Dorian had an odd fascination with bubbles. James was never able to figure out how, when, or why it started, but there it was-one of Mr. James' favorite of Lord Gloria's quirks.

On warm summer days, Dorian liked to take one of those giant bubble blower thingeys outside on the grass and lay there on his back for hours just blowing bubbles. He never popped them on purpose, and when a really big one floated high into the sky and burst, James could see The Lord breathe a little deeper like each one that popped had physically hurt him.

He had bubble baths almost every night, too. One of the unusual nights where James drew the water instead of someone else, Dorian asked, "Jamesie, have a bath with me?" It was said more of a statement than a question, not that James would have said no had Lord Gloria asked.

The bath water was hotter than any James had ever been in before; it scalded his skin. He settled into the bubbles and watched with curiosity as Dorian picked up a handful of the soapy creations and threw it against the wall. He watched intently as the bubbles slid down the side of the wall, seemingly entranced. Suddenly, Lord Gloria blurted out, "Bubbles are perfect. When I was a child, my sister bought me a bottle for my birthday. I spilt it all before I could use it, so she ran a bath and filled it with bubbles. We did this"-here Dorian tossed some bubbles against the wall-"and we played a game, guessing what shape they would form."

"Oh."

"It was great fun." Lord Gloria smiled wistfully. He said, "You try, James."

Doing as he was told, the little accountant picked up a pile of bubbles and chucked them at the tiled wall. The two waited for it to settle, and then Dorian said, "It looks like a lobster."

"Really?" said James, his one visible eye wide. "It looks like a dollar bill."