I started to say something, but Jackson yelled to the waitress across the floor, “Hey honey, another round over here!” She acknowledged his order... with a wave. Jackson used to get drunk a lot in college, I remembered. He hasn’t seemed to change much.We ate dinner and made conversation, but the energy felt stiff to me. Then we went to our favorite club to have a drink and maybe dance a few numbers. Jackson was a real card on the dance floor, but after a couple of hours he was pretty drunk.. Mrs. Weed smiled at her.“This was my husband’s cup, Hart. He used it as a member of our fellowship for thirty years.” The older woman’s voice became wistful as she remembered her husband. “The etching is all in his own hand—symbols of spells and rituals that you may find useful in the future. I give this cup into your hands and consecrate it to your good works. With this cup, I give you a secret name that you will not share with others unless you are working deep magic with them. This name is. "He reached into something on his side of the table, then pulled out afile folder and set it in front of me. "Read it," he said. I was almostcertain I knew what it was, but this guy had a very commanding tone tohis voice. I fliped open the folder and saw exactly what I knew it was:a file on Charlie. "If you think we don't know everything about yourdaughter and her secret life, you're fooling yourself into thinkingyou're the most powerful man in the room." He pulled the folder away andstuffed it. "And I wasn't so hot on having kids, either. So, I had a vasectomy." Vasectomy?" asked Pyx.'I had the tubes, that carry sperm, cut. So, I can't make women pregnant." Oh."My new slave continued with the tongue bath for another minute or two, when Vonda exclaimed, "Pyx? What's wrong? You're crying!" I'm sorry," she whispered.I turned over, and saw that, indeed, large tears were rolling down her cheeks."Honey? What's wrong?" I asked."I wanted to bear your child. Now I never will."What was it about.