And he’s good with the customers. Especially the difficult ones; like Mrs Campbell, there, right on cue.” Mrs Campbell had the longest list of exc...uses that anyone could remember for why she couldn’t pay.She started to explain to George’s uncle. “I remember this, he always chivvied her into paying just enough so they did not have to foreclose”“And there is Maggie” said Max “Not your Maggie, obviously”“? Ohhh yes, she came for a few months.”“Yeah, she had the hots for you. Oh you must have known!. Thus, the nicknames became a personal private secret between us.High SchoolThe year we both turned fourteen, Julie started high school. Although Julie was a year ahead of me in school, we were actually only a few months apart in age. My birthday was late in the year and my parents were able to have me start school a year later so that I would not end up in the same classes as my brother, who had been held back a grade.That being the case, Julie started high school a year ahead of me. We didn’t. Trying to calm her shaking body with one hand, the other lifted her face up to his."You were asleep, Ai. Asleep. Just like Julie and I were a moment ago. That's all. You fell asleep, and time passed. It's now..." He looked over at the digital clock. "Eleven at night. Everything's OK."Ai stilled, face showing total incomprehension as she pulled back a bit."But ... I don't ... sleep..." I know, Ai, I know..."Shaking her head, Julie came up and put her arms around both of them."Let's call our. Tony entered moments after his uncle, said a perfunctory good morning to both of them then fell into a deep brooding silence. Ken couldn't seem to look at either his nephew or Bette, and he ate with his head bowed at his plate, the guilt that was his clearly evident on his face. He drank the last of his coffee, announced that he had a lot of work to do today and would be spending all his time in the study, and then left the lovely blonde mother and her son alone.Bette said softly, "What are you.