She was bored with “77 Sunset Strip” this year, but Charlie seemed interested. They petted, but she wasn’t sure she had all his attention. Maybe...that was lucky; she could split her attention between him and listening for footsteps on the stairs. When the news came on, Charlie got more serious about the petting, although he left her blouse buttoned. She had to push his hand further down her leg several times. She couldn’t say anything, of course; her mom and dad might hear. Heck! Barb might hear. .. uh," I trailed off.Her smile never faltered. "You mean I'm acting like some sort of merry widow?"I nodded, and she continued, "My Frank was the love of my life. I loved that man with all my heart, and now he's gone. I mourned for him. I'm done. There's no contradiction. I feel no guilt whatsoever about it."I smiled to match hers. "That's great to hear. So it was a happy marriage."She nodded. "Far from perfect, but very happy. The only bone of contention, you should pardon the expression, was. He must find a landmark. He needed a landmark before he'd have any notion which direction Mary and the shack lay, or where he might find water. Once again he swiped at his dry mouth. How could someone raised in this wasteland get himself lost in it? Pulse quickening, he tried to shake off the fuzzy headed feeling that inched its way down into his gut as well. He blinked against the bright sunlight and started walking. Any direction, he reasoned, was better than standing stock still in his own. " AS soon as the words are out of her mouth, he is moving into the back seat. He has Maddie unbuckled and back there also without her noticing it and without hurting her. "Here. Put your money in your book. It is now yours and you need not worry about it." He goes to hand it over but Maddie is still just mesmerized by it so she just keeps it out, spreading it and flipping through the bills. As Maddie does this, her now paying future lover begins to massage her long legs, starting on her calf..