wanted to know about Ginnyâs problems, yet she didnât like hearing about her being a . . . abnormal. Yet at the same time Laura was fascinated.
âIâm not sure even that I understand it myself,â Ginny continued. âI guess it was sort of the easiest way.â
âEasiest!â
âIn a way, I had no decisions to make, I didnât have to be alone and wonder what to do with myself. But most of all, my career wasâimportant to me. And Saundra is helping me.â
âYou would have made friends on your own.â
âHow many friends do you have, Laura?â
The question took Laura by surprise. She remembered her own thoughts recently about finding friendsâand she had lived in Los Angeles a long time.
âI see what you mean,â she acknowledged grudgingly.
âSure. Make friends, everybody tells you that. But call them up to go to a movie, and theyâre busy or too tired or some other reason. This is the most unfriendly town Iâve ever been in!â Ginnyâs voice rose.
Laura had never actually thought about that aspect before. She had her work, her business associates, and Walter. She had always believed that Los Angeles was a nice Western homespun, friendly little town simply because the publicity-happy chamber of commerce said so.
âHow about dates? Donât you ever go out with men?â
âOh, I dated several guys back home. But I was just drying my ears out here when I ran into Saundra. Those first few weeks were pretty busy, finding a place to live, getting used to the change.â
âUh-huh.â Odd how fictional life sounded, but Laura believed Ginny. Her own life, as a matter of fact, wouldnât sound very plausible.
âIâd never been with anyone like Saundra before, and, well, I felt kind of taintedâoh, thatâs the wrong word. I just didnât want to see anybody who wasnât . . .â
The unhappiness on Ginnyâs face, the misery in her choked tone, touched Laura deeply. Still, she could not dispel the momentary feeling that Ginny was âplaying to the gallery.â After Saundraâs scene it would be more than difficult to play it straight.
It seemed as if they would never get off the Santa Ana Freeway. It was a maze of steel and concreteâonce on it you were trapped. Following meekly in your little lane as other cars whizzed by, not daring to honk at the older cars in front of you . . . Goddamn it, Laura cursed mentally, Iâve a right in this world! I pay my taxes!
She switched on the lights and pulled out into the left lane with a burst of speed. âWhy didnât you tell me to turn on the lights?â
Ginny looked up with a trace of a smile. âI did, but you werenât listening.â
Laura slowed up and reentered the middle lane.
âYou started out to comfort me and listen to my sad story,â Ginny said with almost her old spirit. âWhat happened?â
Laura laughed self-consciously. âGuess the whole subject is a little out of my depth.â She reached for Ginnyâs hand. âHave you any plans now? I mean, after this afternoon you arenât going to keep living with Saundra, are you?â
âI donât know,â Ginny answered. âI donât know what Iâll do. I just feel so disjointed.â Ginny hesitated as if there was something more she wanted to say. But she didnât say it.
Laura automatically took the Harbor Freeway turnoff and was headed toward her own apartment.
Ginny frowned slightly. âYou donât have to put me up, you know. I could drive the car myself after you pick up yours. . . .â
âDonât be silly, Ginny,â Laura interrupted. âUnless youâd rather be alone . . .â
âNo. No, Iâd rather not,â said Ginny hastily.
âThen itâs settled. Weâll go get my car on my way to work in the morning, and then youâll be more in the