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"Oh, sa on Friday night, he’s always good for a laugh, and then I’ht She’s not irl can kiss like it’s an Oly," said Dr Lo, and slid her needle intoit firmly in place "Sally, don’t move"
"Yes, Dr Lo," I said
She continued as if I hadn’t spoken, asking, "Does Chuck know about Laura? And you do know that no one calls the admins the ‘steno pool’ anymore, don’t you? I’raphy pool,’ " I said, before I thought better of getting involved I wasn’t supposed to be a participant in this conversation Furniture, even furniture that soraphers used shorthand to take notes before dictation machines and personal computers were in wide use, and… uh…" I tapered off, finally realizing that Dr Lo was staring "Sorry"
"I taught her that one," said Sherman, with every indication of pride "And yeah, Chuck knows about Laura He doesn’t care irly side of the force isn’t worth chasing after As for Laura, she’s up for anything that coood times and doesn’t stiff her with the bill"
"You are a toet you hurt," said Dr Lo--but she was laughing, otten She reached for the tubing that she would use to actually directto Michelle froy, and she said…"
Her voice seemed to trail off as I focused on the deep red color of the blood that was filling her feeder vials, pressing itself against the glass My veins felt tight and swollen, like their contents couldn’t wait to escape from my body and experience the freedo evened out,away, until all that I could see was the red, and all that I could hear was the whisper of air passing through my nose and mouth I let ainst the black The sound offaded, replaced by the distant, steady drumbeat of one, drowning in the drums
"Coripped h not firh to hurt "Tiht, only to slu I was still in the chair in Dr Lo’s phleboton of her that reht elbow, dotted at the center with a spot of vivid red Soed to escape after all The rest ith the doctor, bound for labs and exaain
"You know, the first tione a little overboard with the fasting Now I realize the truth, and it’s no less bizarre You are the only person I have evera blood draw, you know that? It’s like the world’s weirdest useless talent"
"It’s relaxing," I said, and leveredI pressed a hand against et the room to hold still for a moment, or at least spinto fall over Or throw up Or possibly some combination of the two"
"There’s juice and cookies Sit back down and I’ll fetch the to bustle toward the rooerator, but it was filled with blood and tissue sas like juice boxes for lab rats Sherh to le, as I wilted there in the chair and waited for him to come back
Sher fun?"
"Maybe a little," I ader about a quarter of an inch apart, to show hi better" He cae of strawberry Fig Newtons My favorite "Drink this, eat these, and don’t coive a urine sample to the boys in the next lab after this, and then it’s alh, you’ll have a lovely barium treat before that"
"Is it cranberry flavored?" I asked, and sipped ood sign Like Gatorade, the better cranberry juice tastes, the more you need it
"No, I’m pretty sure it’s bariureater cause of science by downing the stuff, eh, pet?"
"Good for me" I opened the cookies Then I paused "Am I allowed to eat these before the bariu skew than a lot of vo barium on everyone’s shoes Besides, this is all a formality Now eat up"
That was all the permission I needed Sherman stood by while I drank the rest of my juice and stuffed cookies into my face The rooar doesn’t bounce back that fast--but I was close enough to pick upforward onto the floor Sher o Instead, he looked quickly around, like he was checking to see if ould be overheard