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Brrrrrrng。 Number eleven。 He waited。 As he did； his free hand drifted to the channel cue for monitor number 2； which was wired to the local cable feed。 He flipped through the channels with the sound turned down。
Brrrrrrrng。 WMAR from Baltimore was NBC as well； running about two seconds behind 'PAL。 WBAL； 11 on the dial； was midway into that Fess Parker classic； Climb an Angry Mountain； while Channel 13 was stuck on Senior PGA Golf。
Brrrrrrng。 They were Remembering World War Two on Channel 15； getting regional football coverage on 21； back to seniors' golf on 27； locked on the Firing Line on Hershey's public station； Channel 33。 The Home Shopping Network offered more junk to people who couldn't afford it； Poison preened on MTV； Marilyn pouted on Cinemax； HBO and Showtime ran simultaneous screenings of Aliens。 Normal； normal； normal。
Brrrrrrrng。 He was starting to feel like an idiot； holding this ringing phone to his head。 The smart thing to do would be to bug out of here； hop on his hog and motor home。 Fuck Laura； and most certainly fuck Kirk。 Fuck his job； if it came right down to it； although there was no reason in the world why it should。
He started to hang it up。
Brrrrrrrrng。
〃No；〃 he said； bringing the phone back to his ear。 If she wasn't there； going home would be worse than pointless。 Brrrrrrrng。 And then what would he do？ Drive around until he found her？ Pace holes in the carpet？ Micki was a wild card； the last time she blew into town they took off for two days； hightailing it to Baltimore； for chrissakes。 Did he have to check every park； every ice cream parlor； every goddam hospital in the tri…county area？ Put out an APB？
Brrrrrrrrng。 Bottom line： he didn't know where the fuck she was。 She knew he was here。 And as an added bonus； at least here he could monitor the situation； determine how crazy it actually was out there 。。。
。。。 though it struck him； through the next several rings； that there was nothing on the tube to corroborate the stories pouring in off the phones。 He flicked over the remaining channels； saw no discrepancies。 Between the big game； Outdoor Life； and the last ten minutes of Gone With the Wind； it was plain that the world could end and you'd never even know it 。。。
。。。 and suddenly there was a voice on the other end of the receiver。 〃Hello？〃 it said。 A woman's voice。
For the second time； he was surprised into dumbstruck silence。
〃Hello？〃 she said again。 The voice was winded； unfamiliar； and for one horrible； ludicrous second； his mind spun a wrong number； you got the wrong fucking number tape loop at him。 His voice； when it spoke； seemed to e from somewhere else。
〃Micki？〃 it said； way ahead of him。
〃Gary？〃 Yes。 Micki。 〃Thank GOD。〃
〃What？〃 Something in her tone sunk his lungs to his groin。 〃Where's Gwen？ Is everything okay？〃
〃Yeah； everything's fine。 She's right here；〃 Micki said。
And from behind her； Gwen's voice echoed his name。
Up until that moment； he'd been living in a state of extreme and emphatic denial。 No way could he possibly admit to himself how terrified he was； how pletely and utterly his life would be destroyed if anything happened to this woman or the beautiful child she bore。 No way could he admit to himself how astonishingly delicate was his entire world； how painfully mortal and frail。
How thoroughly it hinged upon that love。
And upon that love's survival。
〃Put her on；〃 he said； in a voice so thick it could barely pronounce the words。 〃Please。〃
Gwen still moved a little unsteadily。 All assurances aside…all understanding aside； as affirmed by the nurse upon her release； and by the sound of her baby's heartbeat…she still felt jittery and frightened and weird。 Of course。 She was pregnant； and therefore psychotic。
At the moment； she lived for the sound of Gary's voice。
〃Baby？〃 she said。
〃I'm here。〃
〃Oh； baby；〃 she said； voice tremulous with tears； 〃I'm so sorry I snapped at you 。。。 〃
〃It don't matter； darlin' 。。。 〃
〃Oh yes it does 。。。 〃
〃Oh no it doesn't。 Listen。〃 Was he crying； too？ No； just wired。 Taut。 〃Did you have any trouble out there？ Getting home？〃
〃No； but 。。。 〃 Hesitating a moment。
〃But what？〃
〃 。。。 but we had a 。。。 oh； God； I guess I had a panic attack or something stupid。 I was sh…sure that 。。。 that the 。。。 that S…Spike 。。。 〃 She couldn't even bring herself to say it。 She started to cry harder。
〃Let me talk to Micki。〃
〃NO！〃 she barked； quickly reigning herself in。 〃I…I'm fine。〃 The silence on the other end was palpable； frightening。 〃The people at the hospital said I'm fine。〃
〃Oh； great 。。。 〃 His voice trailed away at the end。 〃Fuck！〃 She could just see him： teeth clenched； fist clenched； struggling with his own posure。 Gary's fear always translated straight into anger； then pulled back to simple intensity。 There was nothing to do but ride it out。
〃Okay；〃 he said finally。 〃I want you to stay right where you are。 Don't go anywhere。 Just wait for me。〃
A deep； shuddering breath。 〃Are you ing soon？〃
A pause。 Then； 〃I'm on my way。 And listen。 You take real good care of yourself and Spike till I get back； you hear me？〃
〃Okay 。。。 〃
〃You promise？〃
She smiled； just a little。 Astounding。 〃Scout's honor。〃
〃I love you more than anything； darlin'。 You know that。〃
〃I know。〃
〃See you soon。〃
〃I love you 。。。 〃
He blew her a kiss。
And hung up the phone。
And the horrible thing was； the second he hung up； she knew that she was never going to see him again。 It made no sense； but she knew it was true。 Cold； terrible certainty flooded her core like the mournful peal of cathedral bells； filling her with its hollow sound。
Of course； she'd been sure about the baby； too。
And look how wrong she'd been 。。。
Gary stood by the console； the receiver still hot in his hands。 It was time to go。 Gwen was home； Gwen was safe； fuck everything else； bye…bye and sayonara； suckers！
So why wasn't he moving already？
Damn good question； he told himself。 The fact was； Gary couldn't just fuck everything else。 The fact was； Gary was a man torn between the urge to flee and the need to take care of business。 Not just any business。 Not business as usual； at any rate。
No； it was a very particular business that Gary had in mind。 The kind he couldn't leave hanging。 The kind he could only conduct face…to…face。
The kind with Kirk's name written all over it。
What are you talking about？ his rational mind screamed。 Gwen is home！ Get back there； idiot！
But the truth be known； he just couldn't。 It surprised no one as much as himself。 Up until the moment he'd heard Gwen's voice his priorities were clear and incontrovertible。 Find Gwen。 Find out what the hell was going on。 Then； and only then： get Kirk；
One。 Two。 Three。
The moment he'd spoken to her and knew she was safe and sound； however； the priority list had neatly flipped。 〃Find out what the hell is going on〃 retained its pivotal number two slot； it being central to the others and at the core of this entire situation。 〃Find Gwen；〃 being acplished； went to the end of the line。 He knew where she was； and she was staying put。
That left the new number one； with a bullet。
Get Kirk 。。。
〃No；〃 Gary told himself； 〃I gotta go。〃 He looked at his legs； as if expecting them to auto…perambulate across the control room。 〃I'm going now；〃 he reiterated； and took three decisive steps toward the door before stalling。
He couldn't。
〃God dammit；〃 Gary hissed。 Bile percolated like acid in his belly； demanding vengeance。 Demanding payback。 He had to go。 He had to stay。
Gary stood in the doorway； listening as the monitors relayed the flow of life as he knew it。
And waiting； just a minute longer。
For Kirk to e back 。。。
Thirty…Eight
There was a Rutter's Farm Store on Penn Street； just around the corner from the West Side Farmer's Market。 Kirk was pretty sure they'd have a pay phone he could try。 During the last fifteen minutes； driving aimlessly around town； he'd had a good heart…to…heart with his brand…new personal Savior； and while Jesus hadn't actually spoken； neither had he disagreed when Kirk suggested throwing himself upon Laura's tender mercies。
The entire experience； in fact； was religious as hell。 It had flensed him of his foolish pride； left him chastened and humble and ready to serve。 Now all he needed was a working phone； that he might plead forgiveness and a shot at his old job back。 At this point； he'd happily cover mall openings for the rest of his life。 No problem at all。 High school graduations？ Pooper…scooper repeal laws？ You got it。 Anything。 Anything at all。
Anything to spare him from the agony of defeat。
Kirk pulled into the parking lot and hopped out； left the engine running。 He didn't even notice the car that sidled up beside him at the curb。 He had his quarter in the slot and the number punched up in the time it took to blink。
When the prerecorded operator's voice came on the line； he nearly tore the phone off the wall。
〃God damn it！〃 he raged； frustration and fear going off in his guts like a napalm rain as hi