‘You don’t remember me, do you? I would come and talk to you in hospital, about my father who was having treatment for leukaemia’. ‘Oh right.... I remember you now. Kind of.’ ‘Back then, I was a little selfish. Using you as a sound-board. I think you need, to use me as the sound-board now. Coffee?’ They found a coffee shop, and talked about life after cancer, and how there were coping with it. After about three hours of tears, laugher and every thing in between Rob said to her ‘I had the same. I pull my billfold out, draw out a couple of hundreds, watch his pupils dilate. Rapid-fire Spanish to the little girl. She walks around to the passenger side of my SUV. I unlock the door, reach over, open it. Surprisingly she gets in, a resigned expression on her face. She at least has the presence to close the door and put on a seatbelt.I hand him the two bills and take off. Didn’t even get a receipt. Wonder if Bill’s gonna let me claim this purchase on expenses without it.One thing about it.. ." No!" Malinda screamed and backed up in her bed until she was pressed against the wall. "Get him away from me!" What?" Marlin jumped startled out of his musings."I don't think you're a useless parasite anymore, darling," Melody said dryly. "Now you're more like a scary monster." This is better?" he asked. She shrugged."He's going to send me to live with those freaks and fiends!" Malinda blubbered."Mmm, that would certainly take care of more than one problem," he teased but relented when. Let’s go.”I lead her out the back door becase it’s closest to the motel room for Maria’s first booking. He’s a solo, a regular guest, but because he’s a salesman he’s got an early start in the morning, so he doesn’t want a late night.I knock on the door of room 11 and call out “room service” and Ross answers it. As I usher Maria inside, I say “G’day Ross, here she is.” I sink down quietly on the couch in the corner of the room.“Hi Maria, looking good, as usual,” Ross replies.He’s only wearing.