"Eric's becoming quite the handsome young man, isn't he?" Callie said one afternoon after a generous sip from her third El Diablo. "I'll bet he has to...drive off the girls with a bullwhip." Interesting image," I laughed. "I love the way your mind works, Callie." Does Eric have a steady girlfriend?" Callie persisted. "A romantic interest?" No," I said. "He works all those hours at the shipping company. When he does get home, he's so exhausted that all he wants to do is flop into bed." You'd. We exchanged pics. He looked cute and fair. I complimented him. He was bashful at me complimenting him because he has a balding head. I told him, I too am losing hair, so I better not judge anyone that. He smiled. But yes, he was a cute looking guy.And the other stuff went as usual. Chat about likes, preference, and feasibility of timings and place. So it was clear that wanted to meet up. The same evening I was at his flat. I was waiting at the door for him to open his flat for me. He did, in a. My sisterleft six years prior and my mother had died before then. I was doing thehousehold chores as well as trying to learn my father's craft. My fatherwas the Chief Siege Weapons Maker for our king. King Bodkin and ourKing, King Leo were at war. I knew two things. Our village was beingsacked was part of the war. So was the killing any one of royal bloodand any male being of weapons age. Since I did work in my father's shopas well as hunted, I was of weapons age. I also cooked and sewed. I looked over at him. Rebecca intervened.“Daddy, can we go to Denny’s?” she said. She was looking at me when she said it. That made up my mind for me.“Okay, if your other dad’s got the cash. I’m a little short today,” I said.“I got it,” he said. “Denny’s it is.” Rebecca smiled. I read it as a smile of pride that her other dad was rich, but I could’ve been wrong about that.We were halfway through our patty melts when he hit me with it. I should have been expecting it or something like it but I.