p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Apparently, William came to the church every day. I wouldn't be surprised if he prayed for Sally's return, but maybe I learnt from her to look for juicy romances. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Around 7:30 am he left the church. I sat on a bench right at the entrance of the church's garden, just as planned. I was told he had red curly hair, grey eyes and a lot of freckles. He wasn't that hard to identify. Not as if that many people went through there./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Excuse me," I said as he passed me "Can you help me, please?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Of course, ma'am."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I was younger than him, who was he calling ma'am?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""My name is Lucy Harris, I am new in town. My…" how should have I called him? "mate for life will arrive today as well. But I am looking for a place for us to stay and work."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Yeah, yeah, I know, we hardly knew each other, but people didn't need to know./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mate for life, ha…?" he murmured, and then added "Didn't you search for those before coming here?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Well, everything was so fast."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He looked at me suspiciously. Well, rightfully./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Anyway, can you help? He's a doctor and I…" I couldn't say a slut, could I? "am willing to learn any job. I guess a singer isn't really a thing I can do here."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Actually, you can," he said. "We have a place here where the guys love to hang out after a long day of work."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Performing in front of men only again? Don't these men have wives to come home to?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""How lovely…" I played with some strands of my hair. "And a doctor is always needed."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""That's for sure."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Awkward silence./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So do you also go to hang out after work instead of going home to your wife?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I don't have... a wife," he chuckled nervously, "Not even a mate for life."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Isn't it time? You won't be handsome forever."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I swore to never marry," he looked down./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""There's not one woman out there who can fill the hole in your heart?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""There is, but she's nowhere to be found," he sighed. "If she was here, I'd propose on the spot."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Did you hear that, darling?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sally, who was sitting all this time behind the open gate to the church's garden, stood up and came out. I told her it was silly to wait so nearby, and it was easier to wait for us somewhere else. She said he'd never notice. She was sure right./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As she came out, his jaw dropped../span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Sally… is that you?" he said after a long pause./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey, William…" she said shyly./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""When did you…?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Last night?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"And again… he just stood there./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I guess you waited all this time for her return just to stare at her," I said in annoyance./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Of course not," he laughed, embarrassed. Then, he smiled at Sally, "Welcome home."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's good to be home."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Where have you been all this time?" he held her hands. She hesitated./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We were performing together. She's quite a dancer," I answered instead./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's a side of you I want to see."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Lucy just exaggerating," She said uncomfortably. She got away from his hands "Will, that's Lucy, my dearest friend for the last five years."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thanks for taking care of Sally."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Sure thing."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I really want to talk with you, but my father will get angry at me if I don't arrive at the shop. The usual place at six?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Deal," she smiled shyly./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He kissed her on her forehead, and left. He didn't get that far, but he turned back to us to wave. After a few seconds he turned his back to us again and left for real./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""That was quick," she said disappointed./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You'll have a whole life," I put a hand on her shoulder./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""But really, what should I tell him? What did I do all this time? I can't say I was a slut."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""He already got his answer, you were a performer."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yeah, a dancer. You forgot to mention what kind of a dancer…"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm sure you can find more appropriate movements to show if needed."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I don't want to get back to the times I was dependent on my father, or William for that matter. Not that we were that independent there."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We can start our little show here," I offered. "I'll sing, you'll dance. There are surely places here that need some revival from time to time."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Maybe…" she mumbled. "Let's wait for your doctor. We'll figure it out then."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Oh, I almost forgot about him. What could I ask more? My best friend and the gentlest naivest man I've ever met. Hyde wasn't that gentle, but… If he'd be back to how he was the night I met him… I couldn't ask for more. Well, maybe one thing. For him to arrive./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Around 7:30 am he left the church. I sat on a bench right at the entrance of the church's garden, just as planned. I was told he had red curly hair, grey eyes and a lot of freckles. He wasn't that hard to identify. Not as if that many people went through there./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Excuse me," I said as he passed me "Can you help me, please?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Of course, ma'am."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I was younger than him, who was he calling ma'am?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""My name is Lucy Harris, I am new in town. My…" how should have I called him? "mate for life will arrive today as well. But I am looking for a place for us to stay and work."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Yeah, yeah, I know, we hardly knew each other, but people didn't need to know./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mate for life, ha…?" he murmured, and then added "Didn't you search for those before coming here?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Well, everything was so fast."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He looked at me suspiciously. Well, rightfully./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Anyway, can you help? He's a doctor and I…" I couldn't say a slut, could I? "am willing to learn any job. I guess a singer isn't really a thing I can do here."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Actually, you can," he said. "We have a place here where the guys love to hang out after a long day of work."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Performing in front of men only again? Don't these men have wives to come home to?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""How lovely…" I played with some strands of my hair. "And a doctor is always needed."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""That's for sure."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Awkward silence./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So do you also go to hang out after work instead of going home to your wife?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I don't have... a wife," he chuckled nervously, "Not even a mate for life."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Isn't it time? You won't be handsome forever."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I swore to never marry," he looked down./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""There's not one woman out there who can fill the hole in your heart?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""There is, but she's nowhere to be found," he sighed. "If she was here, I'd propose on the spot."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Did you hear that, darling?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sally, who was sitting all this time behind the open gate to the church's garden, stood up and came out. I told her it was silly to wait so nearby, and it was easier to wait for us somewhere else. She said he'd never notice. She was sure right./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As she came out, his jaw dropped../span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Sally… is that you?" he said after a long pause./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey, William…" she said shyly./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""When did you…?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Last night?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"And again… he just stood there./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I guess you waited all this time for her return just to stare at her," I said in annoyance./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Of course not," he laughed, embarrassed. Then, he smiled at Sally, "Welcome home."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's good to be home."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Where have you been all this time?" he held her hands. She hesitated./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We were performing together. She's quite a dancer," I answered instead./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's a side of you I want to see."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Lucy just exaggerating," She said uncomfortably. She got away from his hands "Will, that's Lucy, my dearest friend for the last five years."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thanks for taking care of Sally."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Sure thing."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I really want to talk with you, but my father will get angry at me if I don't arrive at the shop. The usual place at six?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Deal," she smiled shyly./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He kissed her on her forehead, and left. He didn't get that far, but he turned back to us to wave. After a few seconds he turned his back to us again and left for real./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""That was quick," she said disappointed./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You'll have a whole life," I put a hand on her shoulder./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""But really, what should I tell him? What did I do all this time? I can't say I was a slut."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""He already got his answer, you were a performer."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yeah, a dancer. You forgot to mention what kind of a dancer…"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'm sure you can find more appropriate movements to show if needed."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I don't want to get back to the times I was dependent on my father, or William for that matter. Not that we were that independent there."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We can start our little show here," I offered. "I'll sing, you'll dance. There are surely places here that need some revival from time to time."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Maybe…" she mumbled. "Let's wait for your doctor. We'll figure it out then."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; text-indent: 14.173228346456689pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12.499999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Oh, I almost forgot about him. What could I ask more? My best friend and the gentlest naivest man I've ever met. Hyde wasn't that gentle, but… If he'd be back to how he was the night I met him… I couldn't ask for more. Well, maybe one thing. For him to arrive./span/p
