It mattered not to Dawn how the Senora spent her husband's oodles of money, nor that she apparently — she never denied her husband's accusations —... gave her body freely to one or more tennis instructors at their Club. It was the place that both Deans spoke of with a capitalized C and Dawn didn't give a damn. But how, she wondered, had she allowed herself to take sides in a battle that she cared nothing about? She had no dog in that fight! Could it be because she had decided to allow Alan Dean to. If you and Dad would be seated in the living room, I will bring you each a glass." Laura blinked again. She gave me her sweater and I led the way into the living room. We sat down, her in an arm chair and me on the sofa close to her.A few moments later, May came out with two wine glasses filled to the three-quarter point each with white wine. "Dinner will be in about fifteen minutes." She handed one glass to Laura and the other to me. She skipped back into the kitchen.Laura looked at me. Roberta, we all call 'er Robbi, 'cept when we catch 'er with 'er hand in a cookie jar, is close ta finishin' college, and none of us know what she has planned after that. Royce asked 'er ta marry 'im, an' she said "Yes." Bit we'll see. Ricky an Sue are supposed ta get married. We don't know when, but they both go around like a couple o' moon calves."Bruce told the crowd that HE had asked ANNIE to marry HIM! Chris looked thunderstruck, and the others shouted with joy. They offered the couple. "I'd had enough, more than enough, I'd lain in bed many a night listening to him rutting; he'd never made love to my mum, it had been more like rape. When I was younger, I'd cowered and watched as he'd beaten her, sometimes with his fists, sometimes his feet as well. I'd had sixteen years of it, and I wasn't about to take any more.I ducked under his wildly flailing fist and hit him on the chin, his head snapped backwards, and mum screamed."You can't demand respect, you piece of crap," I hit him.