” Mrs. Smith said.“Where did he go and why didn’t he tell me goodbye.” Kaylie said with a pouty lip.“Honey, it was an emergency. He was cal...ed out to California and he had to leave right away. He was very sad he didn’t get to tell you goodbye and he is going to be incredibly sad when he finds out he missed the twins by only an hour. He is going to call tonight, you can talk to him then.” Mrs. Smith explained.“Mrs. Smith, I think we will have to be going. I have to get Miss Johnson home and. My Dad had just gotten home and he was carrying shopping bags. I was still feeling unsure of him so I just waited in my Dad to see what he did next. I heard him put the bags down and rustle through them. “I bought you something,” he said cheerfully, revealing a large stuffed dog I’d had my eye one for months from behind his back. I momentarily forgot my trepidation with my new gift in hand. “That’s just a little thank you present to repay you for last night. Hopefully, there will be a lot more. She urged the kids to stay, especially Junior, but they wanted one day of the holiday for themselves. "Pop is so good at caring for you, there is no need for us to stay."As soon as they left, Debbie called to me to come sit with her. "You haven't asked what happened. Aren't you interested?" Of course I'm interested. I'm also interested in the fact that there was a Rich Portnoy that came into the hospital with his feet in the same shape as yours. I think you have some answers. It's just that I. So began a slow but inevitable drifting apart where old passions were slowly replaced by new. Indeed they had never really broken up, just moved on. Still they remained firm friends although Claudia did not approve of some Josh’s decisions and choices. She reminded herself that it was his life and that he could travel wherever he wanted and fuck whoever he wanted even if some of his partners were clearly beneath him.“You bitch,” she chided herself. “Mind your own fucking business.”She still.