Stark reminders were everywhere these days. Not just in the form of a normally bustling street nearly empty or a hastily boarded over storefront, but ...also in the absence of a person or people with whom everyone had gotten used to seeing over the years. Their usual place in the world suddenly, heartbreakingly empty and everyone knowing that they would never come back…It was hard and sometimes unthinkable, but the wizarding world was rallying.Slowly, yes.Cautiously, absolutely.But they were. Being with her did little to make me stop thinking that one week had already burnt itself out in New York.She said she would take the subway home, and when I made remarks about it she said, "No, no, that's the way it's done here, unless you're going steady or something. But, oh, I do like that Southern politeness. It's refreshing, really. Listen, would you like to keep in touch? I think you're very interesting, and we have theater conventions up here, so if you ever attend one I could help show. I laid there a few minutes re-living what had just happenedwith a smile on my face. I then got up and put my panties backon and was about to get ready to go home when my phone texted.It was Bob and he said he had a great time, and was hard again,wanting to come back. I said he was more than welcome to return.I freshened my lipstick and my hair and met him at the door.He asked me to put some lingerie on and I went to the bathroomto change and returned in a hot little red babydoll withwhite fur. Abbie knows what Phoebe is asking without words. She wants to know what happened on Friday that they left so suddenly. Silently, and unobserved, Abbie let her know everything is fine. There is no way Abbie can tell her about the agreement she has made with Tim and how he disciplines her. A nice gay couple is sitting next to Tim, who he begins to chat with. Then a woman in her sixties or more, with a young woman no older than twenty-five, sits around the corner. While the young girl is quiet.