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Show Woodworth/l66 She feels again as if she has just awakened from a dream, her body is still paralyzed. Only instead of finding herself in bed, she is alone in the living room. Megan, unflappable Megan, is scared. Something is happening. Has already happened, maybe, only she doesn't know it. Yet. She imagines her mother unconscious on the bathroom floor, her father snoring loudly in the other room. It's a matter of time. Her mind surges forward, but her body refuses to act. She has to get there quickly. If she waits, it may mean that her mother dies, too. Her fault. She has to call Gary. She turns to the phone, picks up the receiver. S-fcops. He told her not to call him at home. They've got to have some respect for Karen. But this is an emergency. But it's nearly one o'clock in the morning. But she really needs to talk to him. If she calls him at home, at this hourg^ after he told her not to, he won't come. Won't ever come again. But she needs to use his car, needs to have him drive her out to Westfield. How else is she supposed to get there? And this is a matter of life and death. She begins to dial again. Stops. There's Rachael. He'll ask her why she didn't call Rachael. Rachael is sane. Rachael knows how to deal with Browning family crises.She pushes the button down, and dials Rachael's number. It seems like it takes ages for the number to connect. She counts. Five rings. No answer. Better give it longer, just in case Rachael is asleep. Waits until nine, then remembers. Sometimes, Rachael doesn't answer her phone. She pushes the button, dials the number again. Lets it ring once, then pushes the button, dials again. This time she lets it ring. Her sign that it's her, and that it's important. Still no answer. She sits through ten |