And with that the apparition vanished.I was shaking like a leaf and there was no way I could make an even passable job of my makeup, so I just wiped o...ff what little I had applied and let it go at that. I got dressed in jeans and a tee shirt and made my way round to the block of flats where Sandra lived. It was one of those abominations they seemed to have built everywhere in the sixties. The lift smelled of urine but at least it worked. Funnily enough, it hadn't seemed that bad the last time I. Because I kept toenails painted and body clean,I would get brazen enough to start wearing panties, garter belts, andthigh high stockings under my normal everyday Blue Jeans and of courseone of my many rock-n-roll concert t-shirts. I love music and going toconcerts. Another passion of mine. I work in a mail room of a bigcompany, so formality for us was not of a major concern. For the mostpart, we were never seen to much except to wheel the carts twice a weekand deliver mail to the rightful. Not in a situation like this."It makes sense. I'm... i'm sorry I can't..." I trail, unsure what how to word my apology.Samantha is dying. The doctors give her a 50/50 chance in her surgery. And it's now zero hour. Pretty shitty 18th Birthday, right?"Don't. Don't make this final. Please. I'm going to make it through this. I will be fine. Besides... ha, I got the birthday present I wanted." She tells me."Which one? You had so many ideas I could write a book." I respond, trying to be. Still a couple of inches from the V of her legs, I stroked my forefinger and thumb over her for a moment.I probably would have gone on all night – maybe even gone further – if her eyes hadn’t fluttered open.“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”“It’s okay, Mom. You were tired.”“I’m the one who’s supposed to cradle you, not the other way around,” she quipped, and then yawned. “I should really get in the shower and get to bed.”She sat up straight, and I did the same. Mom leaned in, and.