After the initial shock, the group decided to go ahead and clean the place before departing. The men did much of the loading, while the women made sure there was nothing left to attract undue attention from a scavenger. A mouse would have had problems finding a snack after they had finished. Bruce remarked that it was probably more disturbed by their just being there, and the bright lights, than the lack of food left behind.

All was ready and they went on up to the house. Another surprise came a few minutes after they got to the house. Royce had finished his last final exam that morning, and had cleaned his room out, loaded everything in his car, and driven home. As there was nobody at their house, he had surmised, rightly, that his family was PROBABLY at Billy and Cathy’s house.

Annie and Cathy were bringing in the last of the things from their car, and rushed over to greet him like a returned, conquering hero. Cathy, after kissing him several times, took the small parcel of things to the front door, and called to Robbi. “HEY, ROB!!! C’MERE A MINUTE, WOULDJA?” Robbi stuck her head around the door facing. “YEAH, SIS! WATCH’A GOT?” Cathy suppressed a giggle. “Got sumpin’ fer ya. HURRY!”

Robbi scurried to the screen door, and looked out. All she could see, right away, were Annie and Cathy standing shoulder to shoulder, blocking her view out to the fence in front. As she opened the door, they stepped apart, and she saw Royce standing at the foot of the steps, smiling up at her. She froze for a millisecond, not believing what was in front of her. HE WAS HERE!!! She let out a screech of surprise and delight, and jumped over the steps into his open arms, smothering him with kisses, and crying. The dream had come true. Royce was back in her arms. She had vowed to lay her cards completely on the table when she saw him, again, and now, here he was. Her wet face going all over his, kissing everything she could touch. Holding him so tight he had trouble catching his breath. He was holding her just as tightly as she was holding him. “OH, SWEETHEART!!! IT’S ONLY BEEN 10 DAYS, BUT, IT SEEMS LIKE FOREVER!!!” he told her. All the reply he got from Robbi was, “I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, SO MUCH!!!”

He was ushered inside, and received much the same greeting as he had from Cathy and Annie, in the yard. He hadn’t met Abe or Gail, and was introduced to them at once. It was explained that he was, in age, between Sue and Annie. Sue being the baby of the family. Abe shook hands first, then hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. Gail, however, touched hands lightly and pulled him to her, kissing him on the lips as all the other women had. He quickly noted that HE was the only one in the house that was wearing any clothes. This, with much help from the ladies, was quickly remedied. Cathy pushed him down on the sofa and undid his belt, and unfastened his pants, Sue and Annie had a leg, each, and pulled his pants off, while he raised a bit, and Gail drew his underwear down to his ankles, and laid them on top of the heap of his clothes, that was quickly growing next to the sofa. Lannie was behind him and pulled his shirt, and T-shirt over his head, leaning down to give him HER kiss. He put one arm around her head to kiss her better, and his hand cupped her breast, enjoying the softness he had felt so many times in his life.