I told Wendy…you remember her don’t you?’ ‘Yes, you introduced her to me maybe a month or two ago, not too long after Ben moved out.’ ‘Rig...t. Anyway, I told her about our catastrophe with Roscoe and the jelly thinking she might see the humor in our disaster.’ ‘But she didn’t right?’ ‘She got hung up when I told her I had my arms around you.’ ‘But you didn’t, or at least I don’t remember that happening.’ ‘Damn, if it did happen and you didn’t remember I’d feel like a loser. But you’re right, I. "But at least there are twin beds." I laughed and squeezed her hand, I thought she was going to cry when I showed her the bathroom, she stood and stared at the gleaming tiles, the whole bar of scented soap, the toothpaste, the bubble bath, the big fluffy towels on the heated rail."Can I have a bath, Tommy." Shall we try that again mum please?" I laughed and could have cried for her when she said with bowed head."Can I have a bath PLEASE?" Oh God mum, I'm sorry." I hugged her again, "You were. What she saw in this girl I don't know. Abigail didn't seem like she would fall for someone based on looks alone so maybe she saw something else but what she didn't see was probably more important."The girl's name was Veronica and in contrast to her fellow cheerleaders, she wasn't blonde. She had long black hair and deep blue eyes. Some would say they were piercing."Abigail watched her for years always looking away anytime she thought Veronica had noticed."So one Halloween after the school’s. An attractive nuisance is what she is. Very attractive. Boy magnet. MALE magnet.When Pye became whatever flatcats become, Annabelle was fleeing an abusive home situation. Stepdad. It's complicated.Okay, I'll tell it.They started out like most families; brass spoons. Not the lowest but far from the highest. Mr. Carson was a budding engineer; Mrs. Carson was a new nuclear physicist. Oak Ridge was good to both of them.Annabelle was a precocious child ... an only child.Something happened at the.