One Degree of Separation by Karin Kallmaker Read Free Book Online

and then nodded. “Okay, I’ll back Ellie, too.”
    “Wait.” Ellie put her hand over the small pile of bills. “If you all pick me you’ll just get your money back. This is pointless.”
    “Then I’ll make it interesting,” Carrie said. “I’m betting on Marian.”
    “But I’m not trying.”
    Terry did her perfect Yoda impression. “There is no try, only do, young Skywalker.”
    “But I don’t want to do her.” Marian glanced around. “Seriously.”
    “There are lots of babies in the world that prove you don’t have to be actively trying to create something new.” Carrie shrugged.
    “It’ll make the bet worth doing.”
    “Guys?” Marian put her hand on her abdomen.
    “What?” Ellie snapped.
    “I’ve got cramps.”
    The napkins on the table ruffled in the collective sigh of relief.
    Ellie touched her cup to Marian’s in salute. “Thank goodness.”
    “Way to go.” Terry slapped Marian on the shoulder. She gathered up the bills and folded them into the napkin on which she had recorded their bets. “Carrie takes the long odds, so we have our-selves a horse race.”
    “I’m not mounting up,” Marian muttered.
    “This is the most politically incorrect thing I’ve done in ages,” Carrie said. She shook a wrinkle out of her long cotton dress. “Gaia works in mysterious ways, however.”
    “It’s okay,” Marian said. “Everything will be okay now.” She smiled, feeling serene for the first time in days. Then she recalled that she was wearing her new white cargo shorts. Typical, just typical. “See y’all Friday night.”

    Wednesday evening, June 4
    Feel better. Very settled now that I’ve made up my mind on the M.L.S.
    It helps not to be hormonal. I wish that the whole bleeding thing had an opt-out choice.
    School is going to upset my routine in the fall, but I hope not Thursday night dinner. It’s the one thing I know I can look forward to every week.
    Trombone chose the mocs today and Hill burped up more cotton. I should just pick up new underwear every time I go to the store. Maybe if I tell   Trombone that my old boots are my absolute favorite shoes she’ll choose them for her hairball gifts. Ellie has the short odds to land the new woman. Best of luck to her.
    Looking forward to telling HER and Amy tomorrow night about the M.L.S. HER will be pleased I’ve taken this step.

    “First, click the ‘Reset to New User’ button,” Marian said, trying hard not to sound as if she’d already said it a hundred times so far today. She had really wanted to call in sick except Eric would have skinned her alive for leaving him with Bill and new software to show every user. “After you log on, the timer will start over. It’s designed to help remind people that others might be waiting to use the Internet. And this button here will turn off the Internet filters.” At least this patron appeared to have the basic skills to navigate the new software. The older woman peered up at Marian over her glasses. “I don’t disagree that it is useful to have a way to make access to the computers more fair, but I’m not comfortable with anyone being able to know what I’ve been looking up while I’m here.” Marian agreed with the patron’s concern. “If you log out properly, the system will purge your user history for this session.” The patron two computers down asked, “But what if I want to come back to a site again? I don’t have anything to hide.” The woman bristled. “Neither do I, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to preserve my privacy. I’m planning a trip to Cairo and somebody could decide I’m a terrorist!”
    Marian said soothingly, “As a system, our library has decided that the patron’s privacy is more important than the convenience of bookmarks and even being able to look up books you’ve checked out in the past. Amazon.com knows more about your reading preferences than we ever will.” Marian did not want to get into a debate about the USA Patriot Act, at