Read Online One Degree of Separation by Karin Kallmaker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karin Kallmaker
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recognized the voice of that stalker, Ellie. Swear to freakin’ god, this town was tiny.
“You must be miserable, honey,” she was saying. There was an indistinguishable reply. “They’re your best friends. I don’t know that many single girls who are so tight with a couple without, well, being very tight with the couple, if you know what I mean.”
“I did not have that kind of relationship with them!” Liddy wanted in the worst way to turn her head and figure out who Ellie was talking to. It was a rather interesting conversation. But she was afraid if she did, Ellie would see her.
“I don’t think you did, of course. They define monogamy. Besides, you’re practically virginal.” Ellie made the other woman’s chaste sex life sound like a bad thing.
“Don’t, El. Not today. I don’t think I can be jollied into a better mood.”
The librarian, Liddy thought. Okay, Iowa City must be small if you trip over the town librarian everywhere you turn. She risked a peek; they were behind her and another line over. With luck, she would get out unseen.
“When Sandy and I split, you were the one who told me that life is change.”
Marian’s voice was low and harder to hear. “I’m sorry I was cruel. That couldn’t have been comforting.”
“It wasn’t.”
Liddy loaded her items onto the belt and dug in her shorts pocket for her billfold.
“I feel like I got hit by an anchor, Ellie. I just didn’t see this coming.” Marian sounded slightly choked and definitely sad.
Ellie’s tone softened. “It wasn’t comforting, but it was true. Sandy changed and so did I. Hemma and Amy are setting out to make some big changes. Our Friday evening meet isn’t going to be the same.”
“I don’t change. Why does everyone else?” Making small talk with the cashier left Liddy without the concentration necessary to continue eavesdropping. She forgot about the Days of Our Dykes conversation as she stopped to buy a cold soda, then rolled her cart toward her car. About halfway there she realized Marian and Ellie were off to her left. Marian gave Ellie a cheerless parting wave, then veered in Liddy’s general direction.
Picking up her pace, Liddy reached the Hummer quickly and dropped her bags in the back. She heard Marian’s bags rustle and realized Marian must belong to either the forest green Beetle to the right of her or the platinum Malibu to the left, all crowded into the meager shade. She didn’t know if she wanted Marian to recognize her or not. Fate took a hand when Marian stopped at the Beetle and had no reason to notice Liddy on the far side of the Hummer.
Liddy had her door open when Marian snapped, “Damn it all!” She stole a glance through the opposite window and saw Marian patting her pockets more and more frantically.
“Shit. Oh ... shit. Ellie has them. For crying out loud, what else?” Marian dropped the two bags she was carrying. “Not that I could even get in my fucking car with this gas-sucking monstrosity parked next to it!”
Then Marian kicked the Hummer’s rear bumper.
Liddy was so surprised she just stood there, blinking. It wasn’t as if Marian could hurt it. Marian kicked it again.
“Excuse me, but could you not do that—”
“Oh, hell!” They stared at each other, then Marian said, “I’m sorry. I can’t get in my car.”
Liddy saw that it was the truth. Damned Hummer. She’d been so jazzed from her workout that she hadn’t realized she was inches from the Beetle. “I’m sorry, too. I did park too close.”
“My friend has my keys. She’s halfway home now.”
“Can you call her on her cell? You could use mine if you need to.” She wondered if Marian remembered their earlier meetings.
Abruptly, it mattered that she did.
“She has a pathology about cell phones and brain tumors.” Liddy shrugged. “I’m sorry about your keys. Are you having a bad day?”
Marian nodded.
Liddy had only enough time to think, “This is what I get for talking to
“You must be miserable, honey,” she was saying. There was an indistinguishable reply. “They’re your best friends. I don’t know that many single girls who are so tight with a couple without, well, being very tight with the couple, if you know what I mean.”
“I did not have that kind of relationship with them!” Liddy wanted in the worst way to turn her head and figure out who Ellie was talking to. It was a rather interesting conversation. But she was afraid if she did, Ellie would see her.
“I don’t think you did, of course. They define monogamy. Besides, you’re practically virginal.” Ellie made the other woman’s chaste sex life sound like a bad thing.
“Don’t, El. Not today. I don’t think I can be jollied into a better mood.”
The librarian, Liddy thought. Okay, Iowa City must be small if you trip over the town librarian everywhere you turn. She risked a peek; they were behind her and another line over. With luck, she would get out unseen.
“When Sandy and I split, you were the one who told me that life is change.”
Marian’s voice was low and harder to hear. “I’m sorry I was cruel. That couldn’t have been comforting.”
“It wasn’t.”
Liddy loaded her items onto the belt and dug in her shorts pocket for her billfold.
“I feel like I got hit by an anchor, Ellie. I just didn’t see this coming.” Marian sounded slightly choked and definitely sad.
Ellie’s tone softened. “It wasn’t comforting, but it was true. Sandy changed and so did I. Hemma and Amy are setting out to make some big changes. Our Friday evening meet isn’t going to be the same.”
“I don’t change. Why does everyone else?” Making small talk with the cashier left Liddy without the concentration necessary to continue eavesdropping. She forgot about the Days of Our Dykes conversation as she stopped to buy a cold soda, then rolled her cart toward her car. About halfway there she realized Marian and Ellie were off to her left. Marian gave Ellie a cheerless parting wave, then veered in Liddy’s general direction.
Picking up her pace, Liddy reached the Hummer quickly and dropped her bags in the back. She heard Marian’s bags rustle and realized Marian must belong to either the forest green Beetle to the right of her or the platinum Malibu to the left, all crowded into the meager shade. She didn’t know if she wanted Marian to recognize her or not. Fate took a hand when Marian stopped at the Beetle and had no reason to notice Liddy on the far side of the Hummer.
Liddy had her door open when Marian snapped, “Damn it all!” She stole a glance through the opposite window and saw Marian patting her pockets more and more frantically.
“Shit. Oh ... shit. Ellie has them. For crying out loud, what else?” Marian dropped the two bags she was carrying. “Not that I could even get in my fucking car with this gas-sucking monstrosity parked next to it!”
Then Marian kicked the Hummer’s rear bumper.
Liddy was so surprised she just stood there, blinking. It wasn’t as if Marian could hurt it. Marian kicked it again.
“Excuse me, but could you not do that—”
“Oh, hell!” They stared at each other, then Marian said, “I’m sorry. I can’t get in my car.”
Liddy saw that it was the truth. Damned Hummer. She’d been so jazzed from her workout that she hadn’t realized she was inches from the Beetle. “I’m sorry, too. I did park too close.”
“My friend has my keys. She’s halfway home now.”
“Can you call her on her cell? You could use mine if you need to.” She wondered if Marian remembered their earlier meetings.
Abruptly, it mattered that she did.
“She has a pathology about cell phones and brain tumors.” Liddy shrugged. “I’m sorry about your keys. Are you having a bad day?”
Marian nodded.
Liddy had only enough time to think, “This is what I get for talking to
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