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own.”
    Mary looks indignant. “How come you never told me any of this?”
    â€œNever had a need to. Not the kinda thing that comes up in everyday conversation.”
    â€œGeez. Ya can say that again.”
    â€œMarguerite said I’ll be alright if I trust my heart over my head. Only the thing is, I’m not sure I know how to do that.”
    â€œThat’s about the only thing your friend’s said that I understand.” Mary sucks loudly at the bottom of her cup.
    â€œHow so?”
    Mary raps her breastbone. “This is where God lives. Right here. The answers are always right here, kiddo. You know that.”
    Frank shakes her head. “I can think an answer, but I don’t know that I can feel one.”
    â€œThat’s ’cause you don’t spend enough time practicing. You gotta slow down, take the time to learn what an answer feels like. It’s subtle, tiny at first, but the more you tune in to it, the stronger it gets. I promise, the answers are all there.”
    Looking at the dusty mountains Frank muses, “That’s the second promise I’ve had today.”
    â€œWhat was the first?”
    â€œMarguerite promised that if I keep my heart open my path will be clear, and that I’ll have help along the way.”
    Mary chuckles and pats her back. “This lady sounded cuckoo at first, but I’m startin’ to like her more and more.”
    â€œYeah, she grows on you like that.”
    â€œTrust your heart and everything’ll be okay—it don’t get simpler than that.”
    â€œEasily said,” Frank mutters, “but not so easily done.”
    â€œLike I said, it gets easier with practice. Are you trustin’ or drivin’ the bus?”
    Frank grins. “Mostly driving.”
    â€œHow’s that workin’ for ya?”
    â€œGot me here talkin’ to you.”
    â€œYa see?” Mary grins and rubs a palm over Frank’s back. “Relax, kiddo. You’re ready for a change. You really are. But don’t force it, let it come.”
    Frank narrows her eyes at Mary. “That’s what Marguerite said. You two been talking?”
    â€œNah. We’re just two broads that know a little more than you do. Am I gonna see you at the meeting Saturday?”
    â€œUnless I got called out.”
    They walk through the house arm in arm. At the door Frank pecks her sponsor’s wrinkled cheek.
    â€œI love you, Mary.”
    â€œI love you, too, kiddo. Love you, too.”

Chapter 6
    Frank isn’t particularly hungry but decades of odd hours have taught her to eat when she can. She gets a pizza and eats at Caroline’s while watching Stanford beat USC, again. Caroline still hasn’t come home by the time the game ends, so Frank takes a long swim in the condo pool. Because it’s late she has a lane all to herself and in the rhythm of strokes she forgets about her day.
    When she gets back upstairs, Caroline is in the shower. Frank slips in beside her. “Hey, you.”
    Caroline receives her nuzzled greeting happily if not wildly, and Frank proceeds undaunted. The water cools and Frank turns it off. Grabbing an oversized beach towel she wraps Caroline like a mummy and steers her, laughing, to the bed. Caroline is a Virgo, she doesn’t like messes, and Frank judiciously lays a second towel under Caroline’s wet head.
    â€œYou think of everything,” she marvels.
    â€œI try,” Frank murmurs, caressing Caroline through the damp terry cloth. Caroline tries to free an arm, but Frank says, “Uh-uh. I want you all wrapped up. Like an early Christmas present.”
    â€œSweetie,” Caroline protests. “It’s barely September and I’m bushed. Can Christmas wait at least until tomorrow morning?”
    â€œSure.” Hiding her disappointment, Frank helps extricate Caroline from the towel. “I’m gonna hang this up.”
    She takes her time in the