Chapter 70

Grace took Jenny off to the corner, “Why?”

“Did I marry him? Have you looked at the unmarried men in Pentwater?”

“Yes ... I see.”

“No chance is better than that. Well ... he’s your brother ... and I know what I think of my brothers. Toads all. Six ... all older. Mom finally got it right ... I’m the last.”

“Six?”

“Yes.”

“Out of seven?

“I thought I had it bad. Two older brothers and a younger sister. Six? Are they all still living?”

“Not for lack of trying.”

That drew a chuckle.

They began to reminisce. First came the ‘not for lack of trying.’ Heard from their corner was a lot of ‘no shit’ and ‘they lived?’ And some riotous and raucous laughter, interspersed with quiet grins and knowing smiles.

Then it came down to the Prom. Grace was in full spate when she noticed Jenny. Jenny was aghast

“Let me get this straight ... you let your brother ... you surrendered your V card to your brother?”

“Wasn’t any ‘let.’ I threw myself at him ... he’s caring and no girl down to and including 7th and 8th would have anything to do with him. Daddy warned him, “David be nice to your sister she is friends with the girls you’ll want to date.” I blackened his name. If he hadn’t done it to me ... I lied about it.”

“Weren’t there better choices?”

“All through school, I was known thanks to David, as Fried hard eggs ... and “Noassatall” Mom got daddy to pay for ten thousand dollars worth of plastic surgery ... I was ‘enhanced.’ After enhancement I was suddenly VERY popular”

“But ... but ... you look natural.” She put out a hand and ‘felt.’ Having spent the last three years ‘batting for the other team,’ her hand felt wonderful. I moaned. “Tyche ... isn’t that your recording team?” Tyche didn’t need to see this. Wherever ‘this’ led.

Tyche was suddenly all business. She ran out to her pipe frame and started her preflight checklist. To complaints that it was taking too long she said, “It’s an airplane ... I’d rather find out it wasn’t fit to fly down here rather than up there.”

One of the pilots said, “She’s right ... even if it’s a model ... It’s an airplane.”

In our corner of the gym, the Powers that Be fogged the general area. ‘Nothing to see here ... move long.’

“IT is natural. Sam, the healing chamber on Crossroads, fixed me. Plastic of ANY kind won’t make it through the portal. My glorious body was mostly silicone, and plastic ... won’t make it through. My body ... the inside ... disappeared ... and the skin was still adapting ... saggy city ... David told Sam to fix it.” I threw my arm wide...”TA DA!”

“Real Adipose Flesh,” I said... “and no scars.”

“No scars?” She fingered a minuscule chip in her chin.

“No scars.” I said, “as long as I go with David on a mission, Sam will heal me, when we come back.”

“You have to be a companion... ?

“Yes ... well ... except Tyche.” I said with disgust. “Tyche only needs a portal. In and out at will. It pisses me off.”

“No sapphire?”

“Nope ... just a portal ... and someday that little girl will figure how to make one with her mind.”