Would you mind if we just hauled up what we’ll need for the morning, and crashed on the floor tonight, Sis?”“Keith, if it was anybody but you, I...’d tell you to fuck off. But for one night, I think I can live with the inconvenience. There’s a couple of boxes of blankets in the back of the van that we’ll need. Thank God this place has carpet on the livingroom floor, though. It’ll be a bitch to keep clean, but it’s soft enough to sleep on, for one night anyway. First thing tomorrow, we unload our. I still ached and my mouth was parched. Where was l? What had happened to me? Why is Mum here?“Mum,” I tried to say, but nothing came out of my mouth. She didn‘t move so I tried again. “Mum.” This time she stirred, and her eyes flicked open.“José, I‘m coming.” She got out of the chair, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She took my hand and smiled down at me. “It‘s alright, you‘re going to be alright.”“Where am I?”“You‘re in hospital, you were in an accident. Don‘t you remember?”I tried very hard. . “I’m 43 years old, I don’t think that you will want an oldie like me.”Both girls demurred.Suddenly the noises of waking family intruded. Martha went back to sitting on the sofa, while Ken returned to the bed. He wrinkled his nose at the unknown and strange odours, it was the first time that we had been on the bed, when engaged in any kind of sexual activity, Barbara and I ignored him.Chantelle hardly even looked at us, before running out to get her car-pool to school.Quiet had returned. Lisa. "She turned and walked away, and the other members of the group, sensingtrouble, also drifted off. Ray tried to move away but Pete grabbed himgruffly by the shirt."Well, thanks, asshole! Now that dyke thinks it's all my fault, justcause you didn't listen. Well, I tried to cover for you, but I'm notgoing down 'cause of your mistake, and it's going to show up on yourperformance review!"Pete stormed off, and Ray was left to wander around the ballroom byhimself. It was a young division, made up.