<div class="floatleft"><div align="center">(https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cdc1/04s7432n614occi4g.jpg)<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Chloe Dawson<br/>  ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾  </span></span></div></div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>… order two espressos for us too … the cheesecake arrives with an understated raspberry swirl and three plump raspberries with a mint leaf garnish … all as elegant as one might find in any Michelin 3 star place … I take one tiny bite along with one of the raspberries and savor the delicate … savor that … a sip of the espresso …</em></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">  “So this wishing thing is all a part of the psychology of having a positive attitude. My undergrad Psych professor spent a whole class on what she called personal assertions. It goes at least all the way back to the Stoic philosophers who try to start each day with words to themselves about how they plan to live the day. I’ve been doing it ever since that lecture, usually just a tiny nudge about the day being wonderful and alive.”</span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>… Mother is frowning … I’m sure she’s recalling that Huguette cautioned me against teaching Kimmie … my remark though is true on many levels and Kimmie will learn those as she goes deeper and deeper into the mysteries … and such things as this repeated often enough by enough people have toppled empires … and elected presidents … as effective if not more so when driven by intense passion and hate and anger are such an easy commodity in our world today …</em></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>… impale the remaining raspberry on my fork and then take the tip … I’ve been working on the wish for a long time and the words still remain to be finished but now is the beginning of what I must do … ‘Peace! Now!’ … because men have been destroying our world and it’s gotten out of hand so women must rise up and take over because there is no other saviour available … the Parkland kids and their movement <br/> is on the same track … the alliance will be natural …</em></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>…  so with all my strength, I wish ‘Peace! Now!’ as I eat the tip with the berry … my sisters will help me regione the incantation … the core must be affirmative peace among among people and nations … people and nations and the planet … and it must be now because we cannot wait any longer …</em></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>… sit quietly and take another sip of the espresso … Daddy pays the bill though any of us could have except maybe Kimmie but Daddy does that in our family … our car is waiting outside and we pile in for the drive back to Becky’s … inside, I take Daddy and Mother aside …</em></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">  “I think Kimmie and I will head to the Condo. Daddy, please give her the paper she needs to fill out to work for Chloe Rulez. It’ll be faxed as soon as it’s done or maybe handed to you in time for your flight Monday. Let’s meet somewhere for brunch tomorrow and call our time together sufficient, okay?”</span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>… Daddy heads off to get the paperwork … Mother seems about to object to us taking time for just us …</em></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">  “Mother, Huguette will interrogate Kimmie better than anyone. If she finds flaws, we’ll deal with them. Okay? PLease? Kimmie and I need time and there’s precious little of that available. And yes, I deeply respect and fully accede to Huguette’s request. I will no longer accept adult supervision either, though your wise counsel and love will always be first in my heart.”</span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>…  squeeze her hand … she wishes us well … turn back to Kimmie … Daddy is handing her a manila envelope … tells her there’s nothing unusual except the non-disclosure … Aunt Becky hands me a garage opener … tells me to return it if she sells the house but keep it because she’d like us to have the house as a safe place if we need it … for one who is not of us and chose not to accept the invitation Mother offered, Becky has always been a wise woman …</em></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>…  I drive us home … Saturday night traffic hasn’t yet eased … finally back in the condo, I flop on the couch …</em></span></span><br/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">  “Damn Kimmie! That was an adventure I’d rather have done without! I am so wide awake and that’s not the espresso either!”</span></span><br/>