“How are my legs?” I tried to lift my head, but was too weak to do so.“Healing.” She fussed with my blanket. “How much do you remember?”Be...ore I could answer her a doctor breezed in, trailed by two residents. They poked me and prodded me and looked at X-Rays.“You’re looking good,” said the doctor, with a patently false smile. “We’ll get you started on physical therapy and as soon as the stumps heal enough, we’ll see about some starting prosthetics.”“Oh boy!” I said, with patently false. Good was that my old friends adopted Marie and had no problems in accepting her. Good was also that my aunty did not chew me when I told her how the issue with potential expulsion of Marie was handled. Ok, I did not really expect any thanks, but still. And the rest of our schoolmates - well, among some of the churchgoers we were the prime example of the sinful behavior and its consequences. Most of the rest were just curious but some of them avoided us, because there were teachers who could not. Last Saturday when you were in Charlotte you were to call me that night. You did not. And for that you must be punished," he said."But Sir, I explained all that. There were meetings all day, and a corporate function that night. Attendance was mandatory. It was after 12 before I got back to my room, and I had an early flight the next day." I waited up for you to call. For all I knew, you could have been dead in some alleyway. It only takes a minute to call. If you were tired, I would have. Answering him, slowly, "Okay, but how do you know my favorite or are you going to guess?" Well, I could guess, but since I am really partial to spaghetti with meatballs, I'm going to say that is your favorite and hope I'm right and for desert, I just know women can't resist cherry cheesecake."Laughing again she replied, "Actually, that is one of my favorites, and if your cheesecake is really good, I'll become your love slave." His heart hit his throat and his pulse hammered, was he that easy to.