When lunch was finally over, which took longer than normal due to the numerous outbursts of spontaneous laughter, he sent Tess out to see if they had ...eceived any mail."That is if you are done with both your sandwich and embarrassing everybody at the table," he said."I don't know why you would be embarrassed, Uncle Marlin," Tess replied with a devilish grin while placing her plate in the sink. "It's your name they are mostly yelling." With that she ran outside heading for the road."I swear,. Oscar and I both moaned dramatically from the couch and turned in Elaine's direction. "Find out," she countered. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't." I was giddy with laughter; we all were. We'd been out for Elaine's birthday and the drinks had flowed freely. In the bar, on the dance floor, even on the train home, the banter had been fun and light and charged with possibility. Sexual comments had flown frequently and with targeted nuance. And now it had become challenging. Todd had been bragging. She said to me "she is not going to to leave us alone so I'm going to give her a lesson, she can stay and watch" I said are you serious? She replied, "yep unless you are scared, could be fun".She then pushed me back on to the bed so I was lying on my back,and she dropped to her knees and looked at amy and said"do you remember what you asked me earlier amy?"Amy nodded, well you are going good to see now. WHAT, I ask did she ask you?Tell him amy nikki said as she looked and laughed at amy.Amy. "Why are you moving to Perth?" I asked just to start a conversation."I've just left my husband; he hit me once too often, the drunken bum." She said with venom in her voice."I'm sorry; I can't see why some men like beating up women," I said for I meant it. She looked right at me, and I believe she realised that I had meant what I had said and not just uttering the words."You've never hit a woman?" She asked."No never, I was married for five years and I never so much as raised a hand to Helen,".