"What the hell, Michelle?" she asked, clearly furious. "What'd you haveto go do that for? We were just talking! He was being nice!" Sorry! But I had m... reasons!" What reasons could you have had to drag me away from a guy? You know Idon't get many opportunities..." she said, her volume lowering as sherealised what she was saying in public.Someone was running up to us. We both turned to see Yoshiko come to astop by us and gasp for breath."What happened? Are you two OK?" We're fine," Ruby grunted.. She pulled her traditional cigar from her hatband, lit it, and turned to Jim and said. "Time to get the game face on, guy," she smiled. "I'm looking forward to next time." So am I," he grinned. "Good luck, Scoot. I'll wave at you when we go by."After some of the adventures of the last trip, this one went smoothly. It helped that the customers started out as strangers, not friends that they already knew. It wasn't as good a group as the last trip, and it was somewhat larger. All that seemed long. I just saw Robert in church two days ago! I couldn’t grasp him being dead. This had to be some mistake.Mother gave me a quick hug as she hurried out the door. I perfunctorily carried out her instructions then headed outside. I slid behind the wheel of my Beemer and had started to turn the key when the enormity of Robert’s death hit me. I sobbed uncontrollably, frozen in my seat. I was in no condition to drive. There were at least a dozen people I could call and have a ride in fewer than five. If the house were blown away, the battery set down here would still power those lights. That's why there is a storm door down here, too. The idea is to make the cellar independent of the house as much as practical. The ceiling here is different from the rest of the basement for the same reason. If the house is blown away or crumples, the storm cellar will survive intact. At least, that's the design."They looked further and found my food stocks and water. I said, "If the power goes out and if.