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treatments. I worked right up my delivery day."
    "Wow. Tough gal."
    I shrugged. "It was what
I felt I was meant to do. I'd still be at that hospital if the doctors hand't
all been infected."
    "How did you get away?"
Jack asked.
    I looked at him. His
attention seemed genuine. "I ran." It was a simple answer, but the truth.
    He nodded again. "So, you
didn't study rashes, huh?"
    "I studied dermatology
for a semester, yes, but that morphed into oncology due to so many skin cancer patients."
    He paused. "That...was a
joke."
    I cleared my throat. He
was decent at making humorous comments. One could hardly tell when he was
serious. He reminded me of my father.
    "California and their
skin cancer..." Jack mused.
    "Indeed. It was just very
easy work. No challenges. Psychology was entertaining for a bit, but it's
difficult listening to other people"s issues all day."
    "Oh, so you were a
shrink?"
    "Yes."
    "Are you going to try and
diagnose my problems?" There was amusement in his voice, but I didn't find the
sentence funny.
    "I already have."
    He gave me somewhat of a
skeptical smirk. "Oh, really? Then what's wrong with me?"
    "Nothing."
    There was another pause.
"I don't think I've ever heard a shrink say that to anyone."
    I shifted my weight to
the right. Sand was beginning to build up on the tops of my feet. "Well, I'm
not after your money, so I can tell the truth."
    Jack laughed out loud.
    "That wasn't a joke. It
was an assessment."
    "Still funny. So... what's
my deal?"
    I straightened up with a
sigh. He wasn't a very complicated person, so it wouldn't take long. "Aside
from deflecting your fear with humor, you're a very mentally healthy person
overall. You kept a stable job that you enjoyed and were able to live by
yourself without requiring companionship. But, there's something missing.
there's someone you feel the need to protect but for some reason, you won't."
    Jack gave a nervous shift
of his weight. "where'd you get that?"
    "When I asked you if you
had anyone to look after, there was a bit of a wistful pause."
    He hummed to himself.
"Uh-huh... What about you? Do you ever assess yourself?"
    "Daily."
    "Oh." There was a hint of
upward lift at the end of his word. As if he'd discovered something
interesting.
    "Yes. I'm very aware of
my idiosyncrasies. But I've made those personality decisions on my own. With
Rex, I have absolutely no time for fun or games. My life is dedicated to him
and that's how things are going to be for a while."
    He pursed his lips, but
nodded. "I like it when someone sticks to their guns. No pun intended."
    I allowed myself a thin
smile. He was quite well-timed as far as jokes went. Sylvia finally returned,
but without a drink.
    "All out?" Jack stood and
brushed sand from his jeans.
    "All out." Sylvia grinned
wide at him, then threaded her arm through his. "I suppose it's time for bed
now, huh?"
    I could hardly hold in my
groan.
     

 
     
    October 17
    "Huh...I could have sworn I
brought a twelve pack." Sylvia and I rounded the front of the SUV where I'd set
the beer. Lisa jumped in the back after saying a quick goodnight. Although I
would have preferred to keep talking to her, I let it go. She was so damn
serious and I'd almost gotten her to laugh.
    "Oh..." Sylvia came around
to my front and lowered her voice. "There are still four in there, but I
thought we could keep them to ourselves." Her smile was just far too lopsided
to be accidental. Although the sentiment was odd, I smiled.
    "Ok..."
    Without another word of
warning, she grabbed my hand and yanked me to the front of the car. Then we sat
in the sand and opened another bottle each. Clinking the neck of her bottle
with mine, Sylvia crossed her legs, purposely letting her knee touch mine.
    "I just had to get
you away from her." She took a long swig of beer.
    "Is there something I'm
missing here?" I set my bottle down. I wasn't in the mood for alcohol anymore.
    Sylvia tossed her head
back and sighed. "Lisa is the most boring human being I