[Ran^Text^Library] The two greeted Katyusha warmly, refusing to propose a matter of the child, whether it was the cross attack or the case involving Edie.

"Hey, lady," Martini said to Katyusha with long hair, winking, and handing her a delicious-looking homemade chocolate cake.

After being widowed, Katyusha became languishing and even struggled to extricate herself. Martini was determined to help her out of that state and get her back into life with all her might. That's when they became very good friends.

Katyusha now feels as if she has returned from the virtual world back to the real world.

She hugged Steven. He soon came to the living room. Joined the men's gang. Adults drink wine and children hold an impromptu dog walk show in the backyard. Rey had apparently done his homework, circling around Patch and Dylan and doing tricks. Jumping off the bench, that's fine. Martini said he was a star student in pet taming and agility training sessions. Maggie comes out and says she wants to take the dog to class too.

"We'll see." Katyusha told her.

Soon the candles were lit, and everyone sat around the table, talking to each other as they pushed the cups and changed the lamps. Wes whispered a joke to the two twins. They laughed, not because of the quips in the jokes, but because the older brother would take the time to whisper jokes to them.

Edie laughed when she heard Martini say something.

For the first time in two days, Katyusha felt the gloom dissipate.

Travis, Hamilton, Chilton and the Dark Knight - Harpper have all been left behind. She began to think that life would eventually return to normal.

Jon was easy-going and quickly integrated into the group, even though he didn't know any of them. He and Steven, a computer programmer, had a lot to talk about, though Wes kept interjecting.

Everyone deliberately avoided talking about Edie, which meant that food and politics were central topics. Interestingly, Katyusha noticed that the first topic she talked about was what Chilton had written about: the seawater purification plant and the new road to Salinas.

Steven, Martini and Edie were all adamantly opposed to building such a factory.

"I see," said Katyusha, "we have lived here for a long time. She glanced at her parents, "Haven't you had enough of the drought?"

Martini said she doesn't believe the water produced by the seawater purification plant will be good for them, "and the water will be sold to the main cities of Moses." Someone will make a billion, and we won't see even a drop of water. ”

Then they talked about the road. The gang is also divided into two factions on this issue. "If we were to handle the case north of Salinas, it would be convenient for the state investigation and the police department, but it would be an overrun for the case," Katyusha said.

"What's the excess?"

Katyusha was surprised to see that everyone was walking towards her in a daze. She said that the insider bloggers she learned from reading the "Chimera Report" revealed some possible malfeasance.

"I haven't heard of any of these things," Martini said, "I'm so busy reading about the roadside cross that I don't pay much attention to it, but I'll make sure to go and see what it's all about right away, and I'll tell you about it." "She is one of Katyusha's circle of friends who likes to talk about politics the most,

"I'm going to check out that blog."

After dinner, Katyusha asks Maggie to bring out her keyboard instruments for a small concert.

The gang went back to the living room, each pouring more wine. Boleyn leaned back in a large armchair with the Bury dog named Rey. Martini smiled, Rey was slightly older than a horn dog, but the professor insisted that the puppy stay there.

Maggie plugged in, sat down with the serious expression of a solo pianist, and played four songs, all from the third volume of her Suzuki Instrument Pedagogy textbook, all of which were simple arrangements of works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Clementi. She played almost every note well.

Everyone applauded in unison, then went to get cake, coffee, and more wine.

Finally, around 9:30 a.m., Steven and Martini said they wanted to put their twin sons to bed, and then left with their two children. Maggie was already planning for Dylan and Patch to go to the same dog training class that Rey was in.

Edie smiled faintly, "It's time for us to go, it's been a long day." ”:

"Mom, stay a little longer. Another glass of wine. ”

"No, no, I'm tired, Katyusha. Let's go, Stuart, I want to go home. ”

Mom hugged Katyusha very carefully, less natural and cordial of the hug when they first met, "Call me again." "Watch the car taillights disappear at the end of the road. She was disappointed that they had left so soon. She asks the children to say goodnight to Boleyn. The professor smiled and shook hands with them, and Katyusha sent them to wash.

A few minutes later, Wes came over with a DVD -- Ghost in the Shell, a Japanese science fiction cartoon about computers.

"Here you go, Mr. Boleyn. It's so pretty. I'll lend it to you if you want to see it. ”

Katyusha was surprised to see her son get along so well with a man. Maybe it's because he only sees Boleyn as his mother's business partner, not as a love interest; Moreover, he was increasingly wary of her colleagues.

"Okay, thanks, Wes. I wrote about cartoons. But I've never seen this cartoon. ”

"Really?"

"Really. I will get it back again in perfect condition. ”

"You can get it back whenever you want. Good night. The boy quickly returned to his room, where only the two of them were together.

But before she could wait a moment, a second later, Maggie came out with her own gift, "It's a solo recital. She handed him a CD in a jewelry box.

"The one you talked about at dinner?" Boleyn asked, "The one that Mr. Stone was separating when you were playing Mozart?"

"That's right."

"Can you lend it to me?"

"I'll give it to you, I've got more of this. It was recorded by Mom. ”

"Well, thanks, Maggie. I would hear burn all the time on my iPod. ”

The girl blushed with some embarrassment. It's not like the usual she. She ran away as fast as she could.

"You don't need to do that." Katyusha whispered.

"Oh no, I'm willing to do that. She's a pretty nice girl. ”