Tastes homemade." With tomatoes and herbs fresh from our garden. All I had to buy was the olive oil," Annie beamed proudly. "And I've got vanilla ice ...cream and pizzelles for dessert. Those are anise-flavored cookies, for you uneducated types. Sorry they don't have the fancy designs on them."Bill held up his hands and begged off. "Maybe in a couple of hours. I'm stuffed!"Caleb swallowed his last mouthful and said, "I'm ready for dessert!"Annie laughed and kidded, "You were born ready for desert.. “Yes, ma’am,” Samantha said haltingly.She slowly walked the length of the room, feeling a dozen pairs of eyes on her. She couldn’t help but notice six large pitchers full of water on the table and a glass in front of each man. In the back corner of the room, next to the big bay window – on the first floor, where anyone passing by on the street could see inside – there was a bright blue mat on the floor. Samantha stepped onto it. It seemed to be some kind of space-age super-absorbent fiber. Then again she asked me weather iam feeling sleepy or not, I told her no, Then she asked me weather its because of my wife’s absence in a funny mood I also told her that for the last five months I am sleeping alone so it’s not a big issue. Then our chat had little diverted to her family life, I was always worried that this gorgeous lady had a very dry sexual life and even I thought that she may be having some extra martial affairs also. I just decided to ask her about this but I was also afraid. I learned that it wasn't so much out of the ordinary for a man who hadn't joined the Calak already to be mated with one of its women. I remembered that no one had remarked on it when it happened to me, but I hadn't thought it through yet. Turns out I didn't have to, because Caloe came over and clued me in."Carl, Shaton is not well enough to fight yet, so someone from the Calak must do it for him," she said."Fight who?" I asked, letting her know I was not as smart as Lanita claimed."The loner.