It was nice seeing you again, really. But I’m getting married soon and can’t be seen around you again. Please take care of yourself ... and don’...t call me anymore. I should have said all that and more. Except I didn’t; I couldn’t. Right there and then, I threw whatever hindrance I’d built in my mind concerning him. “How about I show you some recent photos I took while in Scotland,” he smiled and said.“I’ve got to be back at the office in the next hour and a half.”“My place isn’t that far from. And I am sure you regaled them with how you escaped your mother's attempts to stop you.Great exploits? Richie was genuinely confused. All he had done was follow Jason and help Heather with...He tried to quell that memory as well, but not before a clear image of the heart-shaped pendant had appeared in his head. So Heather had taken that little trinket after all, the Darkness said. My, you had a busy day! But that I am sure paled in comparison to your really huge accomplishment today."Oh. ” “I haven’t heard you complain,” he said and I could hear him smiling. I smiled back and said, “Ok, well not complain, but gripe about my hesitation and answering my questions about what to do.” “So, will you tell me what happened?” he asked. I told him everything from the conversation that morning to the call with Nicki. He silently listened as I let it all flow out in one long story. “You’ve had one tough day,” he said when I finally took a breath and stopped talking. “No wonder you are. "Oh,Jon, I love your hair. It makes you look so much younger." She ran herhands through it and stood back to see it better. "It definitely makesyou look like one of those surfer types. I like it." "You really think so?" I asked, looking at my reflection in the hallmirror, twirling from side to side. "I think I look more like ....well Lady Gaga." That's the eyebrows, honey," she said fingering the tiny line. "A bitof eyebrow pencil will soon sort that out. Come look at what I boughtyou.