Chapter 23: Final

Donna

“Shhh, he’s sleeping,” Otter said as Donna and the others returned from shopping at last.

“So I take it your interview went well?”

Otter smiled.

“Quite well, although it’s not finished. Goddamn, that boy has a tongue!”

“Glad you enjoyed,” Donna said, eying the naked Amazon. “How long has he been asleep?”

“About two hours, little less. He called the salon staff in to help. This is a right nice fuck-yacht y’all got.”

“So, Shelley finally got called to service...”

“And we missed it!” Abby moaned.

“You didn’t miss it all. She’s crashed out beside him. They’re so cute, laying there snoring.”

Abby said, “Come on, Lizzy, let’s go get cleaned up and join them. A little nap sounds divine.”

After the two women were gone, Yan went behind the bar.

“What’ll you have, Otter? Donna?”

“Hot cocoa with Bailey’s,” Donna replied.

“Scotch, neat,” Otter said. “So I gather we’re going to finish the interview then?”

“Might as well,” Donna said, while Yan said, “looks like...”

“So, Sister Yan,” Donna said, sitting on the couch beside Beebee’s granddaughter, “we have a major domo.”
“She’s going to make our lives a lot easier,” Yan replied. “More time for the less wearisome aspects of managing a household.”

“Yeah, more time for sex, drugs, and whatever music we feel like listening to...”

“Not a rock-and-roll fan?”

“Not particularly ... I was raised with a lot of country-and-western – not so much from my parents, they’re into classical, but from the people around me. Karghold Newton has a boatload of shitkickers...”

“Shitkickers?”

“Fans of country. Me ... I have a fondness for some new country, I can appreciate classical, but running from too much of of those, I found myself running straight into the arms of jazz ... cool jazz if I’m feeling mellow, Latin jazz if I want to dance. You?”

“Hip-hop ... although I don’t dance much.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“Self-conscious about my size, mostly...”

“What, afraid you don’t have enough ass? Appears to me you’re a big-booty man’s wet dream...”

“You’re being intentionally obtuse, aren’t you?”

“Sure am, Sister Yan. I can understand, though ... I was a wallflower until I set my sights on Jason.”

“You, a wallflower ... not sure I can see that.”

“I was ... my mother ... well, she may have her issues, but she read me pretty well. She said I was a cannon, all primed to fire ... but I’d remain under wraps until I found my target.”

“And that’s our husband...”

“Yeah. He and I ... and Abby ... it’s almost enough to make me believe in fate.

“Tell you what, he and I aren’t going to really have time to hit the gym today ... okay, well, tonight, so to get in our exercise, let’s hold a dance, right here in the salon.”

“Okay ... but it needs to wait a while after dinner. Way Estrellita feeds us ... well, alcohol, food, and vigorous dancing ... bad combination.”

“True enough ... but hey, no bedtimes! We don’t get started til midnight, no one will give a shit.”

Carol

Since it was to be a ‘local court’ scene at Dominique’s, they arrived before opening, their party filling three full tables and overflowing onto two more.

“Okay, it’s official, some people are going to have to stand,” Sinfonia said, hugging Margo.

“If they meet with our approval they may find themselves serving us for the evening,” Margo replied. “Then they won’t need to worry about where to sit. There will be room at our feet.”

“Feeling Imperial tonight, isn’t she?” Carol said.

“Apparently so,” Sinfonia laughed. “That will go over well. Sandalwood showing up tonight?”

“No,” Carol replied. “They’re flying the flag at Absinthe & Opium.”

“So, no stage show from you,” Sinfonia said. “Pity. But Rose says Psychosexual Circus has some new stuff they’ll be performing for us tonight ... in honor of you and your court, Margo.”

“We are pleased,” Margo said. “We are sure we will find it delightful.”

“I may need to spank her Highness by the end of the night,” Harry said.

“Mayhap you will,” Margo agreed. “We shall see if you are up to the task.”

“Uh, Queen Margo,” Carol said, “you have Radhika. The King has the Concubine Legion.”

“Then we may indeed receive a spanking,” Margo replied, grinning. “The Concubine Legion ... we like that name.”

“She gonna keep up the ‘royal we’ all night?” Karen asked.

“Afraid so,” Harry replied. “Still, it could be worse. She could decide to do it somewhere we’re not so comfortable.”

“As if,” Carol said.

“No, not entirely out of the question,” Margo said. “We rather like referring to ourselves in this fashion. We, as royalty, are entitled to our eccentricities.”

“She keeps it up at home an’ I’m spankin’ her,” Karen growled.

“We will attempt to restrain ourselves when not in public Society.”

“Oh ... good...” Karen muttered.

“Your democratic sensibilities do you honor,” Margo said, “but do remember that Society is most decidedly not democratic.”

“You were elected by public acclaim.”

“Yes, and may be deposed in the same fashion, but we were elected to be a nigh-absolute monarch.”

“It’s gonna be a goddamn long night,” Karen sighed, motioning for a waitress.

“Take a walk with me,” Carol said to Dommi.

The two of them headed toward the new construction – really just a partition of part of the huge club from the whole.

“First time back since ... well, since your crisis.”

“Yeah,” Dommi said, with just a hint of sadness. “Trying very hard not to step back into ‘hostess’ mode. Sinfonia’s earned the position a thousand times over, and I don’t think it would be fair for me to step on her toes.”

“So ... regrets?”

“Little baby ones, maybe ... the place had been my life for so long ... but ... well, everything was telling me it was time to change.”

“I wish you’d let us know what was going on...”

“Silly as it seems, I was terrified to. I knew I wanted the intimacy of a real family, and even as I knew intellectually you wouldn’t turn me away, emotionally ... stark raving terror, no joke.

“Of course, I never in a million years expected your proposal. Trust me, love, I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long ... well, maybe ever.”

“I’m not doubting that,” Carol replied, “in all the years I’ve known you I’ve never felt you happier ... just thought coming back here might be hard.”

Dommi laughed, and turned to look back at her former office and apartment, high above the floor.

“No, not really. I might miss the view from up there, but I prefer a life down here.”

“So, the hold-up is permits...” Carol mused as they wandered through the clinic spaces.

“Yeah,” Dommi replied. “Margo used a lot of political capital on the Corral. Unless she wants to go back into plastic surgery for a while, she hasn’t got that many strings left to pull.”

“Hmmm ... our other source of influence is ... very busy. What about Dr. Lowry? I wonder if he’d be willing to help?”

“Can’t hurt to ask ... I think I saw his name on the reservation list. As for the spa ... well, it’s interesting. Turns out equipping a clinic is less involved than a spa. Who’d’a thunk?”

Carol laughed.

“Who indeed. Antoinette been helpful?”

“Yes, quite helpful, even while she was a bundle of raw nerves with her boys overseas. Still, a lot to do. Want to see the progress?”

“Sure, what kind of trouble could our spouses get into this early in the night?”

Margo

“What a pleasant surprise! Back for more, naughty girl?”

Bethany grinned.

“No, not tonight. Business, not pleasure.”

“What a shame,” Harry said. “You were so entertaining when last we met.”

“Although having seen the very discrete photos, you did her up right at Clanglang,” Sebastien said. “She was a very unhappy naughty girl for the next several days.”

“All right, what business would bring you down from Dallas, unannounced, on a Friday night?”

“Politics, what else.”

“Well, sit down, have a drink. It’s early enough in the evening that we may attend to affairs of state uninterrupted.”

“She’s doing a ‘royal we’ thing, isn’t she?” Sebastien said.

“Oh yes, she’s feeling very goddamn royal tonight,” Karen replied.

“Suits her,” Bethany said. “I know you have a very busy construction schedule presently, but have you considered sectioning off part of this place as an inner court? A place you could discuss important matters privately, without worrying about interruption?”

“No, but we feel the idea has merit, and shall bring it up with the appropriate parties,” Margo replied.

Karen slid down to sit on the floor.

“Tricia sweetie, ride my face before my mouth gets me in trouble...”

“Gladly, dear.”

“The issue is ... no one on our side of things in Dallas expected Vanson and Saenz to make the trip to San Francisco. And while I have a generally low opinion of them,” Sebastien continued, “I don’t believe that was a politically motivated move. Or at least, not entirely.”

“Carol said they were honestly outraged by what happened,” Harry said. “I trust her take on such things implicitly.”

“But there has been political fallout,” Bethany said. “A lot of undecideds are less so now. They won some brownie points with that. As did we, but it worked out better for them because it was so unexpected.”

“Now, we could spin it as a purely political gesture, an act of calculated artifice,” Bethany said, “but that would be...”

“Shitty ... really shitty,” Harry said. “Since it’s evident neither of you believes that to be the truth.”

“Exactly,” Bethany replied. “And before it happened, in theory, I would have supported us spinning it like that. But not now...”

“So, you’re feeling like taking the high political road,” Harry said. “So, what now?”

“We ... we’re traveling around Texas this week ... wondering if you’d support ... inviting them to Valentine’s Court.”

“We do not see a problem with it. What say you, our husband?”

“Yeah, it definitely suits her,” Sebastien said.

“I hope I’ll never turn down a chance to take the high road,” Harry replied. “Now, if they politely refuse, no harm no foul. If they’re rude pricks about it, or actually attend and act like rude pricks...”

“The gloves come off,” Sebastien said. “Still won’t spin the San Francisco appearance, but it’s win-as-win-can everywhere else.”

“So, we imagine you have rethought our so-called ‘invasion of Dallas’?” Margo said.

“Yeah ... or at least the ‘surprise’ part of it. I mean, the two ... four ... five ... the seven of you...”

“Soon to be eight,” Harry groaned.

“Eight of you showing up ... well ... wow, that still feels like an invasion. Uh, okay, you showing up without fanfare, that’s cool. You bring the court, make a grand and very obvious entrance, ignore the two of them ... no.”

“Could any appearance wait until after the honeymoon?” Harry asked. “My schedule’s feeling real crowded right now...”

“Yeah,” Bethany said. “What’s the opposite of a ‘snip-snip’? ‘Sew-sew’ doesn’t cut it.”

“Mentally I’ve been thinking of it as a ‘bang-bang’, since I’ll no longer be firing blanks.”

“That works. A ‘bang-bang’, wedding planning, Valentine’s Court...”

“Plus I’m pretty sure my partner would appreciate me actually getting some work done at the office,” Harry said.

Karen’s up-turned thumb shot into the air.

When the laughter died down, Bethany said, “So, we put off you coming to Dallas until after the honeymoon. Good. Now we can relax for the evening.”

“Where to next?” Harry said.

“San Antonio tomorrow night, Houston on Sunday, and we have an appointment with Ruiz and Pena in El Paso Monday.”

“What about Fort Worth?”

“We talked to them first, gave them veto power over the whole idea.”

“And they agreed?”

“Obviously ... I mean, there’s a lot of tension there, but Dunham and Snyder are content to leave the past in the past, now that the issue’s been resolved.”

“It does not surprise us,” Margo said. “They are good and kind people. We will be pleased to see them again in Houston.”

Jason

He heard women’s voices around him as he slowly woke up. Jason agreed with something Harry had said about ‘the beautiful music of female voices’.

His face was clean ... and he was quite sure it hadn’t been so when he fell asleep. Someone had done the same for his crotch.

Still, he didn’t have to sniff deeply to come to the conclusion he needed a shower.

“He’s awake,” Abby said.

“How can you tell?” asked Yan.

“Change in his breathing patterns.

“So, husband, you are cordially invited out tonight for dinner, drinks, and dancing with your wives, concubine, and submissives.”

“Where? Someplace in Los Angeles?”

“Oh no, we’re already well away from LA, cruising south. In the salon,” Donna said. “The dancing will make up for the time in the gym we missed.”

“You know how I feel about dancing ... I suck at it.”

“A few drinks will loosen you up, remember your step-father’s words, and you’ll have fun anyway.”

“True enough. I’ve got to shower before supper though.”

“Well,” Yan said, “let me get you up and then I’ll gleefully help with the shower. But I’ve got to know ... what words are you supposed to remember?”

Jason opened his eyes, and took her offered hand.

“When a man is dancing with beautiful women, absolutely no one is looking at him.”

“A wise man. Knew I liked him for a reason.”

In the shower, hot water sluicing over their bodies, Yan pushed Jason up against the wall and kissed him.

“You’re not the only one nervous about dancing,” she murmured into his ear.

“Why, darling? You get out there and I promise you, your tits and ass are going to hypnotize...”

“You say the sweetest things, husband. Just ... it’s been damn rare in my life to be appreciated for my size.”

“Well, it’s not all we appreciate about you...” he ran his hands over her very generous curves.

“No, and I’m coming to love all of you for that ... but...”

“You’re still not used to the new state of things.”

“No, no I’m not. But Jason, I want to be...”

“Well, I’m positive our opinions aren’t going to change, so breathe, take it easy, and learn to trust our acceptance. You don’t need to rush ... we’ll keep loving you ... however long it takes.”

“Whoa, heavy word.”

“Well, it’s appropriate.”

Abby

From the sounds from the shower, they weren’t showering so much as fucking in the rain room.

She smiled and looked to Donna.

Her wife was smiling as well.

“Any doubt that was going to happen?”

“Some,” Donna replied. “Depended on just how hungry Jason was.”

“So ... appropriate dress for the dance tonight?”

“Depends,” Fei Hung said. “Do you want to dance a little, then fuck, or dance a lot?”

“Since it’s serving as vertical exercise,” Donna replied, “I was planning on the latter.”

“Then what you’d wear to a laid-back dance club,” Fei Hung said. “Skimpy night-wear if you want the former.”

“You do a lot of clubbing?” Donna said.

“Oh yeah ... we decide to visit civilization once we get to Moloka’i, I know some places we can dance the night away...”

“Jason and I and our fake IDs?”

“Perhaps not, Milady ... but ... we could throw a dance party at the estate...”

“And invite who?” Abby said.

“Young people of Society, Milady,” Fei replied. “We do know quite a few ... given the estate’s size, we could accommodate visitors from the other islands. Enough advance notice, we could get a really great DJ or two to mix for us.”

“Worth thinking about,” Donna said. She listened to the sounds from the shower. “Otter, please inform the galley we’ll be dining in a half hour.”

Abby was a bit taken aback by dinner, a feast of Hindu dishes from the Goa region.

She had been trained as a passable cook of many cuisines, but primarily she was raised as a sex object, ready womb, and pseudo-mother, adept at childcare. She knew the dishes, had enjoyed them on a few rare occasions, but was far more American than Indian. Her mother had been born in Texas, her grandmother in Brighton ... she had to go back two more generations for an ancestor actually born in India ... in the Goa region.

“Estrellita ... did you know...”

“Yes, Milady. I inquired of Bella Notte as to your family’s origins.”

“This is ... oh my...”

Abby wiped tears from her eyes.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

As she settled down to a dinner of lamb shak, fish udhi methi, kismur, and two kinds of bhaji – onion and chile, plus other assorted sides, Abby thought how very lucky she was.

“I told you they were spicy...”

Abby tried not to laugh at the expression on Jason’s face.

“Spicy ... does not mean ... napalm...”

“Are you sorry you tried it?” Donna asked, putting a second glass of honeyed milk in front of him.

“No...” he said before taking a big gulp of the milk, “love it ... was just unprepared.”

“Let me guess, you’ve had Indian food before at a restaurant?” Abby said.

“Yeah ... oh ... my...” he finished the glass of milk.

“They prepare it for American palates. Estrellita evidently believes in preparing it correctly.”

“Of course I do ... I hope you aren’t hurt, Master?”
“No, you did very good ... and now that I’m prepared, I’ll have some more.”

He looked around at others around the table, drinking their milk.

“At least I wasn’t the only one.”

“Oh, far from it,” Abby replied.

Sitting back after dinner with her coffee, Abby noticed Donna and Fei Hung talking over something by the entertainment system.

“They’re up to something,” Yan said.

“Yes, but I’m sure it’s going to be delightful, so I’m not worried,” Abby replied. “You and our husband have fun in the shower?”

“Oh yeah ... was a little cramped though. Sure hope your bathroom facilities back in Texas are more expansive.”

“At the moment, not really. Expansive bathing facilities are available, but our suite’s bathroom is pretty standard. Not even as roomy as these.”

“From what I hear from carefully not listening to rumors of Donna and Beebee’s plans for your home...”

“Carefully not listening to rumors?”

“While totally listening to them and confirming them as far as I can manage.”

“Oh, that kind of carefully not listening...”

“Yeah ... your new home is going to have some truly sybaritic excess in the bathroom area.”

“I’d say I’m eager to see it ... and I am ... but I’m also not in any hurry for this vacation-honeymoon to end.”

“You three have earned it a hundred times over.”

“Thanks...”

“No need to thank me, wife. Thank you, all of you, and your families and friends.”

“Seems odd for you to be thanking us for knocking your former House out of leadership.”

“No, my grandmother did that all on her own. The Court was a cesspool. It’s been drained. Now for some cleaning. Don’t worry, Abby ... my former House was on top for a long time, and I have no doubt whatsoever it will be again, and sooner than most would expect.

“And seriously, if you want to live on Plum Blossom’s dime ... well, you could do so for the rest of your lives ... even more so if you give my grandmother some babies to adore.”

“Jason’s mentioned just sailing off into the sunset and not going back for a very long time.”

“You could...”

“Babies are the issue ... can you imagine this yacht with infants ... toddlers...”

“Uh ... yeah. That would be ... inconvenient. Plus, I know you have an EMT as one of your subs ... but can you imagine having a baby with only their help?”

“Why not? Both of the babies I’ve birthed so far ... I could have just squatted and squirted them out into the towels, a quick snip of the cord and then...”

“You return to plowing the fields?”

“Well, no ... a day or two of rest. But my point is, I’m made for birthing children. Some of you might find that ‘only an EMT’ thing daunting ... and if there was any sign of potential difficulties during the pregnancy, I would as well, but otherwise? She can catch and snip.”

Yan reached over, lifting Abby’s shirt, and ran her hand over Abby’s belly.

“Hard to believe you’ve carried two children to term.”

“The stretch marks are there, honey.”

“Yes, dear, but on you they’re lovely.”

“Pregnancy marks are always lovely, Yan. Yours will be as well.”

“Doubt we’ll be able to tell the pregnancy stretch marks from the others.”

“We will ... you will. Trust me, when it’s a child, those you cherish.”

“Even if you aren’t allowed to keep the child? Not meaning to be cruel, but ... I was wondering.”

“Not cruel at all. I knew the way things would work out from the beginning. Narrowly missed carrying a child for a real son-of-a-bitch. The disposition of his children always relies on the flip of a coin. Heads, he takes them. Tails, he leaves them with the mother to raise. Tends to leave surrogate mothers fucked up, no matter the outcome.

“It’s easier ... somewhat ... to know beforehand you’ll never hold them in your arms, and never see them again, in most cases. Or if you do, you probably won’t know that they’re yours.”

“It sounds horrible...”

“That’s life at Bella Notte ... that’s life as a surrogate womb, no matter where you are. And it’s pretty damn close, from what I hear, to what a lot of women who give up their babies for adoption experience.

“It’s the life I was raised to live ... and I’m discovering just how blessed I am that I’ll never have to go through that again.”

The two of them sat in silence watching the other people in the salon.

Until Donna and Fei came over to them, almost bouncing in their excitement.

“What is up with you two?” Abby asked.

“Three words...” Fei said.

“Bollywood dance party!” Donna finished.

Kendry

“Gawddamn it, woman ... don’t ever do this kinda thing again,” Eddie growled.

Kendry shot him a look as she sipped her cocoa, bundled up in a huge, thick terrycloth robe of Eddie’s.

“My job, boss. As long as it is my job, I’ll do it as I see fit.”

“Don’t let him give you too hard a time,” Tamara said. “He would have done the same ... this is just Eddie-speak for “I was worried” and “I love you”.”

Kendry had to smile as Eddie hemmed and hawed.

“Did you learn anything interesting?” Tamara asked.

“Several things ... more cocoa please?” She handed the empty cup to Annie Beth. “That guy, ‘Kenny’, that Milady Carol was worried about? Yeah, he’s one of Roberta Fruehauf’s crew.

“More interesting still ... they meet in a concrete blockhouse that’s built as a Faraday cage. They can’t be spied on, no signals in or out. I’ve got pictures of the interior ... from what I figure, the walls are three feet thick, so the interior’s about fourteen by fourteen – very cramped if you put more than a couple of people in there. They don’t even bother to lock it. Why should they? You could put a recorder in there, but there’s nowhere to hide it. I’m talking no furniture, nothing. They go in, talk, come out again, and there’s no way anyone can hear what they’re saying.

“You don’t go to that kind of trouble to discuss recipes or hold a book club meeting. They’re up to shit they don’t want anyone - state, federal, or Society - to know about.”

“And that makes me real gawddamn nervous,” Eddie said.

“It should.”

She allowed herself to be pampered for another half hour or so before going downstairs to check on her people.

Kendry was happy to find they were being well-taken care of.

“Really, boss, if this is the payoff, feel free to drag us out in the cold monsoon anytime,” Amanda said, sitting in the hot tub with a big mug of coffee. “I got three sweet young things just waiting to dry me off and massage every single inch of me.”

Amanda looked over to the three young men waiting nearby.

“Inside and out...”

“Good to hear,” Kendry said. She nodded to Amanda and the two men from the team. “You’re out of the rotation until Monday, longer if you come down with something. I know shit like that is nothing to Special Forces, but that ain’t us.”

“Thank God you know that, boss,” Evan said. “You ask us to start carrying logs out into freezing surf, I’m gonna up and quit on you.”

“Wouldn’t blame you,” Kendry said. “Listen, I’m off to curl up someplace safe and warm and sleep twelve hours or so. Y’all take it easy.”

Harry

Well, for a ‘Farewell-To-Sex-For-A-Month’ party, it was off to a rollicking start. Having Angela in his arms was always a treat, and the sound of the Concubine Legion discussing who was next was amusing. Kelly had already laid claim to that slot, and had whispered in his ear she was willing to keep his lap warm how ever long it took him to recover.

His session with Helen for physical therapy had left his body complaining it had been too long since he’d exercised the way he was supposed to. And he was informed in no uncertain terms that while there would be some modification of his therapy in the immediate aftermath of the surgery, it would by no means pause while he recovered.

There were times he felt like the rest of his life was going to involve physical therapy ... and if it ever did look like it was coming to an end, he’d be run over by a bus.

A gentle pat on his cheek brought him back to the matter at hand.

“Playtime, not think time,” Angela murmured.

“Indeed ... my apologies.”

“So, taking a break?” Mike Lowry said.

Harry opened his eyes.

“You know, I was trying strenuously not to think of you not more than a half-hour ago.”

“Harry, I’m hurt. After all the good times we’ve had together.”

“Yeah ... I should get the fuck beaten out of me more often.”

“By all means ... I haven’t had your lovely wife hovering over my shoulder in quite some time. That’s always a joy...”

“Hey now,” Margo said, “we were not that bad!”

“Oh, yeah you were,” Kelly said.

“Definitely,” Carol said from across the table.

“I plead the fifth,” Harry said. “I don’t remember a lot of it.”

“Wise man,” Mike replied. “All the same, don’t go out of your way on my account ... unless you want to bring me something really interesting...”

“Snake shoved up my ass?”

“Nope, they had one of those in the ER ... very disturbed young python, very embarrassed would-be actress.”

“Actress?”

“Amateur porn shoot. Animal Control took an interest in the case, arrests all around. It was a lot of fun, from what I heard.”

“Next time, stick to anal beads,” Carol said. “Poor python...”

“I’ve often wondered since then if the effect of a live snake up your ass could be mechanically simulated,” Mike said. “Purely in the interest of science.”

“In the interest of you coming like a fire hose,” his wife Rochelle said, walking up.

After greetings were exchanged and the laughter died down, Harry said, “I know the buzzing of the motor would be stimulating ... but ... hydraulics or articulated mechanical gears?”

“So ... you’re asking whether in the event of an emergency, I’d prefer to have my ass leaking toxic hydraulic fluid or my insides punctured multiple times by a malfunctioning internal erector set?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Hmmm ... let me think,” Mike said. “If you were careful enough in the manufacture to ensure it would take something truly monumentally catastrophic to rupture the outer sheath – something so severe a malfunctioning sex toy up your ass would be the least of your concerns – I think the erector set approach. It seems to me you could have enough swivel and bend points that a pretty simple computer chip could keep things random and exciting.”

“Would you want to simulate the ‘pissed-off-snake-biting-your-insides’ effect?” Margo asked.

“No ... no, I’m thinking that would not be a selling point,” Mike replied. “But, on the upside, don’t sell it as a snake. Sell it as a tentacle, hit up the hentai-tentacle-sex market. Hell, I’d be surprised if Japan doesn’t already have something like it.”

“But if they don’t...”

“Do you know anyone who’s a mechanical genius?” Mike said.

“Not off the top of my head,” Harry replied, “but let’s put the word out.”

“I generously offer myself as a test subject,” Mike said, “after sufficient safety trials are performed and passed.”

“We cannot believe some of the conversations in our life,” Margo muttered.

Jason

Jason was having fun, even though the effect of a hoard of women dancing in step, plenty of hip and breast motion, hypnotized him.

Luckily, they didn’t do it all that often ... probably because of his tendency to stand in place and ... well, he was pretty sure he didn’t actually drool.