So happy to see her daughter there, so proud of her, the honors that she had earned, the recognition and the degree she had worked for, her little gir...l was a grown woman and she was so happy. The party, her daughter interacting, so assured, nothing like the little girl of old, yet still with that joy for life and beautiful smile. She was 56 years old. She played with the wonderful wriggling ball of joy, changed the diapers and cooed and gooed and kissed the wonderfully fat cheeks and relished. Stationed at either side of the silver-accented, golden double doors were black, silver, and gold liveried doormen. Valets greeted each vehicle to arrive, ushering out the guests with grand ceremony. A maitre d' greeted each guest and arranged for their baggage to be taken inside by a small legion of bellhops zipping to and fro around the silver-haired gentleman, all of them liveried as well.When our small convoy drove up to the carport, our security guys jumped out before anyone could open. He glanced across the room and Nicole followed his gaze. She saw the uniformed officer standing in the doorway with a grave expression and she began to feel frightened. It must be bad if the police were there."We were attacked by two men. I got knocked out." He pointed to his head. "When I came round, you weren't there. I yelled out and a couple came running from a nearby house. They said they'd heard some screaming — guess it must have been you."Nicole shivered. She didn't remember much of. My athletic prowess couldn't fill a thimble. About the only thing I had going for me was my metabolism, which seemed to run at super-speed. No matter how much I ate, I couldn't gain weight.Three martial arts classes a goddamn day! I FUCKING nearly died!The only reason I didn't die was because I found a different martial arts school that taught aikido across the street from Karen's Tae Kwon Do school. It didn't have to do with aikido being easier or anything--Karen couldn't watch me every second.