" Now the party this week is for tomorrow evening at his townhouse. He isplanning a dinner party proceeded by cocktails and a dinner that is beingpre...pared by a French caterer that is world renowned. There will be bothmen and women on the guest list and all of them are part of his corporatestaff. They range in age from late 20's to early 50's I suspect and allare very open minded and fun and very well behaved. He has asked me toprovide 2 gals to do all of the serving during the cocktail hour. In one last-ditch effort, she held out one of the tiny airplane bottles, and I gave in. Joining her I put the bottle to my lips and upended it. My Mom stood there looking at me, and the heat from the liquor made me reach for my mask again. She stepped in close to me, like she had been so many times earlier, and reaching up stopped me from pulling off my mask.“Why?” I was curious now, why should I leave the uncomfortable thing on.“Because… Tonight… I’m Sophia, and you’re my date to the prom…”. “How about that thing?” she asked quietly, lowering one arm long enough to point at it, then raising the arm high again.“Huh?” Sam said, but Frank was already pushing Julie toward it, and Sam followed, fiddling with the trigger on his pistol, which was threatening to fall off.“Okay, you!” Frank growled, once again poking Julie’s sore back with the barrel of the gun. “Pull that thing out away from the wall so we can tie you up to it!”“Yes, sir,” Julie said calmly, taking hold of one end of the. Why, she wondered desperately, couldn't she stop thinking of her husband's mother like that?! Catching a glimpse of Penelope in the mirror, Jasmine was surprised to see that look on her face again. She got a guilty rush of pleasure from it that would not be cooled even by thoughts of her son. Turning to face the girl while still holding up the teddy, she asked, "This one is beautiful, don't you think?" Beautiful," Penelope echoed in a deep, husky voice."It's a little small for me, though,".