Chapter 4

So there I was in London. No Mary. No Lisa. No Mom. No Dad. No Barb. Hell, Ian wasn't there either. And it was raining.

My address was a tiny room in a hotel that should have known better.

The weather cooperated a bit and in the first week I was able to find suitable office space and find all the various people whose help I'd need to turn the space into an office. But all the help in the world couldn't make it happen overnight.

I also spent time looking for a "flat" near the office and was gratified to find one I could afford (and not be ashamed of) just a couple of blocks from the new office.

By the end of the second week I'd furnished my flat enough to let me sleep there and I had a desk and a phone in at the office. And I was exhausted... and lonely for my girls.

Ian came through on the work front and Nick Barry, my assistant from Boston, arrived, a little bit worse for the wear — but ready to work. I introduced him around and got him focused on hiring staff.

By the end of the first month, we had a basic office with a staff of seven (including me) and I was actually able to wear a suit to work for the first time. Things were rolling. We even had computers.

Personally, it had been a tough month. I called Mary and Lisa as often as possible (not very) and exchanged emails every day.

The emails, at first, were detailed descriptions of their days, making me almost feel like I was there. After a couple of weeks, though, the length dropped and I was feeling left out. My emails were full of work stuff-which probably couldn't have been more boring for them.

My social life was reduced to reading somewhat distant emails and sending boring replies. London has many cultural attractions — but in the first month I enjoyed exactly none of them.

Being the boss was not the same as being an employee. Even Nick treated me differently... and the new people seemed to be walking on eggs around me.

My daily schedule settled down. I got up at six-thirty and ate a bowl of cereal. Shower, shave, and dress. Walk to the office. Lunch at my desk, usually fruit. Leave around six-thirty. Simple dinner. Emails. Bed. Six days a week, sometimes seven.

The Canterbury deal got done. I followed up on a couple of other leads and got that business, too. Ian flew in on a Tuesday, checked things out, met with our clients, shook my hand and flew out that Friday. I staffed up to meet the business.

Another month passed. I was lonely. Emails were shorter now. More distant. "How was your day?" "Fine. Yours?" "I miss you." "Me too." It hurt. I hurt.

Mary and Lisa hadn't seen each other since I'd been in Boston — they chatted every few days and were still close, closer than I was at least, but I think the fire was cooling there, too.

Alone. I had never wanted to be alone. I wanted Mary and I wanted Lisa. And I was alone.

So I was hurting — worse that I'd have ever let on... and worse than even I knew.

And then a young lady who worked in our building stepped into my life. I'd seen her a time or two in the lift (elevator to you and me) or in the hallways. She was pretty in that translucent-skinned farm girl way you only find in the United Kingdom. Pretty isn't strong enough...

I introduced myself to her by letting her share my umbrella to the bus stop after work one evening. She walked that way with me the next evening and was waiting for me on the third.

I don't know why, and I'm not trying to make excuses for myself (well, maybe a few), but she was nice, friendly, pretty, and here. And here. I invited her to lunch then asked her to recommend a place we should go.

A few days later I invited her to dinner.

I was confused... and I was lonely. Dinner was nice. I enjoyed her company. After dinner we had a drink and I dropped her at home. Her home. No, I didn't stay. I didn't even kiss her.

Amanda. That's her name, if you're curious. Amanda Evans.

We went out to dinner twice more that week, breakfast on Sunday. I never touched her other than helping her on with her jacket. Lunch twice the following week and dinner on that Friday.

It had been almost three months since I'd left Boston. Three months.

On the next Saturday, before I could go to the office, before breakfast even, there was a knock at the door.

"Amanda," I said. "This is a surprise." And it was, we didn't have plans... and Amanda had never been to my flat.

"Hi Mark, I'm not intruding, am I?"

"Not at all," I said. Was she? "You are always welcome."

She smiled. "You live alone?" She looked around the flat.

"I do." Why would she ask? I'm sure I'd said. "Can I get you coffee or tea?"

"Tea, please." She said. Figures.

"English girl," I said with a smile and I put the kettle on.

"That's uncalled for. I'm Welsh." Believe me, that is an important distinction to some people. Amanda was smiling.

"Sorry — I'd never asked. Have a seat?" I motioned to the living room where we sat down across from each other.

"Mark?" She asked. "Can we talk?"

I chuckled. "Sure?"

She looked at me strangely. "Is that funny?"

"No. It just reminds me of somebody." Two somebodies. Mary. Lisa.

"Somebody back home?"

"Sort of." I probably didn't want to talk about Mary and Lisa with Amanda.

"Mark, do you like me?"

"Sure Amanda, of course I do." And I did. A lot.

"Why won't you touch me then?"

"I..." Hell. What was a good excuse for that? "... don't know."

"Would you like to have sex with me this morning?"

"What?" What?

"I'm just asking. If I let you, would you want to have sex with me this morning?"

Any human male over about age twelve could answer that question dead drunk. "Ummm," I said, "I..." I shook my head and looked away. "Christ."

"What's her name?"

"Excuse me?... Hold on." Saved by the teakettle. I got up, went into the kitchen and poured for both of us. I hate tea, but when in Rome... I brought the tea back and handed Amanda her cup. I sat down and looked at her.

She took a sip and then looked me in the eyes. "The girl. Who is she?"

"What makes you think there's a girl?" Please note I wasn't lying.

"Well, I'm pretty sure it isn't a boy," she said with a smile. "And I've seen you look at me... when you think I won't notice... and not even a kiss. And when I offer myself to you, you just say 'No.' It's a girl. What's her name?"

I took a sip of tea. Busted.

"Mary," I said. "And Lisa." I put my head down.

I don't know what I was expecting: anger, sadness, tears, a slap maybe? Amanda laughed. Out loud.

"Mary and Lisa?" she said, stressing the "and."

"It's complicated."

"A bloody mess, I'd imagine," Amanda said.

"Well..." I looked up at her, "... it might be."

"Do they know you've been seeing me?"

In for a penny, in for a pound (which makes more sense in England than it does in New England) "No." She might not be angry, but I was embarrassed.

Amanda laughed again. This time she was laughing at me. "Yes. You don't look that naïve. And even I know you can't keep that kind of secret from anybody you care about." She paused, sighed, and seemed to come to a decision. "So what's up with them?"

And I told her. I told her about San Francisco and then Boston and meeting my parents. I told her everything. I didn't mean to, really, I just needed to tell somebody. I told her about the emails and the shorter emails and the fewer calls and I told her that it was all over but the crying. "They've let me go..."

"It's love," Amanda said. "It's the real thing and you know it."

"It's three months dead. And I'm alone." I hated myself, but I was crying. "Oh, God!" I'd said it. And I was sobbing for my lost loves. And Amanda was holding me. And I was so embarrassed. Mortified.

"It will be okay," Amanda whispered. "It will be okay..."

I held her and I cried and I hated myself and I cried. Thank god Mary and Lisa were thousands of miles away and only Amanda could see me.

Sometime later I found myself back in my chair with fresh tea and a moist cloth to wash my face. Amanda was still there. She'd taken off her shoes.

"I am so sorry Amanda," I said. I felt humiliated.

"Mark. Love like you have for those two girls should never be apologized for. It's okay." She paused. "Really."

"I think its over."

"Enough. We'll whinge and whine later. For now we're going to take a walk."

"A walk?"

"Go get your walking shoes, Yank." I followed her directions for lack of anything else to do.

Amanda knows London. We caught a bus, connected to another and found ourselves at a big, beautiful park. We walked for hours. We talked about lots of things but not about Mary and Lisa and not about work. At some point Amanda took my hand. "We're friends. We can hold hands!" She told me. And we strolled. There were ducks in the pond and pigeons on the paths.

By the time Amanda was ready to quit I was tired, hungry, and tired. We picked up take-away sandwiches and crisps (potato chips) and took them back to my flat.

Lunch was comfortable, if quiet.

"Mark," Amanda said after a while, "since it doesn't look like we'll be lovers, for now," she smiled at me, "I think we need to be best friends. Can you do that?"

"I'd like to be your friend, Amanda."

"Good. That's settled. From here on, we're best friends."

She smiled and finished her lunch. "I'd like to stay for some music, Mark, but I need to get home; we walked longer than I thought we would."

I thanked her for coming, apologized again for my breakdown, and I hugged her.

I had a friend in London.

Instead of working Saturday, I worked Sunday. I sent my daily emails off to Lisa and Mary. Mary replied, Lisa did not... probably out, she'd mentioned something.

I sent Amanda an email too. She replied ten minutes later.

Amanda and I had lunch on Monday. She held my hand for a minute. It was nice.

The week passed quickly. Lisa sent me a long email about a visit she'd had with a friend and Mary told me that Sylvia, of all people, had called to see when we were going to come up to Nova Scotia again. The emails were nice, but still, I thought, sort of impersonal and distant. After reading them I was even more depressed.

I had dinner with Amanda on Thursday and we went for another walk on Saturday. For the first time in months, three months, I was looking forward to something... my time with Amanda.

Barb called on Sunday to say "Hi!" and to ask about Lisa and Mary. I told her things were okay, but distant. "Hang in there, Mark. Things will get better," she told me. I agreed while shaking my head no. I told her I loved her and then let her go.

Tuesday was the sunniest day I'd seen in London. No watery high mist, no partly cloudy sky, just bright sun. Just before I left for the office, Amanda rang over and asked if I'd meet her for lunch. She had taken the day off, but wanted to see me. I agreed, got directions to the restaurant she'd picked, and we agreed a time.

I walked to work and even left my umbrella home. Nick had some paperwork for me — we needed a couple of staff that could only come from the home office and I was signing the requests.

Then it was lunchtime. Amanda had suggested a restaurant a couple of blocks from the office. It was a short walk on a nice day.

Cool summer air, bright sunshine. London was looking up. I wondered what Mary was doing in Boston. Lisa was still asleep in San Francisco...

I shook myself. Amanda was having lunch with me. Focus on now.

I must have been in my own world, as I never saw or heard a thing before a familiar voice from just behind me said, "I guess they'll let just about anybody walk on the streets of London."

I froze. I literally had one foot in the air when I froze and had to stumble to regain my balance.

"Cat got your tongue?" Another voice. I started to turn. The sidewalk seemed to twist. The sky slipped sideways. Up became down and down came up fast. Whack.

If you are going to pass out and fall down like a common drunk on a busy commercial street, in front of a popular restaurant at noon, let me assure you that the best way to recover is with your head cradled in the lap of a beautiful woman while two others try to make you comfortable.

I may not have impressed anybody that day with my business acumen, or my grace, but nobody who saw me being revived could fail to be impressed with my taste in women.

Mary held my head while Lisa and Amanda helped me feel less foolish. Eventually I got myself together enough to get to my feet and totter after them into the restaurant.

I ordered a gin and tonic. Double.

"How in the hell?" I asked.

"We let you out of our sight for ninety days — ninety days! — and you get some gorgeous British girl all worked up about you to the point she's begging us to drop everything and come help her out with you," Mary explained. "Can't be trusted," she said to Amanda.

Amanda? "She's Welsh." Called Mary and Lisa?

"The operative word is 'gorgeous, '" Lisa said, smiling at Amanda. "Do you know any homely girls?"

"If you call me 'gorgeous' often enough," Amanda said, "I'll pretend to be English. Even Irish."

"So we're here to rescue you from yourself," Mary said.

"I see?" Well, what would you have said?

"No. You don't see. You are a man and therefore, by definition, an idiot," Lisa said. "And we're here through the weekend."

I'm and idiot? "Well..." I hardly think 'idiot' is appropriate. "How?"

"Your Nick is a sucker for pretty girls," Amanda told me. "He got me Mary's number and Mary got Lisa and the three of us conspired against you. They got in this morning."

"What about work?" I asked.

Mary answered, "I told Markus," her supervisor, "that he could give me a week off or I would pack my desk..." She laughed. "I think I shocked him."

"I told my boss my lover was in London and I was horny," Lisa said. She looked from side to side. "I don't think I shocked him at all." We all laughed.

"Eat!" Amanda said. "Mark, I told Nick you were taking the rest of the day off... so you've got all day."

"Are all Welsh girls this smart?" Lisa asked, eyeing Amanda.

"I only know one," I said. "For all I know she may be the very best one." I reached over and squeezed Amanda's hand.

That got me a smile from Amanda... and Mary. "You're flirting with your mistress in front of both of your girlfriends?" Lisa asked.

Apparently. I winked at Amanda. "Yes," I said.

"Mistress?" Amanda asked.

"Figure of speech," Lisa explained.

Lunch was okay. I think. It disappeared quickly. So did my drink. Fortunately, Amanda had brought a car — and had Lisa and Mary's baggage in the boot. She drove us over to my building and helped us up to the flat. I'd been in Great Britain long enough I knew what a 'boot' was. (I actually knew what a 'lorry' was, too... )

"Well," Amanda said, setting down a couple of bags, "you guys have a lot of catching up to do. I'll leave you to it." And she turned to go.

I was farthest away so I wasn't the first there. Mary was. "Hold it Amanda," Mary said. "I don't know lots of things, and I know that Lisa and I have to talk with Mark, but I also know you care for our Mark. We don't have any 'catching up' to do that Mark's only friend in the country can't be here for."

"At least not yet!" Lisa said with a leer. "Stay with us for a while."

Having been on the receiving end of Mary and Lisa trying to be convincing, I knew Amanda didn't have a chance. I went into the kitchen to put on a kettle.

A minute later Mary joined me. "I like your apartment."

"Thanks..."

"But we're going to have to something about the décor," Mary informed me. "A person would think you decorated it yourself!" She chuckled and shook her head.

Ouch. "You're the boss. Amanda could probably tell you where to look," I said.

"So." Mary looked out into the living room where Amanda and Lisa were sitting, side-by-side, and talking. "Amanda. Friends?"

"Best friends," I answered honestly. "Especially now."

"I knew there was somebody."

"Amanda said you would," I told her.

"No sex? She looks at you like she'd let you..."

"No sex."

"We love you, you know," Mary said. "A lot."

My heart melted. "I love you too."

"God, I missed you." And she hugged me for all she was worth. I hung on pretty tightly too. I felt tears welling up. I hugged her even more.

The kettle was ready. I poured tea, set up a tray and took it into the living room. Mary helped me.

"Mark," Lisa said, "I like your Amanda here."

My Amanda? "I do too. She's pretty special."

"Mary, did Mark tell you that Amanda is an author?" She is? I thought she was... Really?

"Only one book," Amanda said. "It isn't a big deal..."

Mary hugged Amanda. "It's a big deal to you. So it is a big deal. I'm — we're — impressed."

Amanda blushed. "Thank you."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"You never asked," Amanda answered.

Like I would know to ask, out of the blue, 'So, are you a published author?' "Okayyy."

Mary and I sat down. We talked about their flights, about little things and big things. We talked about Amanda's job and how the office was running. Eventually we wound down.

Mary snuggled up to me. "So. Amanda," she said. "How long have you been in love with Mark?"

Silence.

More silence.

I started to speak, Mary poked me in the ribs.

"Uh," Amanda said. "I really like Mark, but he loves you guys."

"Mmmm," said Mary.

"Amanda," said Lisa, "we don't bite." Yes, she does. I have scars to prove it. I kept my mouth shut.

"Um. I need to get going..." Amanda said.

"Hush. There's nothing wrong with your feelings, Amanda," Mary said. I stayed quiet.

Amanda looked at Mary then at Lisa. I might as well have been in Boston for all the attention I was getting. "Um."

"It's okay," Lisa said. "We like you..."

"I can't imagine sex with another girl," Amanda said. We were talking about sex?

"You don't need to imagine," Lisa started.

"Hush, Lisa," Mary said. "We aren't talking about sex Amanda. We're talking about feelings. Emotions." No wonder I wasn't getting it.

"I want you guys to like me," Amanda said.

"We'll like you," Mary said, reassuringly. "We already do."

"Oh. Damn." That was the first 'bad' word I'd ever heard Amanda utter. "For a while..." Amanda said. "I fell in love with him when he wouldn't touch me."

Really? How did I miss that? Love?

"Come here," Mary told Amanda. She held out her arms.

Amanda moved into Mary's arms and they hugged. For some reason Amanda was crying. So was Mary. Lisa joined the hug and she was crying, too.

"Anybody need more tea?" I asked when they seemed to be calming down.

"Pig," any one or all three of them said. I took that as a yes and brought out the kettle.

"I do need to get going," Amanda said.

Lisa smiled and kissed Amanda's cheek. "No you don't. You stay for a while longer."

"But..." Amanda looked confused. Or maybe embarrassed.

"Amanda," Mary said, "it isn't a crime to care about Mark." Well, that's good, I suppose.

"But he's in a relationship with you two," Amanda said.

"He's in a relationship of one kind or another with all three of us," Lisa said.

"But you two are..." Amanda started, and then stopped.

"Lovers?" Mary asked.

"Yeah."

"Amanda," Mary said softly, "we are lovers. And we make love with Mark, when he's around." She smiled at me. "But we're not trying to seduce you."

"But I thought," Amanda said. "I thought..."

"Our relationship is about friendship first," Mary said. "Sex comes in somewhere down the list."

"We want to be your friend, Amanda," Lisa said. "So stay here with us. For awhile."

"We can talk about how to make this apartment look livable," Mary said.

Amanda giggled. "It does look a bit 'masculine' doesn't it?" Apparently "masculine" can be a female euphemism for "not very well put together."

"Do you have Salvation Army stores in London?" Mary asked. "No. Don't tell me. I can see that you do." And all three were laughing at my expense.

In case you didn't know, the Salvation Army was founded in London in 1865. No, I don't know if there are any Salvation Army stores in London. Really.

"I like my furniture," I told the three of them. They laughed harder.

"And you'll like your new furniture even better, honey," Mary said. And the three of them went to work.

Women are always amused by so-called "male bonding." They try to hide their disdain, but you can see it in their eyes. Female bonding, however, is one of the things they do best. And do not make the mistake of being amused. You will pay.

I was effectively excluded after answering a few questions. That was okay because I needed some time to figure out what I was thinking and where "we" were going. Hell. I needed to figure out just whom I meant when I said "we."

If Mary and Lisa were in my life, which they were working hard to make sure I knew, then did I need or even want Amanda? That was easy. I really cared for Amanda. Seeing her with Mary and Lisa let me see how much I cared.

Did I "love" Amanda? That's harder. The word "love" had a lot of different meanings. But, I decided, yes. I do love Amanda — but maybe not in the classic 'I want to get into her pants' kind of all-American lusty love.

How did I square my feelings for Amanda with my feelings for Mary and Lisa? "I'm going for a walk," I told the three of them. No reason to waste the most perfect day I'd seen in London.

So I took a walk. Amanda. Mary. Lisa. Hmmm. Lisa, Amanda, Mary. A cup of ice cream. I came to a small park. I sat on a bench and ate my ice cream.

"Hi Mom, Hi Dad," I play-acted in my head. "You remember Mary and Lisa? Good. "I'd also like you to meet Amanda." I shook my head.

"Hi Barbie. You remember when I said it wasn't weird, it was sweet? Now there are three of them."

I got up. Lisa, Mary, Amanda. Maybe I was putting the cart before the horse. Maybe Amanda didn't want to be in a relationship with me? Maybe we were just meant to be friends.

I started for home. Mary. Amanda. Lisa.

Shit. Did I really want my three-way relationship to get even more complicated? No. Did I think I was in control? No.

When I got home, the girls were still huddled over a notebook with sketches and measurements and possible layouts scattered on the table.

I stood in the door just watching them. For the first time in three months I was truly happy. I suppose that was the answer to some of my questions. Which ones?

It was closing in on suppertime. "Am I cooking or are you three ladies taking me out?" I asked.

We ate out. Mary and Lisa were tired from their trip so we called it a night. Back at my flat, I kissed Amanda good night — it was our first kiss. It was pretty special. Lisa and Mary scored it a seven. "He can do loads better," Lisa told Amanda.

Amanda blushed.

So did I.

"We're going to the zoo tomorrow," Mary told Amanda. Surprise. "Come over early and go with us."

"I don't want to impose..."

"We've been over this Amanda," Lisa said. "Be here by eight."

"Do you have a key?" Mary asked Amanda.

"No... I've only been here a couple of times..."

"Mark?" I'd already pulled my key off the ring. I'd get another, later.

Mary hugged Amanda and Lisa did too — and then Lisa gave Amanda a quick kiss on the lips that caused another blush. "Thank you for worrying about Mark. And thank you for calling us."

Amanda went home for the night and I took my two very tired girls into my little London flat, helped them get out of their clothes, stripped down myself, cuddled up with them on my bed, and went to sleep. The best night's sleep I'd had in three months.

Morning came early. I squinted at the light, pulling my pillow over my head. Mary. Lisa. Warm naked flesh pressed up on both sides of me. Mmmm.

The sheets and blankets were twisted and tangled and pretty much off the bed. Lisa was sleeping with one hand wrapped around my cock. Mary was more laying on top of my left side, slowly grinding her pussy into my hip, a soft smile on her face.

I kissed Mary's forehead. "Zoo," I whispered.

"Mmmm."

"Zoo..."

Her eyes cracked open. I turned to Lisa and kissed her nose.

"Zoo, sweetheart."

"I'm too comfy..." She squeezed my erection. I groaned.

Lisa slipped her hand up and down. It had been three months since anybody but me had touched my cock. I groaned.

"I suppose you think you're getting a blowjob since we're going to the zoo?" Mary asked.

"Mmmm," I said as Lisa kept lightly stroking me.

Lisa kissed my chest. "Can I suck you?" she asked.

Yes! "Mmmm."

"Let me," Mary said. "I want to suck it."

"Oh, God," I said.

Mary shifted and kissed my stomach. Lisa had moved too and she kissed the top of my right thigh.

"Mary, let me suck him..." And Lisa slipped her lips around my cock. I groaned.

"No..." Mary kissed the side of my cock and ran her tongue over all the parts that weren't in Lisa's mouth.

I clawed at the bed, my hips moving, trying for even more sensation. I groaned again.

Lisa pulled away and Mary took her place. Lisa licked down and then pulled my balls into her mouth. Mary's head was bobbing up and down, her hand held the shaft. Lisa sucked.

"Oh!" I yelled in surprise. "Ohh!"

I didn't have much staying power. Lisa let go of my balls and licked the underside of my cock while Mary continued bobbing her head. I groaned.

"It's cumming," I said. "Cumming!" Mary pulled off. I groaned. Lisa wrapped her lips around me. I groaned. Lisa sucked. Mary stroked with her hand and licked my balls.

I came. Lisa groaned. More. Lisa pulled off and Mary captured another spurt. And another.

I groaned. Mary groaned. Lisa giggled. Amanda groaned from the doorway.

My eyes flashed open. Shit! No covers. Shit! "Shit!"

Lisa laughed. Mary buried her head in my lap.

"Uh... you said to be here at eight?" Amanda was flushed.

I looked at the clock. Eight-oh-five. "Shit. Sorry..."

Lisa laughed. "Don't apologize, Mark. I'll bet Amanda liked it."

Shit. I looked at Amanda past Mary's head. Mary's head was still in my lap. Her ears were crimson. "Umm. Well. I've never seen that before..." Amanda said.

Lisa got up. Nude, rumpled, and beautiful. She walked over to Amanda and hugged her. "It's okay. We gave you the key. If it is anybody's fault, it's Mark's." Mine? Why mine? "He's the one that insists on blowjobs before going to the zoo."

Amanda laughed. "God. I've never seen anything like... that," she said.

Mary was twitching and I thought, at first, that she was crying. She wasn't. She was laughing. I reached down and stroked the top and back of her head. She looked up at me. "I am so embarrassed," she said.

Lisa stepped behind Mary and gave her a playful swat on the bare butt. "Now Amanda knows you are a greedy cocksucker."

"Me?" Mary said, looking over her shoulder, "I didn't see you shying away. And you got the first squirt... who are you calling greedy?" Mary turned back to me and winked.

"Mark," Lisa said, "hop over here and kiss Amanda good morning."

"Uhh," I said, pointing out that I had no clothing on. My dignity was protected only by Mary's equally naked body.

Amanda took pity and crossed the room and leaned over for a quick kiss. "Good morning," she whispered. I hugged her to me.

"Good morning."

I started to kiss her again when Mary, bless her evil little heart, slurped my cock back into her mouth. I pulled Amanda into a tight hug and kissed her deeply. My cock started to rise again. God. I let Amanda go. "Uhh," I said with my normal aplomb.

"I'd rate that one about eight, maybe a low nine," Lisa said. My second kiss with Amanda and my cock was in somebody else's mouth. God.

Mary let go of my now rock-hard cock. "Let's get dressed and go to the zoo!" She stood up.

And there I lay, naked, with an erection, and three of the most beautiful women I'd ever known looking at me... Yes, I was a bit embarrassed.

Eventually we did get dressed. We had a light breakfast and we took Amanda's car to the zoo. Amanda kept looking at me. I couldn't figure out her expression... perhaps "enigmatic" would best describe it.

The London Zoo is in the corner of Regent's Park. It was the world's first scientific zoo — it opened in 1828 and the general public has been able to visit since 1847. We enjoyed strolling the paths and watching the animals. It was a new zoo to Mary, Lisa, and me — and it had been years since Amanda had been there, so the day was filled with discovery.