I put #2 back on duty, to be sure I'd be centered if something surprising, and therefore distracting, happened.#1: #3: #4: I caught a peripheral flick...er of movement in the doorway. It was Boss, crouching around the doorframe with a pistol in his hand, aimed toward me. That massively discouraged me from poking him in the eye. Boss looked to be cautious and in control, so there was no need for me to do anything immediately.I was debating how to get him to point his gun elsewhere, and to keep it. With a sigh, she picked up the two cups of coffee and walked back out into the living room, wincing when she realized she’d just thought of Jim as a man. **** Marie slipped into bed with a book, but not one she planned to read. Three distinct sections of the pages showed parts, revealing that something was pressed between the pages. She opened to the first rose, as she’d done on February 13th for the last two years. The first time had been a complete surprise. Fresh on the heels of her divorce,. Tension on the Council“So, you believe she’s your niece’s daughter?” Jan asked Collin. Eight people sat around the table now. Violet Lanahan, a bit confused over what she was seeing, sat behind her Uncle Collin. Family Roth, Karen Weisman. Family Poltanys, Jan Poltanys. Family Nussbaum, Heinz Nussbaum. Family Cavanaugh, Loren Cavanaugh. Family Lazorack, David Lazorack. Family Savage, Pàl Savage. Family Meagher, Collin Meagher. And Gee Evars of the Wild Woods. It was the first time all the. It's not a good trait for him to have, as he's going to need to be a great deal more assertive in the future. Fortunately he's got a bossy girlfriend... ," Ava giggled again. I almost felt like giggling myself, that being safer than emphatically agreeing with Vanessa, but this was probably a very good time to do more of that passivity I'm accused of. " ... who has his best interests very much in mind, and who is pushing him into developing social confidence and assertiveness."Mrs. West asked,.