Explanations

This is post 21 of Section V. To begin at the beginning, go here. Section II begins here. Section III begins here. Section IV begins here, and Section V begins here

Mrs. Mayfield shook her head and looked admiringly from Lizzy to Stephen. “She’s a darling. Aren’t you, angel? And you are obviously great with kids, Steve.” Lizzy took refuge behind Stephen, who briefly considered doing the same behind Bennett. “Professor,” Serena’s mother continued, in a lower tone, “Don’t you think this scene is just a little—adult—for a small child? Maybe you haven’t been before, but let me tell you, these—people—get up to some pretty X-rated antics.”
Bennett expressed a polite interest, and in an undertone, Serena’s mother filled him in on incidents of preceding years, thereby giving her daughter a chance to clarify matters with Stephen.
“What are you doing here? I thought your dad was—you know.”
“Just as you know as ever,” Stephen said. “We got lost. What’s your excuse? I thought you said you were, you know, open-minded.”

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