Looking into her eyes, Edraele asked quietly, “How about the other physical changes? The life-changing ones?”Meeting her gaze again, Almari’s sh...rp blue eyes lost some of their focus as she replied wistfully, “Oh, Edraele, I still can’t believe he did that for me. It feels like a dream...”Edraele smiled as she said, “He’s a good man, and you’re a lovely girl. I think you’ll make a wonderful mother.”Almari let out a happy sigh, and then stepped forward to hug Edraele, forgetting about her. Let me see, I may still have it around here. Can you hold on for a minute?" Sure, I can wait."She put the phone down on the table. Steve waited anxiously, wondering if the woman would be able to find the card.Finally Steve heard her pick up the phone. "Hello?" Yes, I'm still here." The man's name was John Stone. I remember him now. He had some pictures of him when he was younger with a small child that he said was you and a woman who looked like your mother, but much younger. In fact, he even. " She seemed to shake herself; there seemed to be some undercurrents, like irritation that her sister had married before her, that she was cuter, that she got more attention ... The boy toy stepped up behind her and rubbed her back and she glanced over her shoulder at him -- but he didn't stop and she didn't say anything to him. Instead, she looked back at me. "Try Collins." Then she cocked her head and her eyes flashed and she said, "Slocum. That's a fine old redneck name." Yes, Ma'am." I took. Happened earlier than I expected.”“It?” Zuri’s large dark eyes were still wet. “You mean touching each other?”“Yes.” She looked between us both. “It ... it isn’t wrong. But it can’t happen yet.”“Yet?” I looked at Zuri again, feeling an echo of that warm swelling feeling, even as I wanted to comfort her, hold her.“Soon. When you’re a little older. But not now.”Soon. The feeling of pressure eased a little as my curiosity grew.“When?” Zuri asked, surprising me.“In a few years. When you are 14. For.