64

GWENDY SITS CROSS-LEGGED ON the bed, wet hair wrapped in a towel, and hits SEND on the email she just finished writing. Once the modem disconnects from dial-up, she closes her laptop. A look of concern on her face, she swings her legs off the bed and starts to get dressed. She’s tying her shoes when the phone rings.

“Hello?” Trying not to get her hopes up.

“Gwendy, it’s Patsy Follett. I catch you at a bad time?”

“Patsy!” she says, excited to hear the congresswoman’s voice. “I just responded to your email.”

“And I just opened it and read it. Figured it’d be easier to call.”

“Well, how are you?” Gwendy asks. “Happy New Year!”

“Happy New Year to you, too. I was doing great until I talked to my friend in the Senate this morning. Then, not so great.”

“You really think we’re going to be called back early?”

“That’s what he said. Some kind of emergency session because of President Big Mouth and Korea. First time it’s happened since Harry flippin’ Truman.”

“That means there’s more going on behind the scenes than the news is telling us.”

“Evidently,” Patsy says with disgust in her voice. “I gotta admit this is the first time I’ve actually been scared the idiot’s going to get us in another war.”

Gwendy looks across the bedroom at the button box on the dresser. She walks over to it.

“I lose you, Gwen?”

“No, no, I’m right here. Just thinking.”

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