Free Operation: Normal by Linda V. Palmer Page A

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Zach's little sister. Like he agreed that our lives were too unconventional and wanted better for
her. Why that bothered me I had no idea.
    I totally agreed.
    I considered what to do next. It was only eight-thirty, too early for bed. I couldn't think
of a thing I wanted to watch on television. So I got on Mom's PC and downloaded a ring tone for
Zach, even though I didn't need one to know when he called. I chose "Accidentally in Love" by
Counting Crows from Shrek 2 . Not that I really loved the guy, or anything. I'd just met
him, after all, and I didn't believe in love at first sight. But the spirit of the song seemed to fit
since he was such a nice surprise, and I couldn't get him out of my head.
    Once I got that done, I showered, pulled on my sleep clothes and crawled into bed,
where I retrieved my red diary from under the mattress. Absently, I unlocked it and flipped
through my lists to see if any needed updating. I decided to start a new one: Zachisms. I wrote
down the four he'd used tonight, smiling as I did so.
    I liked the guy. I really did. I liked the way he looked, the way he dressed, the way he
talked. I even liked the way he smelled, and getting to know him better was going to be so much
fun.
    Just as I put the diary away, I heard a soft thump. Thinking it must be Kayly, who
sometimes scooted up in her crib and bumped her head, I jumped up and ran to her room. Sure
enough, she lay with her curls smashed against the bed, but still slept soundly. I gently slid her
back to the middle of the mattress and straightened her blanket.
    For at least a minute, I just looked at her. God had never made a sweeter, more perfect
baby, in my opinion, or a luckier one. So what if her dad didn't want anything to do with her?
Mom, Zach, and I would more than make up for that in the years to come. And Kayly would
never lack for anything as long as the three of us were around.
----

Chapter Nine
House Hunting
    Thursday morning after I dressed and put on a little make-up, I picked up Kayly and
went downstairs to get a newspaper from the rack in the foyer. That's where I ran into Esme and
Adele, both of whom were apparently down there for the same reason.
    "Hello, girls," Adele said, kissing Kayly's cheek and then hugging me. She smelled like
bath powder, a soft floral scent.
    I smiled. "Hello. How are you ladies this morning?"
    "Just fine," Adele answered, her brown-eyed gaze penetrating.
    I saw her frown slightly and wondered if she'd picked up on a nervous vibe or two.
    "I'm better than fine," said Esme. "I'm ecstatic." She bounced from one foot to the other
like some little kid, which put her silver bun in jeopardy. Her hair was a little on the fine side, so
pins wouldn't stay in it. "I'm finally getting e-mail."
    "Go, Esme!" I exclaimed in surprise, sharing a high-five with her. "When are you
getting it?"
    "As soon as you pick up my computer at PC Station. I was just going to call you this
morning to see if you would. Roy ordered it for me online days ago, using my credit card. They
built it to his specifications--he's so smart!--and called me yesterday to say it was ready."
    Wow. Esme sure trusted this Roy dude, a pen pal that I knew her two grown daughters
did not know about. More than once I'd retrieved his letters for Esme from a post office box she'd
secretly rented.
    "I'll watch Kayly for you while you get it. Then we'll ask Buddy to help you bring it to
my apartment. You can hook it up for me. You do know how, don't you, dear?"
    "Uh-huh, if it's not too complicated. But there's no need to bother Buddy. Zach would
probably help me get it upstairs. We'll borrow Mr. Stanley's dolly." Mr. Stanley was the building
manager.
    "Who's Zach?" asked Adele.
    "A new friend of ours."
    Esme's pale blue eyes lit up; she grabbed my arm. "Boyfriend? Have you broken up with
that hunky Heath?"
    What! I caught Adele's quick smile and relaxed a little. "Heath's not my boyfriend,
Esme. You know that. As for Zach, he's just a guy Kayly and I are