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relevant message, and the girls here, they want to hear what you have to say.” Allison went on. “We didn’t solicit this, and believe me when I tell you I had my reservations before I decided to call you, but I thought it was important.”

Kerry took a breath to answer, then she paused.

As though sensing an opening. “You don’t have to be at the whole reunion. I know that would probably be uncomfortable for you.”

“For me, or for the rest of you?” Kerry’s mouth twitched into a faint, wry smile.

It was Allison’s turn to be silent for a moment. “Well.” She said. “We’re not all that uptight.”

Kerry looked over at Mayte, who had her mouth covered by one hand and was watching her in fascination. “So, the senior class wants to hear what I have to say, huh?”

“That’s what they said.”

What would it take, twenty minutes? She could probably stop by there between packing and getting some dinner with Angie and after all, she had talked Dar into going to hers, now hadn’t she? Hypocrisy stunted your growth sometimes. “All right.” She said.

“All right?”

“I’ll stop by and give a piece of my mind.” Kerry said. “But let me just warn you, Ms. Barker — I take a lot less bullshit now than I used to.”

A sigh of what might have been either relief or resignation sounded on the phone. “Fair deal, Ms. Stuart. I’ll tell the committee.” Allison said. “So we’ll see you the night of the 10th. The get together starts at 8, we’ll have dinner, then the speakers.”

“Okay.” Kerry gave in, with a bemused shrug. “See you then. Bye.” She waited for the click on the other end, then she closed her phone and leaned over Mayte’s desk to punch her phone pad.

A ring, then Dar’s voice growled through the speaker. “Yes, Mayte?”

“Sorry, honey, it’s just me.”

Dar chuckled softly.

“Do me a favor?” Kerry tapped her cell phone against her jaw.

“Sure.”

“Turn around and look out the window and tell me if it’s snowing.”

There was a moment of dead silence on the phone, then the squeak of Dar’s chair sounded clearly. Kerry waited patiently, listening to soft scuffles and sounds of the air conditioning cycling on and off. “The window behind you, hon.”

“Is it SNOWING?”

The answer came right in her ear, accompanied by the sudden warmth of Dar’s body against her shoulder, making her jump nearly off the desk. “Yeek.” Kerry cut off the intercom. “Well, after what I just got asked, it damn well should be.” She picked up her coffee. “C’mon. You won’t believe it.”

Dar followed her into her office, pushing her sleeves up after exchanging puzzled looks with Mayte. “I can’t wait to hear this.”

Mayte watched the door close, and went back to her work, muffling a smile.



* * *

“Ugh.” Kerry threw the mail down on the dining room table as she passed it, scrubbing her fingers through her hair as she headed for the back door to let Chino out. “Yes, honey. I’m coming.” She told her excited pet, who was whirling around in circles near the door. “Cheebles, you’re going to smack your head against the wall one of these days.”

She unlocked the door and watched the dog ramble down the steps into the small outdoor garden, then she headed back across the living room and trotted up the stairs to her bedroom.

As she entered, she glanced at the big doors leading out to the balcony, where the early evening light was still drenching the stucco surface. “I like summers.” She announced, as she stripped out of her business suit, hanging the skirt and blazer neatly on hangers inside her closet. “You still get home as late, but you feel like you’ve got some day left.”

Kerry changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, and retreated back down the stairs just as Chino came bouncing in from outside. “Hey Cheebles.” She knelt and gave the Labrador a hug. “Are you glad to see me?”

Naturally, the dog was. Chino’s tail wagged furiously as she licked Kerry’s face, only stopping when the blond woman stood up and made her way over to the cabinet that held the all important dog food supply.

“Gruff!” Chino sat down next to her bowl, tail sweeping the floor.

Kerry turned and put a hand on her hip. “Excuse me, madame?”

Chino’s tongue lolled out happily at her.

“Dar taught you that look, didn’t she?” Kerry had to smile, as the dog looked back at her with those utterly unquestioning brown eyes, as steadfast and honest in fact as her beloved partner’s were. “Little punklet.” She opened up the dog food and filled Chino’s bowl with both wet and dry, setting it down and watching her wolf it down. “Glad I don’t eat that fast.”

“Gruff?” Chino looked up at her, then went back to