“I guess I should shower,” Said Diane, and then she left towards the bathroom.Dave looked at me. “Did you really like it?” He askedI looked at... him and said “Yes very much. Diane has still got it then?” I laughed“I can’t give her as much as she wants these days, John. She still wants it a few times a week and I’m lucky to get it up more than twice,” he answered“Hey, that’s more than I’m getting these days,” I quipped back.“Listen, why don’t you help us out then?” He asked cautiously. I was. As if he could never experience true joy because of... what? Itseemed like he harbored a yearning for something. Something that couldnever be obtained. There was a sense that his amiability, hiscompliance, was a symptom of a deeper feeling of loss, but of what shecould not put her finger on.Even now looking at him he seemed to have the weight of the world onhim. He's only seven for God's sake.They drove home in silence.The days that led up to Christmas Eve were a never-ending source ofguilt and. ’ She stopped short. ‘You’re not-‘ ‘Going to Italy with you?’ He laughed. ‘Hardly, I have work to do here. Let’s get you some food, get you settled in bed, and then I have some business to attend to.’ Breathing a sigh of relief, she took his arm again and fell into step. ‘Food sounds wonderful.’ *** The night was in full darkness when something woke her. For two nights now she’d lain awake late into the evening, unable to sleep with city noise. There were so many people, the air was so dirty,. “How did Crnnch’s people manage?” I asked.“They lost a vehicle, but were able to grab its crew and bug out OK,” Roxanne replied.“That’s good,” I nodded.“The other thing, lady Seers, is that I don’t want the Vultoqi doing the same to us as we did to them in tunnelling underground to get to us,” Roxanne announced.“We are monitoring the ground and the shields here, Mage Roxanne. Unless they can come up with a cloak, they will not be able to do it as we did,” Jemima replied formally.“Aye, well, be.