One afternoon, Sloane and I were soaking up rays on a blanket in thelate afternoon, when some boys starting playing football at the water'sedge, just ...below us. I propped up on my elbows, put my sunglasses on myhead, and watched them. Sweat from my neck and shoulders trickled downmy front and into the valley between the girls. At first it was awks,but then it was dope, as it seeped past the top of my yellow, floral-pattern bikini, flowed down my smooth, flat belly and into... well, youknow. None." I continued to regard her. "There is no quid pro quo," I said. "I wanted to make sure you understood that ... the loan..."She lowered her eyebrows. "Jon -- was that your oblique way of suggesting that you suspect I might be a very high-priced whore?" Oh, God, Mae, no. That's not how I intended it. Last night was my sincere expression my love for you ... physically. As far as the loan goes -- it's how I can help. You're family and family helps family. I was happy to do it and I expected. “And which way is that?”“It’s over in the next building, down the stairs and through the tunnel. But, before you go, tell me, oh exalted medic of groundborn origin, do you think that maybe you might have to go outside at some point during your deployment here?”“Outside?” Gath said. “Well ... yes. My understanding is that I’ll be spending a lot of time outside.”“And if some homer shot you with a lead projectile moving at four hundred meters per second, would it rip into your chest, or your leg,. I fished my house key out of my pants. When mom had installed a garage door opener she had given all of us a remote control for the garage door. The opener also turned on the light in front of the garage. One quick push turned on the light. If the button were held for two seconds the garage door would start to open. A motion sensor could also trigger the light. My bedroom window looked over the drive way to the garage. I went to the window and looked down on the garage door. I opened my window.