Lee watched as Bailey came and left with his bundle of papers as instructed by Loretta. He turned to her, unsure of what to say. She was speaking to him like they already knew so much about each other. Maybe they did. As she continued to greet and welcome him it was like a sudden hard dawning. Everything that seemed sad, awkward, and out of touch was the future for him too. They were like each other, and it was hitting home. He tried to catch himself before he stared too long, before the fear and uncertainty permeated his features; but he couldn't stop it. It was a well of emotions that he had been pushing back and back but as she stood there speaking to him so plainly about it he felt a welling in him like he could just scream.<br/><br/>"Lor...Loretta..." He stammered and tripped over his own words as he looked down in disbelief at the books in his hands. "What has he done to me? To us?" It sounded so dramatic when his own words hit his ears and he quickly added lightness to his reply. "Whiskey. I um...actually prefer whiskey. i'm...from...the south." The facts he used to hide so deeply seemed extraordinarily plain in light of the things that were before him in the present.<br/><br/>------<br/><br/>Sallie loved coming to see Apollo and he always had a way of making her crash past her serious face into her beaming smile face with ease. "Apollo! Apollo, I'm well! And yes, Sebak is in town so I didn't dare come without him." Seeing Apollo before her now she knew if she had left Sebak behind, Apollo would have been dramatically crushed. Sebak would just have to endure politely. She never really understood how the Egyptian didn't just melt to the Toreador to begin with. Just watching him flirt so lusciously with Sebak made her heart thump a little harder.  Sebak could only flush pink under soft caramel colored cheeks. He didn't know how to respond to that other than to say, "Master Voss enlisted my assistance long ago, Mr. Apollo." On top of the awkwardness of Apollo's forwardness, Sebak often had trouble with the strange contradictions of American customs. Too close. Not close enough. Never touch this, never look at that. Always say this, but never on Sunday. So many rules and none of them followed suit. Sallie tried to coach him, but it was often in vain and Sebak would just give up in anger.<br/><br/>After a moment that seemed like forever to Sebak, Sallie came to the rescue. "Master Voss is doing well, but I agree, he's been gone for far too long. When he left, he said he's only be in England for a month, but then he sent Sebak over with a letter that he'd be going to India for a short visit and then returning." She sighed. "We miss him when he's away and we learn nothing new. I'm sure you miss him too. I would never say it directly to him, but I don't think it's safe when he's gone so long. The temple sits empty and just last night we had a guest ghouled right in his very room." She fed he lines with a touch of dramatic flair, unfolding the mystery as it were.