Even at ten at night midsummer sunshine sneaked through the curtains, though rain slapped the window pane. Up here you often get this: rain and sun in...the same breath.Anna was cleaning her teeth at the corner sink. One of the kids could have drawn her there: her features seemed exaggerated. She had long eyelashes and five freckles around her nose. She was almost as lean as a stick figure; as pale as the paper you’d draw one on. Her hair was long and naturally red, though that night, damp from a. If its called ‘University of Townname’ then its almost certainly a new pseudo-uni like the one I go to. These unis used to be called ‘polytechnics’ and rushed to change their names to ‘University of Townname’ when the rules changed in the 1990s or so. Zoe went to a proper Townname University uni.The difference was startling. Whereas I studied in a grim tower-block with whitewashed cinterblock interiors the students nicknamed ‘Stalingrad’ on the outskirts of a grim industrial town, Zoe studied. I’ll be over for breakfast. Go fuck your man.’ She released me and sat on Sam’s lap. I squeezed his shoulder and gave him a silent ‘Thank you.’ He gave me a half-smile and nodded. I turned and looked up at Shane. ‘Ready to go?’ A sly grin spread across his face as he walked us to the door. His silence said more than his affirmation ever could. *** As soon as we pulled out of the parking lot I started peeling off my shirt around my seatbelt. Shane kept stealing glances while trying to keep. “Good, good,” I said.Seated, Juniper arrived ten seconds after us with her pad. I was drinking JD, but the big man opted for a pitcher of Miller Lite. I nodded for her to bring me a glass so as to be part of the party. Two minutes, maybe three, into the surprise visit I already had questions: a plane for one. He had no plane; well, he hadn’t, but he apparently did now. And I knew for a fact, or thought I did that the man couldn’t fly one, so where was the pilot? Oh yeah, I did indeed have a few.