“Can you imagine having to deal with three girls, between the ages of seven and two? They'd get a baby-sitter take off for a day.

“Apparently he was doing work on a farm property which was being remodeled as a second home for a guy who had come into some money. They never really revealed all the details, thank God. When my sisters ask, all they do is smile and remark about how when you're out in the country you have to make your own entertainment.”

“Well,” Sarah said after a long silence, “at least we know you come by your randiness naturally. I mean, if your mom and dad got it on in the backseat of a tractor, I shouldn't be surprised by your perverted lusts."

“Tractors don't have backseats," he replied, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I think it's sweet," Maria said, coming back into view, followed by

Alex. She held a bottle of wine in one hand, and he carried a set of clean, if mismatched, wine glasses. Setting them down on the table, he waited while Maria poured the wine, then passed one to each.

“What should we drink to?" Sarah asked.

Maria met her eyes squarely, then glanced around the circle.

“Long life, and love," she said, her eyes dark and mysterious.

Jeremy raised his eyebrows, but smiled back at her.

“Long life, and love," he repeated, and the toast was echoed by Sarah and Alex. They gently touched the glasses together, then sipped the wine.

"God, it feels good to be out of the house, even if it's just up here.

I was about to go stir-crazy," Alex said, sitting on the floor and leaning back against the foot of the armchair, his long legs stretched out in front of him. Maria slipped in behind him, relaxing against the overstuffed cushions. He turned his head and kissed the inside of her calf, making her smile.

“Have you guys had the feeling, the last few days, that Mom and Dad and Althea aren't telling us everything that's going on?"

Jeremy traded a glance with Sarah, then shrugged.

“I think you and

Sarah would be the best to answer that one, man," he said. "You're their kids, after all. Well, not Althea's," he amended. "Or things would be even weirder than they are. But I don't know Rachel or Josh well enough to give you a good read on them, even though I worked as

Rachel's intern for a few months."

“Sarah?”

“Christ, Alex, I don't know." His sister fingered the end of her pony-tail nervously. "So much crap has happened in the past two weeks I keep expecting to find this was some bizarre fever-dream, and I'LL wake up in the Intensive Care Ward. Maybe I've been the victim of a traumatic brain injury. Succubi, demon-spawn, screwing my father...it's just fucking bizarre, you know?"

“Well, you have gotten a new boyfriend out of it," Jeremy pointed out, and was rewarded by a fond kiss on the cheek.

"I know. And don't get me wrong," she continued, "I wouldn't trade this for anything. The sex is fucking awesome," she said as Jeremy blushed with pride. "And I've made new friends," she said, smiling apologetically at Maria, “despite how much like a bitch I acted when they first moved in.“

“Sarah, it's okay," started Maria.

"No, Maria, it's not," Sarah stated. Jeremy was surprised at the vehemence in her voice, and wondered if he had missed something in the history between the two young women. She took another quick sip of wine. "I was horny for Daddy and scared that you'd come between us.

Which was stupid, because he and Mom were already back together and screwing again. So if I should have been mad at anyone, it should have been her. But I chose to take it out on you, because you were someone who wouldn't fight back.