And the pain…she shuts it out. Her mouth twists in contempt. Fool, a snide, taunting voice inside her head mocks. Weak, foolish woman. Career…inde...endence [RJH1] …strength…and pride. In what, now? What did she have left to be proud of? With a grimace she twists away from the mirror and staggers out of the bathroom, shower forgotten. She needs to wake the boy. The room seems empty when she steps inside. It is dim…the curtains are still drawn. The bed is empty and hasn’t been slept in. Panic. The room had been turned down for the day, the beds pushed back and the room converted into a sitting room with a couch and table. Patty was kneeling on the floor, leaning over the table still praying when Jane returned to the room. She looked up when she heard the door slam. "Did god answer you?" asked Jane."Yes, I've come to accept that I was under the control of some heathen artifact and my actions weren't my own. God will forgive, but I must confess as soon as possible." Patty stood. "How. ‘Umm, so, you’re headed right back to work?’ ‘Well, my meetings were cancelled, so I came home to get a book for a paper I’m writing. I want to get ahead on a deadline.’ I said, sitting down next to Jill. Jill leaned back, ‘So, nothing pressing?’ ‘No, not really.’ ‘And your wife’s working all day, and your son will sleep for an hour, too? So it’s just you and me?’ ‘I guess,’ I said. The corner of Jill’s mouth curled into a smile, and she bit her lip like she had done outside. ‘Mmmmm.’ she. " I thought you had to use the bathroom?" Cheryl said."Here, have another beer," Dana said.She had to know by the way I was hopping around how desperate I was but she gave no indication of this."Now go back and play with the kids while us girls talk," Dana said.I drank my beer and that only increased the pressure on my poor bladder. Another 30 minutes later and I was in legitimate pain. I once again approached Dana and the ladies but this time they didn't even seem to acknowledge presence. It.