Fantasy & Science Fiction, May 2007 by Spilogale Authors

Author:Spilogale Authors [Authors, Spilogale]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Magazine, 2012
Publisher: Spilogale, Inc.
Published: 2008-08-29T14:46:59+00:00

* * * *The next morning, Saturday, she remembered that the three of them had eaten dinner at a P. F. Chang's restaurant, how Ron, engaging as ever, had teased her about the threads of gray in her auburn hair, and Lynn had told stories of her fourth grade classroom. They'd ordered the monstrously large chocolate cake, split it among the three of them, and still couldn't finish.

Her life seemed to be going on without her, splintering off into a hundred different directions. Maybe she needed Prozac, she told herself. Or Valium. Maybe it was time to hibernate, or she should talk to a counselor.

But no. She was just letting her mind wander. All she had to do was pay closer attention to what was going on around her and all this ... confusion ... would melt away.

Just after lunch, Lynn dropped by to see Ally as she was trundling the lawn mower around to the backyard. Her friend parked her Ford SUV on the street and got out, long legs tan and fit. Her dark hair was caught up in a clip on the back of her head and she wore threadbare cutoffs. “Wasn't that Barry a card last night?” she said as she walked across the grass. “I don't know when I've laughed so hard!"

Lynn and Carl had brought a friend—a single gentleman her age—with them to Fuddrucker's, Ally realized. He'd had thinning silver hair and deep brown eyes half-buried in smile lines. He worked at the zoo with the hoofed animals, technically known as “ungulates,” specialized in zebras, and had been divorced for five years. She stared at Lynn, clutching the lawn mower's battered handle, unable to speak.

"He wants to go out with you.” Lynn waved a persistent fly out of her face. “It's okay that I gave him your phone number, isn't it?"

"Sure,” Ally heard herself say, though her voice trembled. Sweat soaked the back of her old T-shirt. “He was quite—charming.” And he had been, she knew now. How could she have forgotten?

"Who knows?” Lynn said with an affectionate smile. “This could be the start of something big."

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