Plus I have a job and other commitments as well. It’s not a stretch to say that having you here would impact my routine in a stressful way, I’m so...rry.”She started quietly crying “You don’t understand. He’s a drunk. It’s why my mom divorced him ‘cause he beat her, and I know if he’s all drunk and mad maybe he’s gonna beat me next time ‘cause my mom won’t be there to stop him or take the beating herself.”“Oh shit, really? Why does your mom let you stay with him, then? Why didn’t she get sole. “I am avake. Stop shaking me. It is all right,” I protest as I gather the pieces of reality around me, pushing the detritus of that false reality out of my mind. I feel Logan’s arms encircle my still-trembling body, drawing me closer to him. I curl up against his chest like a child. “What was that all about, Elf? I’m usually the one with the nightmares, but this is the third night in a row that I’ve had to wake you up.”“It is nothing. I just vant to forget it.”“Was it the same one. And it was not even twenty-four hours since it was perfect. Well, sort of perfect… The days of wild sex and untamed discoveries were past. Peter and I settled into the domestic life when we discovered I was pregnant with Jane. It wasn’t a planned pregnancy and it wasn’t even something that we had talked about strangely. Pregnancy wasn’t our style. Our lives filled to the brim with each other. So concerned with the business of getting deeper and deeper into each other were we, that another. “Jaqueline has just chosen a tattoo for her friend Sandra.” “Oh, yes, and what did you choose, Jaqueline?” “Show her Jaqueline. They both got the same, but they are not finished yet.” Rather reluctantly, Jaqueline lifted the hem of her dress, revealing that she was not wearing any knickers either. Ruth looked at the tattoo outline. “Wow, that really makes a statement, but why are you wearing a catheter?” “It’s a long story. It is a promise that I made to a parishioner.” “It’s because she was.