We would talk before and after the act, and got along well. I really began to have some affection for her, and one night, perhaps foolishly, I gave h...er my phone number (I drank a lot in those days, and common sense was not my forte.) I told her if she ever really needed help she could call me. I cursed myself for a fool the next day, but there was never a problem. Barbara only called me a few times, and was very discreet on the phone. She’d only call when finances were tight, asking if I. Shani was--”“She must be over the moon!” Rena grinned. I was shocked. “Garth wanted to up his dose so he could confront you. Shani talked him down when Olivia wasn’t getting through. He just grabbed her by the brain. Grabbed Shani, I mean. There’s a part of her, that wants all of us to be a family, not king and queens of some elaborate empire.”“You sure?” I smiled. I took a long calm breath. I looked through the door I had just stormed out of. There were similar ones to my front and left. An. So ... if you’re not for hire, perhaps I can get a free sample.” He leaned forward and kissed her lightly.“And I’ll retaliate!” And Sybil put her arms around him and gave him a full mouthed return.“Much better,” she said.“I agree.”“What are you doing when we get back to Sydney?”“I hadn’t really thought about it. We don’t have that long, do we?”“Sydney on the fourth, to Melbourne on the 16th and then to Noumea, New Hebrides, Norfolk Island, Suva, and Lord Howe Island for three weeks. We end up. Rick said when he first got on the web and seen r profile he had to hookup with us we spend about a month talking feeling each other out making sure we and rick wasn't on no bullshit rick was a mix brother he was about 6'2 lightskin medium built he had so he said let me go get out of this pants help y'all self to some more drinks we said OK than he went up stairs we sat at the bar and got r drink on than rick came back down with a show box n his hand and a joint lit n his mouth puffing on it he.