Some of Carroll's foul mood puzzled me, because I've seen her run outside during a rainstorm and delight in it, enjoying the heaviest downpour, wheeling around, her tail tossing.Some of Carroll's foul mood puzzled me, because I've seen her run outside during a rainstorm and delight in it, enjoying the heaviest downpour, wheeling around, her tail tossing. I mentioned it to her. "I didn't have a choice," she said. "I mean, if I wanted to, I could come inside at anytime. Out there, I just had to live with it. And I don't like not having a choice." I nodded. "By the way, would you like that bath?" "You still want to do that?" she asked. "I offered, didn't I?" She thought about it for a moment, then said, "I accept." I smiled and said, "I'll be right back." Leaving her in the living room of her dom, I left to go find Paul. I found him in conference room one, apparently studying. "Paul!" "Ken," he said smiling. "Hi!" "I need to ask a favor." He shrugged and said, "Anything you want." "Are you sure?" "Anything." "Don't come home tonight?" He looked puzzled. "You're right, that is something to ask 'Are you sure?' about. Are you going to play with Carroll?" I nodded. "A thousand years is coming on us quick, Paul. A thousand years is too long to leave this one hanging." He nodded gently and said, "I'm glad you;re finally going through with it. Go ahead, have fun. I can make arrangements. Remember the advice I gave you." "I will. Thank you, Paul. I appreciate it." I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. As I turned his hand grabbed my arm. "Ken- Sometimes I think Carroll's not the only person you have trouble with." He pulled me close, and I tried to relax as our lips met, and finally I did, kissing him gently and warmly. I looked down into his golden eyes. There was a tear in one, a tear matched by one of my own. "Thank you, son." He smiled and said, "You're welcome." In a bit of turmoil, I returned to the Lewis dom and found Carroll lying on her side on the Centaur-sized bed, reading a book. "I'm back." "So I see," she said. "Did you do everything you needed to get done?" "Mostly. A couple of things came up, but I can handle them later. |