Kathy, is going to do all or most of the talking once more after we get back to the motel." You don't like Trixie." Kathy pouted while she reexamined her dinner place to gather up the. I knew how her hair bounced when she shook her head, and how expressions walked across her face from her eyes to her lips, and the crinkle on her nose when she laughed, and that little crease between her eyebrows when she was determined. I'd seen her dozens of times in that unflattering bathing suit, and I'd seen her in jeans and a sweatshirt, or a blouse, or a jersey. I knew she was dressing deliberately to NOT show herself off, and all that time I was trying not to get THOSE thoughts about. "Babs."Long, sparkly pink nails prevented me from gripping the sink how Iwanted, the 'tinking' on the porcelain bringing my eyes down to gaze atthem, and the sparkly diamond ring on my left hand!Was that a wedding ring?"Babs, baby! I'm home!"Who the hell was that? A man's voice just called from my living room,and he called my name!Wait! What did I just think?! Am I Babs?A warmth suddenly flowed out from my stomach to the rest of my body,filling me with a tingling sensation that made me smile..