At least it wasn’t about Jeff, directly. ‘And you can’t disrespect my thoughts and feelings that way. He is the most wonderful man I’ve ever m...et and you’re acting like he’s a terrorist.’ My family is given to hyperbole. ‘Get him over here for dinner so we can meet him,’ he said. It wasn’t so loud but it wasn’t remotely conciliatory either. He looked at my Mother. ‘Do we have anything scheduled tomorrow night?’ ‘No,’ she answered. ‘Have him here tomorrow night for dinner. Six sharp,’ he ordered.. Bad luck for her.Well I started having convo with herMe: Nisha, how many candidates are there for the same post?Nisha: 1 was rejected earlier, and you are the one we have scheduled today. I will get an update from panel soon. Keep your fingers crossed.Me: sure. But I wish even you can keep your fingers crossed for me, please. (with hope in my eyes)Nisha crossed fingers and showed to me. And then she left to get an update from the panel.When she came, there was no news as they scheduled client. As predicted, we were about half way home when we were suddenly attacked by a rain of crossbow bolts. We could feel them hit us and fall to the ground. The spell also protected our horses: something that I had forgotten to ask for. Fortunately, Granny Eltman had remembered.There were eight men in the party of ambushers. One may hide while shooting a crossbow, but one must stand in plain sight while cocking and reloading, so we had no trouble in seeing our attackers. We were riding trained. He moves a catch at the side, the frame spreads my mouth wider. I can't stop it. He laughs behind the blank white mask as I groan. I shake my head in protest. He shakes his head, more slowly. He's got some sort of short wide belt. It's a collar as deep as my neck is long. He fastens it in place. It holds my head rigid. He tells me I must learn acceptance. I don't believe him. I won't believe him. He takes off his trousers, hangs them neatly over the back of the chair. He's going to rape me but.