She was not the girl I had fallen in love with. “We better go look for my stepfather. I’m sure he wants to get started.” “That’s a great id...a, Madelyn.” We both grabbed our robes and went downstairs to look for my stepfather. We didn’t see him in the kitchen and then went outside to see if he was there. My stepfather was naked on a chaise lounge sunbathing. We both walked out to the pool to talk to him. -- “Good afternoon ladies. Did you both sleep well?” “We slept great. What would you. Trust Rhi's advice to not really be advice. I didn't know how being perfectly made up and sexily dressed was going to accomplish anything, but I knew Rhiannon well enough to trust her. After all, she had more experience with men than all of my other girl friends put together.I took a deep breath, waved goodbye at Adele and Rhiannon, and climbed the steps to the restaurant, smiling broadly at the maitre d' the entire time, hoping I looked more calm and confident than I felt."Ms. Tanner," he. ” “Nice way to put it, Norma.” “I heard him saying this, “she explained calmly, then added with a broad smile,”well, is your curiosity satisfied?” John winked at her and nodded. On the way back, he ventured another question: “How long has she been in that bed?” “Nearly three mouths.” “Wow. I hope she will get better soon.” “No one knows for sure.” “What’s the problem?” “John, let’s stop talking about her.” *** “I have to see my mother,” Norma said, “She called and said she was sick.. Reaching into the right pocket, his blood became like cold mud in his veins as his fingers brushed up against the solid iron of the Black Stigmata nail. Even with latex separating him from the smooth surface, Jason felt like the nail was fusing to his fingers. He gripped his skull and cursed, the Black Stigmata's will weighing down on his mind like a lead collar. The relic was trying to re-establish its hold on him, but the damage his mind had received in the coma had left him as an unsuitable.