Page 4 of Nigel

Lionel had bought hera house as soon as he started making money and she had been pamperedand cared for until the day she died peacefully a year ago.

Her memorial wascoming up in a week, hence the hurried and impromptu luncheon. "Justus as family," she murmured, accepting her plate with a nod ofthanks. "We could order flowers, buckets of them and just hangthere for an hour or so and reminisce."

"Honey-"Kyle reached for her hand, but she shook her head.

"I am fine. Atleast I am trying to be."

"You need to getrid of the house," Lionel said quietly, cutting into his lobsterwith a precise motion. It amused her as well as fascinated her towatch him eat. He was fancy and they were always teasing him abouthis little habits.

"It's yourhouse," she pointed out.

"I gave it tomama and she willed it to you," he pointed out back. "It'syours plain and square, but the memories are there and surround youevery time you set foot inside."

"I am fine withthe memories," she muttered.

"Are you?"Jeffry asked her mildly. He had chosen the full house burger and wasmaking it disappear quickly.

She hated the factthat he could eat all that junk and was still whipcord lean and tallwith all those muscles. He interpreted her look and grinned at her."I am still growing."

"My ass."

"Children."Lionel used the snowy white napkin to dab at his lips. "Justfamily is what I am shooting for. We want to start at precisely tenon Saturday." His sober gaze swung to Ava. "Can you makeit? I know the weekends are your busiest time."

"I can shiftsome things around.”

"Good. Great.Now back to the details."

*****

"What the hellis it?"

"Your bloodpressure is a little elevated," his friend told him mildly.

"Not surprising,considering that I was strong armed to come here." Nigel shovedthe tail of his light blue shirt into the waistband of his dark bluedress pants, relieved that the torture was over.

His friend gave him awry look. "Your allergies?"

"Surprisinglymild for the season. Spring usually puts me in a lot of agonizingsituations." He sniffed to make his point. "Is that it?"

"I was thinkingof a round of basketball at my place on Saturday."

Nigel muffled out alaugh. "Is that your way of ensuring that I exercise?"

Gerald wrote up hisnote and put away the pad. "I have seen you naked and have alsoseen the kick ass gym in your apartment and happen to know it is notfor show. Perhaps I am the one who needs the exercise. How is Marla?"

Nigel shrugged as helooped the tie around his neck. "History as of two weeks ago."

His friend looked athim in surprise. "I thought this one would stick."

Nigel laughedharshly. "She wanted too much to be Mrs. Hawthorne."

"Is that a badthing?"

"I amold-fashioned enough to want to do the asking."

"This is thetwenty-first century-"

"That's bull. Iam the one with the penis."

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