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thinking about Jack. Jack hated to be ignored. He’d always wanted her undivided attention. When she ignored him, he sulked. “Let me share something with you two. Men are just little boys at heart. And they can be trained just like you train a puppy. You have to be relentless, though, because men/boys have one-track minds. You following me here?” Nikki laughed uproariously.
    “What I think is that we’ve all had too much wine and it’s time for bed,” Alexis said. “Oh, in case you’re all wondering what my gown is like, it’s a mix of gold and copper. Slit to the navel, slit up to the groin, and backless!”
    “Damn,” was all Nikki could say.
    Alexis giggled. “My sentiments exactly. C’mon, let’s say our goodnights and hit the sheets so we can dream about what we’re going to do to John Chai.”
    “I believe you used the wrong terminology,” Yoko said. “The word you want is nightmare.”
    “Damn, you’re good, Yoko. Nightmare it is!” Nikki said as she swallowed the last of many glasses of wine.

Four

    Half a world away, as Charles and the girls were dressing for the engagement party in China, Myra Rutledge had her eye on the clock as she paced back and forth in the kitchen.
    “Myra, stop! You’re making me dizzy. They’re fine. Charles isn’t going to let anything go wrong.”
    “I know, I know,” Myra said. “My mind tells me the same thing but my heart tells me I should worry. Women have been worrying since the beginning of time. Why should I be any different? They’re in China, Kathryn. China is not a safe country.”
    Kathryn slipped her arms into her flannel-lined denim jacket. Murphy growled and then barked. “I don’t like leaving you alone out here at the farm all by yourself, Myra. We should have insisted that Isabelle return this evening. What the hell was so important that she had to stay in the city?”
    “I think it was a dinner meeting with someone who can help her get her license back. It’s so important to her, how could I say no? I’ll be fine. The dogs are here; I’ll lock up and wait for Charles or the girls to call me. The minute I hear something, I’ll call you. You have enough on your mind without worrying about me.”
    Something tugged at Kathryn’s heart. “I know this is going to sound off the wall, Myra, but how about coming along with me to Oregon? I’ll have someone else to talk to besides Murphy. You can ride shotgun with Murphy. Of course you’re going to have to get rid of the pearls and all that jewelry hanging off you. You gotta look like me otherwise I’ll get drummed out of the trucking business. Think of it as an adventure that you can tell Charles about when he gets home.” At Myra’s look of disbelief and indecision, Kathryn coaxed her further. “Come on, go for it! When was the last time you did something spontaneously?”
    Murphy pulled and tugged at the hem of Myra’s knit skirt. He stopped tugging for a moment to look up at his host and bark.
    “See! That’s Murphy’s way of telling you he wants you to come with us. This dog is so smart he makes me crazy sometimes. Shake it, Myra, we gotta get on the road. Have you ever been to Oregon?”
    “Ah, no, dear, I haven’t. Do you really…Whatever will Charles say?”
    Kathryn laughed. “I think he’ll say you’re a woman of many surprises. We’ll have fun. You can talk to some of my road buddies. I’m Big Sis. I can give you a handle. That’s what we call a name. You game, lady?”
    “You don’t think I’m…too old to be doing that?”
    “Hell, no! Creaking Granny, that’s her handle, is seventy-four and she’s still driving. You can talk to her when we get on the road.”
    Myra debated all of five seconds. “OK, I’ll do it! But I don’t think I have the proper attire. I don’t want to…to embarrass you, Kathryn.”
    “We’re the same size, Myra. Go up to my room and pick out some duds. Make sure you bring along a baseball cap. All drivers wear baseball