One Degree Of Separation Part 9

"No, really. I've had to cry like that. I'll take you to your friend's for the keys."

Marian nodded and gathered her bags.

"You'll have to climb in through my door. I'm sorry I blocked you."

All Marian said, when Liddy activated the slide out step was, "How useful."

"It's that or dislocate a shoulder climbing in."

Very quietly, Marian replied, "Dislocating a shoulder is not something I want to repeat, thank you."

Liddy would have asked more about that, but Marian turned her face to the window.

After they were backed out of the parking s.p.a.ce, Marian said, "She's in the Longfellow area."

"You'll have to point me the right way."

"I'm sorry. Head toward the university."

"That I can do. I have found even when I'm not looking for it, I always end up at the university."

"You could actually drop me at work. That's where I was going next. Ellie will drop off my keys if I leave her a message. I'm going to see her this evening, regardless."

Marian had presumed Liddy knew where her work was, so she obviously remembered her. Liddy felt oddly relieved. "Are you sure?"

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Marian nodded. "I'm so sorry."

"Stop apologizing."

"It's a bad habit."

Liddy turned toward the river and then stole a glance at her pa.s.senger. "Did you want to stop somewhere to tidy up?"

"Do I need to? s.h.i.t, I'm sorry. Of course I do. I look like a circus clown after I cry."

"That's a little harsh," Liddy offered, though the comment was somewhat true. Marian's eyes were puffy and red, and she had telltale blotches of pink across her forehead and cheeks. She looked unhappy, deeply unhappy. "You could dash into the Java House.

Coffee and a face wash."

Marian shrugged and Liddy had no idea what to make of that.

"Half the people I know hang out there, though it is early for the Friday meet."

"Then where? Oh-look. I live a few blocks up on North Dodge, so it's no bother."

"I couldn't impose."

"Why not?"

Marian shrugged. "Thank you, then."

Liddy turned toward the house, then realized her offer meant she'd have to repark the Hummer in the driveway twice. She gritted her teeth as she waited for traffic to clear before risking the Scylla and Charybdis guarding the narrow entrance.

"Does it fit in the drive?"

"It would be easier without those posts."

"Why don't you park in the back?"

For a long minute, Liddy was torn between not wanting to appear incredibly stupid because she had no idea what the h.e.l.l Marian was talking about, and a fervent desire to learn exactly what Marian meant. Practicality won. "There's a, uh, back parking s.p.a.ce?"

"Didn't they tell you? A friend of mine dated the old owner, Marsha, who lives on Brookside now with her partner, Julie. Julie Y., not Julie S. Go up to the next street and turn left."

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Liddy followed the instructions, then turned into the narrow alley that ran between the backyards of the houses. "I drove down here once, but there's no gate. Climbing the fence wasn't all that appealing, and I thought I might get towed."

"The realtor should have showed you. Marsha had a party and everyone came in the back way because Dodge is so busy."

Liddy pulled into the cleared area behind her house. "This is my parking s.p.a.ce?"

"Sure. Usually there's room for two cars, but this one is, um, a bit large."

"Yeah, I know. It's a guilt gift from my biological father, heap big mountain macho man."

Marian nodded as if that made perfect sense to her. "The gate's buried under all that ivy. No wonder you didn't see it."

"Ah, the Hidden Gate. Sounds positively Jane Eyre."

Using bare hands, they stripped away a lot of the overgrowth.

Sure enough, there was a lovely gate. Now she realized that if she'd been out in the backyard she'd have seen the stepping stones embed-ded in the too-tall gra.s.s. Sheesh.

"Thank you so much-I was thinking of selling the d.a.m.ned car."

"Everything works out for a reason." Marian's heavy sigh was at odds with her philosophical tone.

"Your friend has your keys so I can find out about this gate? The universe can be twisted."

"Tell me about it."

They tromped in the back door and Liddy remembered her manners. "Do you have time for some tea or coffee?"

"I don't, actually, but thank you." Marian headed unerringly in the direction of the bathroom. It was odd to think of her being familiar with a house Liddy didn't yet feel comfortable in.

Liddy put away her purchases while she waited. Marian returned quickly, her face a uniform well-scrubbed pink. Liddy offered her the bottle of Murine she'd fished out of her still unpacked toiletries bag.

"It's bad for your eyes, but it's a special occasion."

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Marian hesitated, then took the bottle. She carefully squeezed in the drops and wiped her cheek. "I'm sorry to be such a bother."

"It really is a bad habit."

Marian c.o.c.ked her head slightly. "Oh, yeah. It is. I'm sorry, I'll . . .

Forget it."

Relieved to see the glimmer of a smile, Liddy shepherded Marian back to the car. She realized then that the pa.s.senger-side steps didn't seem as helpful as the ones on the driver's side, and Marian had trouble reaching the overhead grab bar. She nearly helped, then thought she hardly knew Marian well enough for even a dispa.s.sionate hand on the backside.

They were halfway to the library when Marian broke the silence.

"I'm not usually like this, just so you know. Rough day, that's all."

"Friends' moving can be traumatic."

Marian gave her a surprised look and Liddy flushed.

"Sorry, I overheard you in the store. I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

The lie, she was sure, had tinted her ears red.

"I was worried you were a mind reader, that's all." Marian sighed.

"It's hard not to have everyone know your business. It was a big adjustment when I first moved here."

"Where are you from originally?"

"Chicago. You?"

"San Bernardino, but I grew up in Berkeley."

Marian nodded as if she understood the vast difference, but somehow Liddy doubted it. "You'll get used to the close-knit com-munity. You lose some privacy, but there are compensations."

"I'm only here for a research project. Until end of July."

"Oh. Weatherwise it's not the best time to see I.C."

"I can't imagine the dead of January being much better."

"No, you're right. April and September are lovely. The colors are beautiful."

Liddy pulled into the loading zone at the library. Marian gathered her bags and opened the door.

"I really appreciate this. If I can head off the posse I will."

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Liddy laughed. "Okay, we'd be more than even. I'm not in the market. And I don't want to be in the market."

"Gotcha. Likewise." Marian arched an eyebrow. For the first time her hazel eyes held a smile. "The universe is twisted."

Liddy watched her walk toward the library entrance, wishing she'd had a moment to realize that if Marian wasn't interested in dating maybe they could, well, just be friendly. She had heard it was possible for two lesbians to hang out and not actually be dating.

Well, she reasoned, it was inevitable that she'd be in the library again soon. She abruptly realized that the prospect of another trip to the Iowa City Public Library wasn't the least bit unpleasant.

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