" You could? Oh, that would be marvelous. It'd be so nice to have youback again - you were always such a good worker." And so well dressed, too," Juli...a kidded."Oh, that reminds me," I said, "my black skirt doesn't fit me anymore ..." Mom, what Sandy's trying to say is she's got a skinny waist and a bigbutt now. But never fear - Julia to the rescue! She can borrow one ofmine again. It'll be so much fun - just like the old times!" Don't remind me," said Mrs. Taylor, shaking her head. "I'm sure. She said not a problem. She asked me if my family would not be disturbed. I said they are away on vacation and I am alone so not a problem. She asked me enjoying bachelor life.I said nothing much to enjoy just happy being alone and sometimes in great people’s company like you, she said that is nice and she kept quiet. I reached home and parked my car. I asked her to come up and have a cup of tea or coffee.She initially refused but finally agreed. In the lift, I told her any way you did not want. I would just like to introduce you to the main characters and universe first.The year is 2347. Humanity has spread across many nearby star systems, colonizing and terraforming where possible. Many planets with existing ecosystems and flourishing life are found but regrettably no other sentient species have been identified.Jake is a wanderer. The son of a rich man, he could do anything his heart desired. Since he was a boy his fantasies were fixated on adventure and exploration. In 2345 Jake's. We could do more miles and not worry about work the next day. If we went late morning, we could spend more time relaxing by the pool. Swimming. Drinking frosty beverages. Or just doing not much of anything. I didn't really think anything of it other than Sarah was a great friend to hang out with. As summer progressed, some kind of change swept through Sarah's life and we went through a period where she became less talkative. I was not sure if she had troubles at work or at home, but I didn't.