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I pushed the thoughts aside, draining the rest offor es There were at least three fro that Mother just wanted to see how the date went, and not caring about es from someone I didn’t know, I erased the out of my clothes and into a fluffy white robe, I made my way toward the only room in the house that didn’t have my monochromatic modern theme I opened the door into rosy chaos

Rose wallpaper, rose carpet--if there was a surface I could stick a rose onto, I did it Gold candelabras too; I had plenty of those White taper candles with ro down them--it was all there My private escape My ro With a shelf overfloith bubble bath gels, salts, pearls, and oils Fragrances of lavender, geranium, and of course, rose I flipped on the radio, tuned to the local classical station, and felt the evening fade away as I turned on the hot water While I poured the rose-scented bubbles into the streaht On the cover? Man Strong Fierce Pecs Wo the robe and all memories of Dick Weenie, I slipped into the perfumed water and let my world fade away

I was sound asleep when iant shoe was chasing htstand, knocking over a stack of books and a water bottle, finally clutching my phone "Hello?"

Static

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Ms Vivian Franklin?" a man’s voice asked

"This is Viv, yeah, who is this?" I barked, noticing the time Who the hell called at 1:28 am? "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"I am terribly sorry for the time difference It’s considerably earlier here in California"

"Well, bully for all the granola eaters Who the hell are you, and what the hell are you doing calling ht?"

"Ms Franklin, I did try calling earlier in the evening Did you not getup," I growled

"Forgive hed a cultured laugh, and I frowned

"My aunt?" I didn’t resemble either Aunt Gloria or Aunt Kimberly, and neither of the heavy?" Ick, he was! "Dude, you picked the wrong chick for an obscene call--"

"Oh, no, Ms Franklin I just cli staircase, and I’m afraid the old ticker isn’t quite what it used to be" After taking a deep breath, he laughed "Obscene--the idea Your Aunt Maude would have loved that"

Aunt Maude Aunt Maude? Ohhhh, Aunt Maude

"As in my Great-Aunt Maude? Maude Perkins?"

"Yes, the very one I’ain in the last few days, but let me please extend to you my condolences"