Roberta too was scheduled to pick me up at 6:30 that evening, and I was ready when she showed up. As with the other two girls, Roberta had her own car..., and that made things a bit easier for both of us. We went to dinner in a small Greek restaurant where Roberta drank a little too much ouzo wine. Since she was driving, we had to wait until she had consumed enough coffee to get rid of the tipsiness so that she could drive. That made it impossible for us to take in a movie, but I certainly didn't. .." How's Mama?" Good. Here, she wants to talk to you. Ei! Riccardo, remember to practice a lot! That's why you are there." Yes, Papa." Good. Here's Mama."There was a pause as Richard's mother took the phone."Allo, Riccardo?" Angelina said."Hi Ma."Richard smiled as he again answered all the same questions his Dad had just asked him."I'm going to go practice now," Richard said."Okay, Riccardo, we love you." Love you too, Ma."Richard hung up. He was hungry, and he realized he hadn't made any. But Gregcontinued his equivocations and deflections.Paul now knew that Greg was lying, and now believed that Greg knew of thecause --- or himself had caused --- Kim's obvious stress."Go to the basement TV room, sit down, and don't you dare fucking move."Paul's stern order was coupled to the most menacing look any child hadever seen or could dread.-----000-----Claire took Kim by the hand and, once upstairs, closed the door. She ledher daughter to the bed, and they sat.Claire tried and tried to. And I miss that. And you.”“Me too.”“You have Cheryl.”He didn’t want to tell her the truth. That sex with her was great, but not as great as with Cheryl. Or Constance. Probably because he always had to be careful about going too deep. But before the final break up, so including their brief return to loving that afternoon in Moe’s professor’s place, being careful could have its intensity. Caring meant paying attention to her. Keeping her pleasured. Keeping from hurting her. It somehow.