.. process. He didn’t want to talk about sex, at least in the past tense. Our fantasies, yes. What we wanted at the moment. And everything else. Sti...ll effortless and honest and connected, minus that one thing. Nick put a wall there. A wall that became a lot more real when we got married.”“And you agreed.”“It made sense. It’s not like our love had faded, Joe, like with almost every couple. Or with Li or Essie. Maybe Moe.”“Moira began leaving us years ago.”“Probably. I think it was more Chandi. He’d come to stay because we were closer to the airport than where he lives near Worcester and I asked when his wife would be arriving. “She lands at one-thirty tomorrow morning,” he said, “but it will probably be an hour or more before she’s through customs.”I left the men chatting while I took off my gardening gear and cleaned up before dinner. We drank wine and I listened to the stories — some for the millionth time — about how the parties were so much better in the past. I felt Teb's eyes. Then I went downstairs to the kitchen. Mom was unpacking groceries. “Hi, Mom,” I said as I entered the kitchen.“Where were you?” she asked.“In my room, lying down,” I answered and gave her a peck on the cheek.“Oh, I looked in, but I guess I didn’t see you there,” she said and rubbed my head as I walked away. “Your hair’s all wet, dear.”“I was swimming earlier,” I said.“You should dry off better. Go out and help your father unload the car. I don’t want him doing it all by himself.”I went. She seated us on the chairs to the left of the door and once I closed the door, she said, “Rules are simple. The girls cannot touch either of you and you cannot touch them, but there isn’t anyone here to stop what you two do with each other. Understood?” We nodded, though I still was not certain what was going on. She smiled at me and said, “Enjoy” and she knocked on a door, it opened and she walked out after which a woman who looked to be in her 30’s with a long blonde hair pulled back.