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False Intimacy:

Simone's Notes:

Intimacy generally refers to the feeling of being in a close personal association and belonging together. It is a familiar and very close affective connection with another as a result of a bond that is formed through knowledge and experience of the other. Genuine intimacy in human relationships requires dialogue, transparency, vulnerability and reciprocity. As a verb "intimate" means "to state or make known". The activity of intimating underpins the meanings of "intimate" when used as a noun and adjective. As a noun, an "intimate" is a person with whom we have a particularly close relationship. This was clarified by Dalton who discusses how anthropologists and ethnographic researchers access "inside information" from within a particular cultural setting by establishing networks of intimates capable and willing to provide information unobtainable through formal channels. As an adjective, "intimate" indicates detailed knowledge of a thing or person.

They had William's funeral today. The soldiers still couldn't believe how he died. A superbug did all of that to him? That just makes things sound worse for everyone. The deities knew the cause alone.

"The virus is its final stages," Ella whispered in the balcony of the church.

"Yes," Syd said. "This why we need Janine's blood ASAP."

"But do we get her back?" Leon asked.

"Leave it to me," Ella whispered back. "I have just the thing." But right now, they had to deal with this funeral. Many whispers filled the church.

"But Bill seemed so healthy."

"All of this time and nobody knew the signs."

"Doctors couldn't do anything about it."

"But why?"

"Can his disease effect us?"

"Does Karen have it?"

"That's scary to think about it."

"What will we do when it hits?"

"What's going to happen to his wife?"

Don leaned over to Jim. "How's Tina holding up?" he whispered.

"Not so good," his buddy said. "She's not talking to anyone and she wouldn't even come to the door for three days."

"Ooo, think we should take her out somewhere?" Don asked.

"Like where?" Jim asked.

"Don't know, a sex shop or something," his pal said. Those words caught the attention of one of the female officers ease-dropping on them.

"What?" Jim asked. "We're talking about cheering up a friend here." The woman only sneered at them. The men turned to each other.

"We'll take a rain check on those plans after the funeral," Don whispered.

"Yeah..." Jim whispered back. They turned back to the casket up ahead. Tina sat in the very back still out of it. She wasn't there when William took his last breath. She now wished that she was. Maybe then she could tell him about the child they would've had. She couldn't even focus through most of the service. Karen sat in the front of the church. Did she even know about her husband's sexual past and his flings with Tina? Just wouldn't seem right to tell her. The woman had suffered enough. But what if she already knew? Tina's stomach did three turns just thinking about it. Good thing she hadn't checked her mail yet...

At therapy, Laurel found Susan standing outside smoking. The graduate student straightened up her appearance and walked out the open glass doors. Susan glanced up at her with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth.

"Laurel?" she asked. The other woman pretended to look surprised.

"I didn't know you smoked," she said. The target shrugged her shoulders.

"Old habit," she said.

"Ah, I see," Laurel replied. "Say, how is your therapy coming?" Susan's eyes began to dance a little bit.

"Great!" she said. "Edward is so good to me. He listens and doesn't look at my breasts." Laurel tried not to give her away her thoughts on her face.

"Really now?" she asked. Susan nodded.

"Yes," she said. "He really makes me feel like a human being." Laurel saw right through the lie.

"Is something bothering you?" she asked. Susan's right hand trembled for a little bit. She tried to think of a lie on the spot, but Laurel had already seen through it all.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" she asked. The other woman lowered her eyes.

"Am I that obvious?" she asked. Laurel gave her a little smile.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked. Susan gave the setting a quick look around.

"Not here," she said in one breath.

"Okay, let's take a walk as we talk," she said. Susan bowed her head as the cigarette between her lips lowered itself.

"Thanks Laurel," she said in a low voice. The angel side gave her a little smile.

"It's okay," she whispered back. The women headed into the city. Edward watched them in the air. He had just been given the signal to proceed with the next part of the harvest.

Next Book

Next Time: Damon, Ginny, and Edward all reflect on their thoughts on their paths and events of last night.