His mouth exploded with blood, and time stopped for a moment. His friends got up and I grabbed Amy and bolted for the door. I asked her if she was oka...y and she just nodded through tears. I could hear them chasing for a few blocks, but they gave up eventually and we arrived at the dry cleaners. We were both taking deep breaths, and Amy asked me why I had brought her here, and I told her I didn't know where she lived. She started laughing, and soon I was as well. She asked me if she could dry. I can’t wait for Saturday.”We parted and I headed back home to do some client work. I had no qualms about taking over two hours for lunch with my new friend. I had about twenty thousand hours of comp time stored up; of course, it was my own business. I’d been and still had tendencies to be a workaholic during presses at my own consulting company, and had been known to pull all-nighters occasionally to get a large proposal or client deliverable out the door on time and in perfect condition.When. It had been very cold overnight, and the morning view was typical Chicago winter landscape – very cold - and in the pre-dawn darkness I had peered at the scene many stories below. Everything was covered with snow – the icy crust reflecting the streetlights. The morning weather forecast said it was to be sunny but with highs only in the teens. Burr! Fortunately for the commuters, the plows had worked overnight and even at this early hour the traffic was building.I heard footsteps approach from. In two seconds Mel went from pensive to mesmerized and incredibly turned on. Mel tried to act cool, in control, and threw a smile back at her as Tracy walked across the kitchen. She gave him a hug, acted as though nothing was amiss, and asked if he really wanted to share the meal with her and her mother. “Of course,” answered Mel.The following hour was spent next door, talking about nothing, making mom happy, Tracy smiling and playing footsie with Mel under the table. Mel wanted to scream, or.