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Subject: Re-re-post: Lottery 1-40 in 25 parts - lottry17.txt [1/1]

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				Chapter 28 Elvis Style



	When I woke up Gina was staring at me pensively.

	"Good morning." I murmurred.

	"Hi." She responded. She seemed depressed.

	"Hey, are you ok?" I asked, concerned.

	"I'm fine." She assured me quietly.

	"You don't look fine." I said.

	"Can I be honest with you?" She asked. Uh-oh. Here it comes, I 

thought. Gina was going to leave.

	"Sure." I said, betraying none of my inner concern.

	"I disappointed you last night, didn't I?" She said, staring past me. I 

stared at her, completely off guard.

	"Huh?" I finally managed. Startled by my answer she looked at me. 

"What are you talking about?"

	"Last night." Gina said. She smiled at my bemused look. "You do 

remember last night, don't you?"

	"Vaugely." I said, grinning. 

	"I wasn't very good." Gina said. "I was thinking about it before you 

woke up. I watched Mei Ling fuck herself blind with you. And the way 

she responded when you raped her ass, it was incredible! And you said 

five or six climaxes was normal for her. All I had was three, and I'm 

damn lucky to have had that many. And her one orgasm was better than 

all three of mine combined."

	"If the rest of your harem is like her, I don't stand a chance."

	"Do I smell an inferiority complex?" I said. "Or is this your way of 

getting attention?" I pulled her gently to me and kissed her."

	"Oh, come on! You can't tell me I'm as good as Mei Ling! Jesus, Paul 

she's gorgeous! And a terrific lay too! I may not be a porno queen but at 

least I know my own limits."

	"Do you?" I asked, smiling a feral challenging smile. She watched me 

uncertaintly.

	"You're saying I was ok last night? As good as Mei Ling?"

	"I have this conversation every morning I wake up with a new girl." I 

said gently, running my hands down her back. She closed her eyes and 

put her arms around me.

	"Gina, listen to me. Mei is a wonderful lady. She's smart, she's wise 

beyond belief, she's beautiful. And yes, she's great in bed. I love her very 

much. She was the first one I took into the harem." Gina stiffened in my 

arms.

	"Let me ask you a question. Would you like to be my favorite?"

	"Yes." Gina opened her eyes. "Very, very much."

	"Why?" I asked.

	"Uh-" Gina looked confused.

	"Why do you want to be my favorite? Do you think it will buy you 

anything?"

	"What do you mean?"

	"What benefit will you gain by being my favorite?"

	"I don't know. Your attention, maybe."

	"You have that now." I said, cupping her buttocks. Gina sighed as she 

felt my cock stir.

	"More time with you." She said.

	"But you don't know me." I said, rolling on top of her. I was definitely 

getting interested. It was still dim outside, but I didn't care if it were 

before six or not. And from the way she held me and spread her legs 

neither did Gina.

	"I don't know, why are you asking me this?" Gina said. I kissed her in 

answer, opening her mouth and probing with my tongue. Her breath was 

bad, typical morning breath, but I didn't care. She gasped when I broke 

the kiss.

	"Fuck me, master, please." She said.

	"Not master." I said. "No games, Gina. If I fuck you now it will be as 

a free woman."

	"Whatever you say, please, just put it in me."

	"It will hurt." I warned her. "You're still sore from last night."

	"I don't care. Fuck me. Now." Gina said, moving under me. I tested 

her gently with a finger. She was wet, but she winced from the partial 

penetration.

	"Do you know you're the second woman I've ever made love to in this 

bed?" I asked, poised to take her.

	"Who was the other?" She asked, in spite of herself.

	"Little Thuy, the cook." I said, pushing into her. Gina stiffened and bit 

back a cry of pain. "I warned you."

	"Yes you did. God, I'm sore. Please, go slow till I get used to it. 

You're so damned big!" Gina pleaded. Smiling down at her I paused to 

let her adjust. After a moment she nodded. I began to move slowly in 

and out. Gina grunted and moaned for a few minutes. Finally she 

relaxed and began to move under me a little bit.

	"So I'm only the second woman, huh? How come?" Gina and I were 

moving slowly together.

	"That's a long story. Sure you want to hear about the other girls while 

I'm fucking you?" I teased. She thought about it, then nodded.

	"Ok, you asked for it. Most of the girls were too tired after their first 

night. Mei came the closest. She knelt over there on the carpet and 

proceeded to deep throat me."  I smiled at the suddenly alert Gina.

	"All the way down her throat, all eight inches. And she swallowed my 

come."

	"I'd like to do that." Gina said. "Swallow it, I mean. I don't think I 

could deep throat."

	"I could have Sherry teach you." I offered.

	"She knows how?" Gina asked, surprized. "She doesn't look old 

enough."

	"She knows how." I said, remembering the way I'd gushered down her 

throat. "And what does age have to do with it?"

	"I don't know. She doesn't look old enough to be having sex. Ohh, yes, 

that feels nice. Do you think I can come this time?"

	"Only you can answer that." I said. "And Sherry's sixteen."

	"Sixteen!" Gina was shocked. "That's illegal."

	"Not in South Carolina." I said. "We checked very carefully. And she 

schemed her way into my bed. Have her tell you about it, if she's 

willing." I leaned down and took one of Gina's nipples in my mouth. 

She groaned as the milk was sucked out. I took a mouthfull before she 

gave out.

	"That's something none of the other girls is capable of." I said. Gina 

just shook her head.

	"Big deal. It's not something I'm proud of."

	"You should be." I said. "It's an unheard of ability in a virgin. Mmm." 

I took another mouthfull from her other breast."

	"Very nice." I said, kissing her, letting her taste her own milk.

	"You were telling me about the other girls." Gina said. She seemed 

uncomfortable about her lactation. I'd have to move carefully about that.

	"Let's see. Oh, yes. Rachel was second, but far too stiff and sore from 

being tortured to think about it."

	"To-tortured?"  Gina stammered. I suddenly fucked her hard and fast 

for a few strokes, then slowed again. She moaned and humped against 

me, grabbing hard.

	"She'd been a very bad girl." I said. "I've never tortured her or any of 

the others since then."

	"Oh my god. Would you actually torture me?" Gina was frightened.

	"Yes.." I said, slamming her hard. She bit her lip to keep from crying 

out. "If you were bad enough. Officially, Rachel's never done anything. 

We don't talk about it, understand?" My voice hardened. Gina nodded 

quickly. She moved more urgently now, turned on.

	"Let's see. Thuy was third, and I was giving her an oil massage to treat 

the welts from her caning."

	"Caning? Oh, god, what's that?" Gina asked, shivering.

	"A birch rod, about three feet long. It drew blood." I said, staring deep 

into her eyes. "But Thuy loves pain. You saw her come last night from 

being flogged." Gina nodded nervously, clutching my back.

	"Alima was too hungry, and Sherry had to get to school, there wasn't 

time. But you have time. And I'm going to make you swallow my 

come." I began to move faster and faster. Gina groaned and tried to 

match me.

	I couldn't hold the pace for long, but fortunately Gina had one of her 

quick small orgasms. She collapsed almost immediately afterward. I 

stopped, not wanting to overwork her newly opened pussy.

	When she'd recovered I rolled onto my back and urged her to suck my 

cock. She did, with reasonable skill. She was better at it than Mei, and I 

figured with Sherry's tutoring she'd be unbeatable. She certainly had the 

enthusiasm for it.

	It was only a minute or two before liquid fire spewed into Gina's greedy 

mouth. She choked, coughing, the sperm coming out her nose. But she 

gamely kept sucking until I was dry. Then she excused herself and went 

to the bathroom to clean up.

	When she came back I was already dressed. I escorted her to her room 

and told her to come down to breakfast when she was finished. She 

smiled at me.

	"Better now?" I asked, smiling back.

	"Much. Thank you." And she closed the door.

	I went down to the kitchen, and discovered that Thuy was already 

awake, dressed, and preparing breakfast.

	"Good morning, gorgeous." I said, sitting down.

	"Good morning, master. How did it go?" Thuy asked, walking to the 

refrigerator.

	"How did what go?" I asked innocently. Thuy rolled her eyes.

	"With Gina. She's nice."

	"That's funny. I was making love to her when you came up in the 

conversation."

	"Really?" Thuy turned to look at me, delighted. "What did she say?"

	"She didn't say anything.. I was telling her about the time we made love 

in my bed."

	"You didn't." Thuy put her hands up to her face. I nodded. Thuy 

giggled, turning away quickly.

	"What did she say to that?" Thuy asked finally.

	"Oh my god, what's that." I quoted. Thuy looked at me curiously. 

"That's what she said."

	"You're teasing me." Thuy accused me.

	"Yep. What's for breakfast?"

	"Buttermilk pancakes and maple syrup, sausages, rice, and milk." 

Thuy replied cheerfully.

	"Gah, you're trying to fatten me up." I growled playfully. Just then 

Gina came yawning into the room.

	"Morning." She said to Thuy and took a chair.

	"Hi sleepy head. I didn't expect to see you before noon." Thuy said. 

She studied Gina carefully. "Gee, you don't look bowlegged." Thuy's 

eyes twinkled as she waited for Gina to catch it. I winced, hoping Gina 

wouldn't be offended.

	"If-wha?" Gina stopped in mid yawn. Then she looked shocked.

	"Thuy, I think you should apologize." I said softly. Thuy looked at me, 

then at Gina.

	"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarass you, Gina. It's just you're 

one of us now. Congratulations." Thuy turned back to the stove where 

she did mysterious things with rice. Gina looked thoughtful-and 

grateful. I decided to let the matter drop.

	Alima was next in, she greeted Gina casually and began to make 

coffee. I sat feeling domestic while the women made breakfast. The 

other girls straggled in, Sherry being last.

	Breakfast was interrupted by barking at the back door. Gina excused 

herself and came back in a few minutes.

	"I had to reassure Socks." She explained to me. "He wasn't happy 

about seeing me like that last night. But it's cool now."

	"Good." I said, having forgotten about her pet. "I want to apologize for 

that."

	"My fault, master." Mei spoke up suddenly. "Gina, I'm really sorry 

about that. I forgot he was in your room. It won't happen again."

	"Hey, that's ok." Gina assured the chinese girl. "No harm done."

	"Master, is it ok if Alima and I take Gina shopping with us this 

morning?" Rachel asked.

	"Sorry, I've got other plans for her. Mei's got her for about an hour, 

then I'm taking her into town." I grinned at the black girl. "If she wants 

to go, that is. I think she'll be free tomorrow."

	"I thought I was a free agent during the day?" Gina asked lightly.

	"Trust me. You need to talk to Mei, she's going to explain the ground 

rules to you. And you'll want to come with me. A lot."

	"Why?"

	"it's a surprize. Right, Alima?" I winked.

	"Is it what I think it is?" Alima asked, smiling. I nodded. "Then you 

definitely want to go, Gina. Trust me."

	"Now you've got me interested. Ok."

	After breakfast Mei led Gina to the library for her talk. About ten 

minutes later, Mei fetched Rachel to the library, where the three girls 

remained closeted for close to an hour. When they emerged Gina looked 

positively radiant.

	She wouldn't say why and I knew better than to try and pry it out of 

Mei or Rachel. Ten o'clock saw Gina and I cruising toward town.

	Gina ran one hand appreciatively over the leather interior. "This is a 

neat car, Paul." It was the opening I'd been waiting for.

	"It is that. Tell me, did Mei go over everything with you?"

	"Um-hmm. Is it true I get to pick out a car to drive?" Gina asked 

casually-too casually. She definitely had something in mind.

	"Yes. Any ideas?"

	"Well, there's one I've always wanted." Gina hesitated. "But it's too 

expensive. Forget I mentioned it. I'll drive whatever you pick for me."

	"Gina, that's very annoying." I said, frowning.

	"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

	"Hush." I said, patting her leg. "What I mean is, you act as though you 

don't deserve very much. You're constantly putting yourself down. One 

of the reasons you're here is because I believe you deserve a great deal. 

And I want to please you. So what is it you want?"

	"A Corvette convertible." She blurted out. "A red one?" She asked 

timidly. I chuckled.

	"That's a thirty-thousand dollar car you're talking about." I pointed out.

	"I told you it was too expensive." She said, obviously writing it off.

	"Well, it is overpriced. Are you sure you really want one?" I looked 

over at her. "Silly question. Forget I asked. May I ask why?"

	"You know I work for GM in Seattle?" Gina asked. I nodded.

	"We build Corsicas." She said. "You ever seen one?"

	"Sure. Baretta's twin sister."

	"Right. Boring. Econobox with lipstick." She grimaced. "I've always 

wanted a Corvette. The union steward has one. I guess I think it'll make 

me more exciting, exotic. You know, wind in the hair, cruising down the 

road like you own the world." Her eyes had a far away gleam. I 

wondered why Gina was so sad most of the time. Well, if a Corvette 

would make her happy. . .

	She stiffened as we turned into the Chevrolet dealership. "You're 

kidding! You mean it? Oh, please don't tease me about this!"

	"There's three Chevy dealerships in Pine Ridge." I said. "One of 

them's bound to have a red Corvette convertible."

	"Thank you." She said.

	"Now I see why Elvis always gave Caddilacs to his friends." I said. I 

touched her chin. "It's the dream, isn't it Gina? One of your dreams is 

coming true?"

	"I guess it is." She said thoughtfully. "I've always dreamed about 

owning a Corvette. But I won't, will I? It'll still be yours."

	I winked at her. "Look on the bright side. You won't have to change 

the oil!" I laughed, making her smile in spite of herself.

	We went to all three dealerships. Each one had a red Corvette 

convertible. I think it was a GM regulation or something. Each was a 

sumptuous piece of work, Gina finally decided on one with a white 

leather interior. The look on her face as she slid behind the wheel made 

me wonder again why she was so sad.

	Happiness transformed her from pretty to traffic stopping. She 

followed me home, the big V-8 having no trouble keeping up with the 

Beast. We got home a couple of hours before supper, totally drained. 

Car shopping is a very tiring experience.

	Supper was a quiet but happy affair, and even Gina seemed at peace 

with the world. That night I took Mei to bed, marvelling anew at how 

easily she climaxed, and the number of times she could. For her it was 

effortless.

	And Sunday, with Rachel. Rachel didn't come from my fucking her, 

but came four times from my cunnilingus. But at no time did she show 

the same resistance to orgasm as Gina did. It was a puzzle, which I spent 

the rest of the night discussing with her.

	Does that surprize you? That I would make love to one girl and 

immediately after talk about another? It shouldn't. Let me explain.

	In a harem situation you never have the luxury (if you can call it that) of 

being jelous. As a harem slave you know that your lover is fucking the 

other girls. It's all up front and out in the open. The other girls are your 

friends, and in my household at least the girls loved each other.

	Rachel thought it might be Gina's lactation that made the black girl shy 

away from intimate contact and close friendships. She told me she got 

the impression that Gina's sadness stemmed from a frustrated desire to be 

part of a group. I thought so too and asked her to keep her eyes opened 

for ways to make Gina feel better. She promised she would.







			Chapter 29 Melinda By Daylight



	Monday morning saw Gina moping around the house. By now the 

harem had come to expect her moroseness and had begun to conspire to 

shake her out of it. If Mei wasn't asking her to help it was Thuy taking 

her for a walk in the woods. Or Sherry would drop by her room and 

spend an hour playing with Socks, doing her best to clown it up.

	I know the black girl suspected the conspiricy but she seemed grateful 

for it. And she slowly learned to smile, brief, fleeting, but genuine.

	I was out in the garden late Monday afternoon when I got a very 

pleasant shock. I had asked Gina to help me since plants were one of her 

hobbies (history being another). We were planting some daffodils when 

Thuy came tearing out of the house like a Tasmanian Devil cartoon.

	"Master!" She gasped. "Come quickly!" She was grinning from ear to 

ear, so I knew it wasn't anything dangerous. Gina settled back on her 

heels and studied the vibrant teenager.

	"What's up?" I asked, smiling.

	"Mei says I can't tell you!" She shifted her weight from foot to foot 

impatiently. "Come on! Hurry!"

	"Better go with her, Paul." Gina said quietly. "Before she has a heart 

attack." I glanced at Gina. The black girl wasn't smiling, but the 

melancholy seemed somewhat less.

	"All right, Thuy, I'm coming. Can you handle this till I get back, 

Gina?" I asked.

	"Sure." The black girl answered.

	"I don't think you'll be back, master." Thuy said, eyes twinkling. Gina 

and I both looked at her, startled. "Will you come on?" Thuy literally 

danced in place.

	"Go." Gina said, making shooing motions with her hands. "I'll finish 

up here."

	"Ok, little lotus." I said, standing up and dusting my hands. "But this 

had better be important."

	"It is." Thuy said, pulling me by the hand. She led me to the library 

and disappeared. I opened the door and walked in.

	The first person I saw was Mei who looked up and smiled at me. She 

was with another girl that I didn't recognize. The girl stood up hastily 

and turned toward me. She seemed familiar but I didn't place her until 

she spoke.

	"Hello, master." She said quietly.

	"Melinda!" I exclaimed, delighted and shocked all at the same time. 

"Where'd you come from?" I moved forward and took her hands. She 

smiled shyly and seemed to relax.

	"Fort Lauderdale." She answered me. I must have looked puzzled 

because she continued. "I finished packing yesterday, so I thought I'd 

save you the trouble of sending a truck."

	"She rented a trailer, master." Mei said. "I sent her a map last week."

	"Ah." I said. "Let me look at you, Melinda." The Phillipino girl 

stepped back and stood still as I walked around her. Strongly built, but 

not stocky. Soft wavy black hair that haloed around her face and fell half 

way down her back. Deep brown eyes that stared anxiously from a 

beautiful oval face.

	"Welcome home, Melinda." I said, taking her hands. I stared into 

those brown eyes. Her whole body lit up as she smiled at me.

	"You should have called, Melinda. We don't have your room ready or 

anything." I said softly.

	"I'm sorry. I guess I just didn't think." The Phillipino girl apologized. 

Her voice was soft and timid sounding, like a deer ready to run.

	"That's ok. I don't mind, but you may not have a bed tonight." I said.

	Did you know Phillipino women can blush? Neither did I.

	"What did I say?" I asked, confused.

	"Nothing." She said, looking at the floor. Mei shrugged when I looked 

at her for clarification. "It's nothing, master. I'm just shy, that's all." She 

forced herself to look at me. "It's hard for me to explain, sometimes."

	"Don't worry about it, Melinda. Everybody's got a quirk or two." I 

reassured her. Mei snickered.

	"Some of us more than others." She said, staring at me.

	"Who, me?" I asked innocently. "Need I ask if Melinda's room's being 

readied?"

	"Of course it is, master. Rachel and Alima are taking care of it." Mei 

assured me.

	"Clever Mei." I smiled. "What would we ever do without you?"

	"Starve." She answered drily. I laughed. Melinda looked confused.

	"Master?" She asked diffidently.

	"Yes?" I did an awkward half leer that made made the Phillipino girl 

hide a smile.

	"I thought Mei was a slave girl too." She asked softly.

	"She is." I said.

	"But-" She looked at Mei then back to me. "Forgive me, but I don't 

understand. She doesn't act like one."

	"How should a slave girl act?" I asked, smiling gently. Melinda 

blushed again.

	"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to criticize her." Melinda said. "Please 

forgive me!" She knelt and bowed her head.

	"Hey, wait now!" I knelt and hugged her. She was stiff in my arms. 

"Melinda, it's ok. Shh, come sit on the couch. I'm not mad at you, 

honest. What's wrong?"

	Melinda let me pull her onto the couch. Mei sat with the Phillipino 

girl, and as we had with Rachel we rocked her until she relaxed.

	"I'm sorry, master. I'm making a spectacle of myself." Melinda said. 

"I'm so afraid of making a mistake, I don't want to be sent away."

	"No one's going to send you away." Mei told her. "Tell us what's the 

matter. We want to help you, Melinda. Please let us."

	"Thank you." She was silent for a minute then took a deep breath. She 

spoke in a quiet embarassed way.

	"I'm making a fool of myself. I can't help it. I'm so nervous, I want to 

please you so much. Can you see that?"

	"I see a very nervous young woman." I said in agreement. "Believe 

me, there's nothing to be scared of. At least, not yet."

	"What?"

	"Tonight you're going to lose your virginity, Melinda. I can understand 

if you're feeling uptight. But I'll do my very best to make it a night you'll 

never forget. Mei can atest to that."

	"He is very, very good." Mei told the phillipino girl. Melinda looked 

shocked, then immediately tried to hide her reaction.

	"Has Mei gone over the house rules yet?" I asked. Silently the dark 

haired girl shook her head.

	"They're really quite simple. From 6 in the evening to 6 the next 

morning I own you. The only right you'll have is freedom from physical 

injury, pregnancy, or disease."

	"Second, your personal property is off limits to everyone but you, even 

while you're a slave. During your free periods you can leave if you like, 

and nobody will try and stop you. During the day you'll be able to do 

anything you like, even get a job if you're so inclined. That's it, in a 

nutshell. There are some other details, but that's the meat of it."

	"I see." Melinda said. "That's what you told me on the phone. I don't 

have any problems with that."

	"Melinda, I want to make absolutely sure you understand what I'm 

offering you. You strike me as the kind of lady who lets herself be 

bullied into things she'd rather not do. Please, for both our sakes, be sure 

this is what you want."

	"I was the one who answered your ad." Melinda pointed out. "I 

appreciate your consideration, master, but I'm here because I really want 

to be here. You aren't pushing me into this."

	"Mei, could you let us talk privately for a few minutes?" I asked the 

chinese girl. She looked surprized, but bowed and left. There was a 

calculating gleam in her eye as she closed the door. She smiled at 

Melinda and was gone.

	"I want to ask you a question." I said. "Please answer honestly. No 

matter what you say I promise I won't be offended. Ok?" She nodded.

	"You realize I'm going to have sex with you tonight?"

	"Yes."

	"And that's what you want?"

	"More than anything." She smiled timorously.

	"You understand you'll be tied up?"

	She nodded.

	"Does that frighten you?"

	"A little." She admited. "But it excites me more. I can see myself in 

the ropes and it sends tingles through me."

	"It might not be ropes." I said. "It could be chains, or leather straps, or 

wooden stocks, or handcuffs. Or something even stranger." Melinda 

waited for me to go on.

	"You sent me a tape." I said finally. She tensed. "Tonight, I'm going 

to make your fantasy come true."

	"I don't know if I can handle that." She said after shivering.

	"You have until six o'clock to back out." I said. "Otherwise, it 

happens."

	"What if I back out?" She asked, not serious.

	"I'll give you a thousand dollars and wish you God speed." I said. "It 

should last you until you get your old job back."

	"I'll stay. But I don't know if I can go through with it."

	"Oh, that's no problem. I wasn't kidding, Melinda. Once we start, I'll 

force you. The bonds will be real, you won't be able to stop anything I do 

to you. Do you understand now why I want you to be absolutely sure?"

	"I'll do it." She said.

	"One more thing." I said, grinning. Melinda relaxed, thinking the 

interview was over. "I want to buy the clothes you're wearing. Would 

three hundred dollars be enough?"

	"Three hundred-" She gaped at me.

	"Ok, make it five. Is it a deal?"

	"Master, this outfit isn't worth more than fifty dollars!" Melinda 

protested.

	"Including the lingerie underneath?" I asked. She blushed and shook 

her head. "Well, then, you'll be making a healthy profit, won't you? Is it 

a deal?"

	"Why do you want to buy my clothes?" She asked suspiciously.

	"I want you to wear them tonight." I said. "They won't make it through 

alive. I was serious when I said that your possessions were off limits to 

everybody. Including me."

	"Seventy-five dollars." She said finally. "That's all the outfit is worth, 

down to the skin. Five hundred is too much."

	"Two-fifty." I countered, feeling like Gomez Addams.

	"Really, master. I'm serious. These clothes aren't worth more than 

seventy-five dollars. A hundred at the very most."

	"Done. One hundred dollars." I said. I pulled out my wallet and 

counted five twenty dollar bills and dropped them in her lap. She stared 

down at the money wordlessly. She glanced at me and slowly took the 

money and put it in her purse.

	"It makes me feel so strange." She said softly, staring at the wall. "I 

just sold you my clothes. It feels weird."

	"Good." I took her hand. "That feeling will make you enjoy tonight 

more, Melinda. Savor it. Now, let's get you settled in."

	I spent another hour introducing her to everyone. By the time we were 

through her room was ready. Everyone helped her unpack the trailer, and 

I had Rachel drive it back to town to drop it off. Her truck was the only 

thing we had with a trailer hitch.

	Melinda's car was an older silver Pulsar, the model affectionately 

described as "Darth Vader's lunch box". Although several years old it 

was in prime condition, as neat as a pin. I told Mei to bring up the estate 

car when she went over the ground rules, there was no reason to exclude 

Melinda just because she had her own car.

	When we settled to dinner Melinda was the center of attention. It made 

her blush all the way through the meal.

	"This is very good." She said, tasting the food in front of her. "I 

haven't had adobo since I moved out on my own." The Vietnamese girl 

beamed. There's no quicker way into Thuy's good graces than praising 

her cooking.

	"I made it especially for you." She said. Melinda looked puzzled.

	"But adobo takes hours to make." Melinda said. Thuy suddenly 

looked uneasy. Sensing guilty secrets Alima pounced.

	"Just how long does it take, Melinda?" She asked sweetly.

	"It always took my mother five or six hours. But I've only been here 

two or three. Thuy must know a faster way to make it." Melinda sipped 

her soft drink. She'd declined wine, being a non-drinker.

	"So tell us, Thuy, how did you manage it?" Alima closed in for the kill.

	"Trade secret." Thuy parried weakly. Sherry decided to join the game.

	"Gee, I wonder what all those boxes in the kitchen were?" She said. 

"The ones with Escalero Restaurant on them?"

	"Thuy, you had dinner catered?" Mei gasped in mock horror. "Our 

wonder chef actually went out and picked up something?"

	Thuy looked embarassed. The table exploded with laughter.

	"Well, I don't know any Phillipino recipies." The vietnamese girl 

finally said after the laughter died down. "I wanted to make Melinda feel 

welcome." Melinda blushed but managed to speak.

	"Thank you, Thuy. I'm looking forward to eating your own cooking 

very much."

	"Melinda and Thuy 1, Home Team zip." I said in the silence that 

followed. "Game called on account of terminal modesty. Hey Melinda, 

were you actually born in the Phillipines?"

	"No." She said, grateful for the change of subject. "But my parents 

were. They moved to America about two years before I was born. But I 

can speak Tagalog."

	"Tagalog?" I asked, curious.

	"The native language of the Phillipines. My family uses it almost 

exclusively at home." 

	"Hey, that's neat. Does anybody else know a language besides 

English?" I asked the table.

	Mei, it turned out, knew Chinese, which surprized nobody. Alima 

could speak a smattering of Arabic, Thuy knew a little Vietnamese, 

Rachel was fluent in Apache..

	I was surprized that Gina had a reasonable grasp of French, although 

nowhere near fluent. Sherry and I were the only ones who didn't know a 

second language. (I didn't count four years of high-school Spanish, since 

I'd forgotten almost all of it.)

	Dinner was a success that night. Melinda seemed more at ease 

although still quiet and reserved.

	When desert (a nice chocolate pudding), was cleared away I clapped 

my hands. Everyone looked at me.

	"Ladies, tonight we're priviledged to welcome a new member to the 

harem. May I formally introduce Melinda Orli. I would like you all to 

assemble in the living room please."



Continued in part 18