The guys at Theta Chi soon decided Thomas was like the house bug light, luring girls in droves, and started calling him "Zapper." Thomas thought it was funny back then. Not anymore. He didn't think anything was funny anymore.

"Pam still working part-time?" Thomas asked.

"Yep. Three half-days a week."

Just look at him-he'd basically gone into hiding. If it weren't for poker night, rugby, and his medical checkups, Rollo would never even see him. No matter how many times Pam invited him over to the house he always said he had to work.

That was a big part of what put him in such a rotten state of mind-Thomas's work. The sick mothers he met every day just gave him an excuse to keep his distance from people. Thomas used to talk about getting out of law enforcement and teaching and coaching rugby instead, but the last time Rollo tried to bring it up, Thomas changed the subject.

And God-the day he finally got the guts to suggest Thomas look into treatment for depression, he'd nearly been beheaded.

Rollo didn't know how to talk to him anymore. It was as if that day in his office six months ago had changed everything between the two men. The wall Thomas had erected since then made Rollo feel like a stranger.

Rollo saw Thomas giving him the eye through a puff of cigar smoke and tried to smile. "Want another beer, T?"

"No. I'm good."

Thomas had taken the news about his injury very hard, but what man wouldn't? Rollo would never forget sitting at his desk across from Thomas and Nina, seeing the hopeful look on their faces, just before he dropped the bomb on them.