Oh God, please don't..."Beverly flipped down to the M's and found the number for Murray.It was right across the street just like he'd said. She dialed... the phone and after a couple of rings she heard a young girl's voice on the other end."Hello. Is this Linda Murray? Wonderful! My name is Beverly and I'm calling from Mr. Hyde's house. Are you very busy just now?... Oh... your parents are out and you're listening to some records with a couple of your friends. Well, honey, Mr. Hyde asked me to. The retailers on our list are large enough so that a manager can disappear into a storeroom for a while with no disruption of the business operations. They even allow clerks that same privilege, knowing that keeping me satisfied will result in a rave speech to the passengers on Lollypop's next visit.We docked in Acapulco. I left the ship and made my rounds, saving one particular jewelry shop, no more overpriced than any of the others, for last. First of course, I had called to make sure that. But finally went to her to console her.I was saying things like don’t cry and all. But she put head her head down and was crying. I said it will be OK. She said it was the same movie they were watching when her husband collapsed. She shifted on my chest and was crying. I kind of hugged her and told her to stop crying.She was still crying. She then lifted her head and kissed on my cheeks. I was like, OK. She again tried kissing my cheek but this time I was turning my head. The kiss landed on my. The (hopefully temporary) loss of her writing skills had nagged at Devon like an open wound that was painfully raked open and laid bare to the elements on a regular basis. Devon knew that, should her block become permanent, she would forever mourn her loss. It would be worse than losing Mamó, worse than losing a child, worse than losing a limb. It would be like losing a part of her soul, and Devon didn't want to contemplate how she could live her life without it.Devon traversed the hall.
Read More