The Moment of Everything by Shelly King Read Free Book Online Page A

well-read and thoughtful opinions. And I can’t disagree with a single point any of you’ve made about the society and the social order and the book’s place in literary history. But I don’t think that’s why anyone reads this book, do you? It’s about the sex. I don’t think people were particularly worried about the social order when they banned it. They banned it because of the sex.”
    I looked down at Catherine’s note again. I placed my hand over it, as if shielding it from the plagiarism I was about to commit.
    “It’s about shedding one’s skin and being reborn through desire. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think that’s really something. Don’t you?”
    The room was still. But no one was looking at me. They were looking to Avi for direction.
    “That’s an excellent and insightful observation, Maggie,” Avi said. “Thank you. It’s a perfect lead-in to some discussion questions I’d like to pose to the group.”
    I turned to look at Dizzy, who was straining to hold in a laugh. His leg bounced like a jackhammer with the effort and the grin on his face threatened to burst open into actual guffawing at any moment.
    Just as she did before the meeting, Avi reached over and laid her hand on my arm. And she was smiling. I felt anointed. The Indian goddess of the SVWEABC had blessed me and accepted my offering. I would live a life of enlightened goodness and go forth and read the classics.
    Avi asked her book group questions and the responses were more positive this time around. I will have to say one thing for the members of the SVWEABC. They adjusted their trajectory in response to market conditions.
    After the meeting, Avi guided me through the room, introducing me to people who actually wanted to talk to me now. Everything I said invoked sparkling splashes of laughter, and I again floated on the current of a charmed life. It’d been a long time, and it felt like a thousand Christmases. Best of all, I’d somehow managed to misplace my cup of tree bark tea.
    When an opening presented itself, Dizzy nudged me over to the bar.
    “Holy shit on a Frisbee!” he said. “I don’t know what was in that tea, but holy shit! She loves you. Everyone loves you.” And then he stopped and leaned in close. “You know what this reminds me of? Remember our Microsoft pitch, how they started asking all these questions about user studies and I didn’t even know what they were talking about? Then you started telling them about this study and that study. They were in awe of you. Then we got in the elevator and you turned to me and said, ‘Now I’m going to have to go find studies that back up all that stuff I just made up.’”
    I slapped him in the stomach to shut him up.
    “This is the greatest day ever,” Dizzy said, downing his wine. I had a feeling I’d be driving us both home.
    With that, I nudged him in the direction of his wine buddies, because Avi started coming our way.
    “Maggie, why are you here?” Avi asked, pouring me a glass of cabernet.
    “Trying to suck up to you, so I can get my job back.”
    Avi laughed. Pay dirt.
    “Why do you want your old job back?” she asked. “Why not move on? That’s the way of the Valley.”
    That pitch at Microsoft with me and Dizzy was still in my head. I remembered what that was like, to be hungry for that big deal and to feel like we could do anything.
    “I started that company. Me and Dizzy and some angel funders. I know that software better than anyone alive, even the guys who wrote it. They know how each individual part works, but they don’t know how the whole beast moves and thinks. Ask any coder. There’s no price high enough for a power user like me. And the customers love me. What I did today in your living room? I can do that on any day of the week in any conference room.”
    Avi poured a glass for herself and took a sip.
    “Dizzy talked like a carnival barker to get you into this book group. Now I see why. Tell me, what have you been