The store manager appeared to be closely watching her, probably to see if she was shoplifting, but that didn't bother her. It was better than going home. An hour passed and then another, before her neighbor came home, greeted the two men and the three of them left together. Relieved, Maggie paid for her purchases and went home. As soon as she was inside, she bolted the door, put the doorstoppers in place, and then went to a drawer and grabbed a spoon. She lifted the lid off her cottage cheese, and began to fill her empty stomach. At last, she pulled her computer out from behind the stove, hooked it up, turned it on, and sat down at her table.
She had three new emails, all of which were spam that obviously came from people unfamiliar with the English language. Sometimes, they made her smile. Maggie deleted them and then opened the chat room. Bronco was already there, just as he usually was.
Sissy3211: Sorry I'm late.
Bronco8881: I was about to send out the Calvary.
Sissy3211: Are they gallant as well as handsome?
Bronco8881: Probably.
Sissy3211: Next time, go ahead and send them.
Austin chuckled. While he waited for her to log on, he imagined all kinds of things that could be wrong - from something awful happening to her, to her just not wanting to talk to him anymore. He was relieved when neither was true.
Bronco8881: Do you realize that something might happen to one of us, and the other would never know?
Sissy3211: True.
Bronco8881: I've got an idea. Why don't you ask a friend to notify me if something happens, and I'll ask one to tell you? Deal?
Sissy3211: But with no personal information?
Bronco8881: If you insist, just a word about what happened. Sissy, I truly was worried.
Sissy3211: I didn't mean to worry you. I was late getting home and I have no way to let you know.
Bronco8881: You don't have a cellphone that lets you send an email?
Sissy3211: No cellphone at all. I hope to get one someday.
Austin didn't think there was anyone left in the world that didn't have a cellphone, except maybe in North Korea.
Bronco8881: More important things to spend your money on?
Sissy3211: Precisely.
Bronco8881: I understand.
Sissy3211: Bronco, I'm kind of worried. My boss gave me some spreadsheets to go over. I think it's the company's balance sheets. What do I do if I find something wrong?
Bronco8881: You're an accountant?
Sissy3211: Not really. That's the thing, why give them to me?
Bronco8881: Maybe she knows you're that smart.
Maggie ate another mouthful of cottage cheese.