time heâd gained a modicum of self-control, she was returning to the answering machine, wearing a very large, very long, pale-yellow T-shirt. No sooner had she switched off the machine than she walked to the window.
He held his ground. His pulse quickened, but he didnât look away.
Her shoulders were straight. Her arms hung gently by her sides. Though her face was in shadow, he knew the instant their eyes met. He felt it viscerally, that silent hello, and, counting on the force of brain waves, sent back his own.
How was your day? he asked.
Better now , she answered, And yours?
Likewise. Is your apartment very hot?
She trailed the flat of her hand down her neck. Yes. But I donât mind. Air conditioners are noisy.
There wouldnât be anyplace to put one here. Itâd be a shame to block the windows.
I agree.
You have a ceiling fan, donât you? I canât quite see.
Her fingers crept up her scalp, drawing the weight of her hair from her neck. I do.
Iâm glad. It helps, doesnât it?
Yes.
Why donât you get something to drink? I feel guilty sitting here with my beer.
In a minute. Her hand fell from her hair and came to rest lightly on her stomach. I donât want to move just yet.
But she did move, casting an abrupt glance over her shoulder. Only when heâd pulled himself from the fantasy did he hear a faint jangle. She looked back at him.
Itâs the phone. Will you excuse me for a minute?
Sure.
You wonât leave?
Nope.
He imagined he saw the faintest smile curve her lips before she turned and trotted to the phone.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
âFinally!â
Carolineâs heart skipped a beat. âKaren? Is it the baby?â
âNo. Itâs you! Youâre finally home! I tried you twice last night and then once earlier tonight.â
That explained the clicks on her answering machine. âWhy didnât you leave a message?â
âBecause it didnât work last time. You didnât return my call.â
Caroline felt duly chastised. âI was planning to call this weekend, when I had time to sit and really talk.â
âCan you talk now?â
Could she talk with her sister? Of course she could. I mean, enough is enough. When it gets to the point that youâre imagining conversations with a man youâve never met â¦
Arcing an apologetic glance toward the window, she drew out one of the kitchen chairs and sank down. âSure, Karen. Iâd love to talk. Tell me how youâre feeling.â
âFat and heavy and hot.â
âThat great?â
âYeah.â
âHowâs baby?â
Karenâs voice picked up. âKicking up a storm. Really hardy, says the doctor.â
âThat must make you feel good,â Caroline returned with a smile. âI wish I could see.â
âNone of us can see.â
âI mean touch.â
âEverybody touches. Itâs weird, Caro. Everybody touches. I mean, itâs my body, but everybody touches. You can touch. Thatâs okay. Obviously Dan can, and my friends, even the people I work with every day. But clients?â
Caroline heard the tension in her sisterâs high-pitched babble. âTheyâre envious,â she said, but the soothing words were far more than mere platitude. She knew what she was saying. She felt that envy herself. âYou have something they want.â
âI try to remember that when my back aches and my ankles swell to twice their normal size.â
âTwice?â Caroline chided.
âWell, maybe not twice, but close.â
âThatâs normal, Karen. So are the backaches. Maybe you ought to take it a little easier.â
âWith work?â
âMmm.â
âI wish I could. But Iâm just an associate.â
âYouâre a pregnant associate.â
âAnd the big boys are watching me closely. Iâll be up for a partnership in a year. If I canât
Tim Curran, Cody Goodfellow, Gary McMahon, C.J. Henderson, William Meikle, T.E. Grau, Laurel Halbany, Christine Morgan, Edward Morris