Chapter Three

    It was a hot New Mexico evening. Joshua walked his father over to the 
colonial house next door. Josh was carrying his skateboard
    Maria Viaggio opened the door. "Honey, glad you and your son could make 
it. The pasta and meatballs are on the stove, and cocktails are in the living 
room."
    Sam sat down on the blue leather couch, while his son went to find out 
where Kelly was.
    "I have a feeling about those to," Maria said. "I think they both like 
each other a bit too much."
    Sam remember that how once in a different history back when he was young, 
he was the one to be dating Kelly. "Aren't they too young to be dating?"
    "Not really. They're both thirteen and only go out in a group, so it's ok 
by my standards."
    Two young men came laughing from the basement.
    "Al, did you study for your final yet?"
    "Oh, doctor, I didn't know that you were here," Al said.
    "I thought you already took your physics exam," Maria asked her adopted 
son.
    "Well, ---" Al answered, resting his hand on his downward facing blond 
head.
    "Actually, I caught him cheating this afternoon in class," Sam told her.
    Al shot Sam a glance of sheer fury. He wished that his teacher would not 
tell his foster mother anything.
    "That's it, Albert!" Maria said giving up. "You're not going out 
tonight."
    "Tough luck," the teenager said. "I'm eighteen, old enough to vote and be 
legally an adult, and I don't need you telling me what to do anymore, ma."
    "I don't care how old you are, Albert! You're going to stay home to 
study."
    "Whatever!" Albert stampeded out the front door, hopped on his motorcycle 
and zoomed off to a date with a nameless girl.
    Maria went to the front door, and called for him to come back. Al didn't 
hear her, and, if he did, he did not turn the bike around.
    "Do you know where your friend went?" Sam asked David.
    "Another date with whoever is the flavor of the day," Kelly answered, 
coming down the stairs with Josh. They were up in her room playing the latest 
video game. She and Josh had just gotten their first French kiss.
    David smiled, guessing that his little sister was probably right. 
"What's to eat?" David asked.



diana beckett
(formally Monica Briggs)
(C) June, 2002