Jesse came bounding down the steps, marched up to Shane, sticking his hand out and smiling at her sweetly, “I’m Jesse, her kid,” he tossed his head towards Sam.  “Just to let you know, I’m very even tempered, I no longer bite strangers…,” at this, Sam began to groan.  “and I have no misconceptions about my mom, she’s a big lezzie.”

            “Enough!  BED!”  roared Sam, grabbing Jesse and hoisting him over her shoulder.  “God, where did your manners go?”

            Sam marched him to his bedroom, dropping him with a laugh onto his bed, kissing his cheek.  He giggled, “Mom, don’t let her go home…  She’s cute…”

            “Jesse, please…,” begged Sam, dropping to her knees dramatically, as if praying at his bedside.

            “MOM, seriously, ya not a nun,” he said, taking his MP3 player and putting his head phones on.  Sam sighed, trudging back down the stairs, reminded, yet again, how astute her son was.

            “Sorry about that, ever since Lindsay and Mel moved to LA, he’s been intent on me finding a girlfriend.”

            “That’s cool, I don’t have much experience with kids, are they all like him?” asked Shane.

            “Um, no.  Most are a bit less articulate, and not as mischievous as him.  His mom’s fault,” grinned Sam, taking a sip from the bottle of water she had dangling from her fingertips. 

            “You’re not, his mom?” asked Shane. 

            “No.  Adopted mom, but his birth mom was my wife, CJ,” said Sam easily, talking about CJ was getting easier, time did indeed, heal all wounds.

            “You guys split up?” asked Shane.

            “In a way, she passed away.  Why didn’t you just give me my phone earlier?  At your shop?” asked Sam.  Watching as Shane began to relax, no longer staring around the large house.  The huge home always made people wonder what she did for a living, the wide open space, the very expensive things that seemed to take up more space in the house than the occupants did.

            “I didn’t have it on me, and I wanted an excuse…”

            “To come here?  Or to see me?” asked Sam seductively.  Shane put the soda down, licking her full lips and nodding.  Sam smiled, motioning for her to come closer.  Shane moved to the other couch, biting her lower lip as Sam leaned closer.  “I’m not your type.”