"If you wish."Valerian smiled around his cigar. "I think I do," he said. He took the cigar from his mouth and blew out a stream of smoke. "Get me a br...ndy, would you?"Mia turned and walked to the sideboard in small steps enforced by the long dress. She raised her head as she walked, revealing a softly rounded chin above an elegant neck. At the sideboard, she lifted the stopper from a crystal decanter and poured a generous amount into the snifter next to it. Taking it in both hands, she carried. "Inever believed in magic before, but it obviously exists. I love you."Jasmine smiled softly and said, "I love you too."Then she left. I packed the costume away and removed my makeup. Itseemed such a shame to ruin Sandy's handiwork, but I didn't want to smearit all over my pillow either. Exhaused I collapsed into bed and quicklywent to sleep.Sandy, Jasmine and I spent the rest of the weekend going to various magicshops, occult shops and looking on the internet for any hints at solvingour. She seated me on her bed and sat on a chair exactly in front of me. There was no one in the house I understood the kids must have gone to their grandparent’s place which was around an 11/2 hour run from here. Holding my courage I again asked her. She said, “I know it is your age to get fascinated to woman but, all you do is wrong and I don’t want to happen it again, understood? I could clearly make out from her voice that whatever she was saying was just a result of social fear. I got really. Is Gary in?" Yeah. I'll put him on." There was a bit of shuffling as the receiver changed hands. "Gary here." Hi, Mr. Brock. This is Alex from the swim team. I was heading over to the pool for a few laps, and wanted to give you a heads-up." Appreciate it. I'll let the patrols know. Night." Night."I had made the swim team earlier in the year (before school started); tennis was for fun, but swimming brought out the competitive streak in me. Even though the season doesn't start for another two.