. A strong, overwhelming dislike for Scott came over Linda. She couldn't even look at him. Linda kept her trembling hands under the table, to hide thi... manifestation of her intense jealousy. She was shocked to see she could be this possessive. She always hated it when her dates acted this way around her. No one owned her, she would say to them, and if they were unable or unwilling to grasp it... well, they could kiss good-bye any "seconds" with her... Linda snapped out of her daydream and found. There could have been a hundred warning signs that Josie was doing something that she shouldn't be doing, but I'd never have noticed them because it would never have occurred to me that she was doing something she shouldn't. But from what I'd heard while sitting on the toilet she was not only doing something that she shouldn't, but had been doing it for some time.I had to face it. You don't go from loving and faithful wife to pulling trains in a van overnight. You don't go into Thursday night a. "Once Mom gets started, she won't pay much attention to us," I said. "So we can do whatever we want."Stu and Melissa looked at each other, then exchanged a quick kiss. "I can hardly wait," Melissa told me.It was a good dinner -- roast beef and potatoes, if I remember correctly -- but for the three of us it felt rather strained. My mother didn't seem to notice. She kept up a stream of chat with Stu and Melissa, asking them about school, and how long they'd been dating, and things like that. None. She may be a friend with benefits. She may be someone to 'compete' with if Patty is discovering she is bi-sexual. If she's discovering she is gay, you can't really compete with that. In any case though, she will still be the friend you've known all your life. Don't forget that." I'm glad everything is straightforward."Barbara laughed loudly. "In love? It rarely is, honey."They lay in companionable silence for a bit. Then Bobby asked, "Mom? What did you mean about Sammy 'not being impartial'.