Why talk about that now. Let's enjoy the moment." I can't talk about it when you're not around." My best moments are with you, Maria, but we need to k...ep our other friendships strong too. Actually, I'd like to take our friendship to the next level." Next level? What do you mean? We talk about everything." I dream of us expressing our love in the best way possible." How could we do more than we already are? Oh! You're talking about sex!" You don't want me like that anymore!" Jeff, that's not. I nowfelt repaid for the bit of humility required of me earlier. And yet mysubconscious was again signalling embarrassment."It is time to examine our relationship," she said and paused. Ugh-oh Ithought. This sounds ominous. Just when I thought that we might progressbeyond french kissing and light petting to the real thing. Damn. She wantssome kind of sign that I can commit to a serious relationship before wecan have actual sex. Well, I guess that's gonna be it for us, I thought,because no way. "Sweetheart, what you've got is already a copy. You know that." Not what's up here," Kristy said, stroking a temple as she came to stand behind him. "That's what I worry about loosing."In my Yoeme dreaming, was I the Pascola or the Deer Dancer? Was I both? I felt the Sun on my back and dirt on my bare feet that were from a place that no longer held such. I felt the air moving around me and in it, the scent of mesquite. Voices joined me in song and I didn't know the words, but somehow my voice. I smiled mischievously as I picked the wine and the book from the traythanking her. She smiled back with a small curtsey and started turningback towards the kitchen, she had to finish dinner.I said in a kind voice, "Sorry about yelling at you before darlingMarcia, you know me I have those abrupt reactions and then I regretit." I stood up and gave her a hug.After all, whatever roles we were playing during the past six months,we were still partners caring for each other.She looked at me with her.