“How’d it go in there?” I said. “Um…fine I guess?” I didn’t respond. I looked at her in a way that said I expected her to continue. “I...mean I’m not pregnant so…” she gestured at nothing and nobody. “Congratulations,” I said. “On not having a child.” I laughed a little bit. She smiled. “I actually have to…” She stuck her thumb out at her car as if it was a faraway object. I almost interrupted her. Women love it when you almost, but not quite, interrupt them. Wait for them to finish then jump in. "There, that should about do it, for now." "For now?" I gulped softly, trying to get some air back intocompressed lungs. "Yep, after about an hour, we should be able to get a littlemore out." "Don't be ridiculous. This is already too tight." I whined. "That's what a corset is all about," she maintained. "Now, ifyou had really tried to understand what you were talking about andasked for a waist cincher or body briefer, you might be a little lessconstricted, blessed with modern stretchy. ”“That’s right, about three weeks after, in fact,” Alyssa said gently.Rachel stared at them both, looking from one to the other in turn, and studying their faces. “My mind tells me you’re lying, but I can feel that you’re telling me the truth,” she said in frustration.“Why don’t I show you Dana’s changes as they occurred. The ship has security cameras all over the place, and I was able to assemble a montage for you,” Alyssa offered.“Okay, go ahead,” Rachel said, curiously, looking up at the. I turned to leave but Claire reached out a hand to stop me.“Have you ever thought about why I turned them all down? Have you never wondered?” She didn’t give me time to answer. “It was because I was waiting for someone. Someone special. Someone I really liked. One of my best friends.”It took a while for my feeble brain to assimilate this, and I gazed blankly at her. She came closer to me, taking my hands in hers. I was still looking at her as our faces came closer. She tilted her head as she.