18f44de3c41a3c8943c05e9ff1c1336f

ôUnderstandable. Norwell left a great career and relocated his family to get involved with Valina Fawn. If the site goes bust, itÆs his reputation and his future on the line. So heÆll want to distance himself as much as he can, and make sure his future employers know heÆs not to blame for the hack.ö

ôDo you think thereÆs negligence involved?ö I asked.

ôHard to say. And of course theyÆd never admit it. But if people are going to start suing them, the truth might come out eventually. And it wouldnÆt surprise me if they didnÆt take a few shortcuts when they built that site. Shortcuts that left a lot of peopleÆs private details very vulnerable indeed.ö

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That evening, I was happy to note that things were back to normal at Casa Kingsley. The couple were newly conciliated, and so were Tex and Marge, and even Uncle Alec and Charlene. Much to GranÆs disappointment, all three men had proved absolutely blameless, and the love light shone bright once again.

Odelia was looking at a site dispensing advice to expecting moms, and keeping Chase abreast of her findings.

ôDid you know that your boobs can grow up to two cup sizes?ö she said.

ChaseÆs eyebrows shot up. ôTwo cup sizes? Well how about that?ö

ôSome people seem to think that breastfeeding is a big no-no,ö she continued assimilating Dr. Google. ôThey say you should bottle-feed babies as much as possible.ö

ôAnd why is that?ö asked Chase, who was checking CNN on his phone.

ôFor one thing it might play havoc on your breasts. They might never be perky again.ö

ôI donÆt mind if you donÆt mind,ö said Chase. He gave his wife a grin. ôI like your boobies in any shape or size they come in, babe.ö

ôThe other reason is that some people seem to think that breast milk is bad for babies.ö

Chase frowned at this.ôSo the human species have been doing it all wrong for the past couple of million years? Who wrote this nonsense?ö

ôUmà One Marjorie Bricks from Massachusetts. She says sheÆs a licensed nurse.ö

ôWell, you can tell Marjorie Bricks that she can take her advice andùö

ôChase! ThereÆs kids around,ö said Odelia with a quick glance to me and Dooley, who were listening with rapt attention.

ôOh, right,ö said Chase, and patted our heads distractedly.

Harriet and Brutus now strode in through the pet flap, looking a little listless, I thought. Unfortunately their contretemps hadnÆt been rectified by OdeliaÆs findings. And so when Harriet hopped up onto the couch, miscalculated her approach shot and fell off again, instead of assisting his lady love, Brutus merely stood by and watched, a baleful look in his eye.

ôOh, lemon drop,ö said Harriet. ôDonÆt be like that.ö

ôLike what?ö Brutus grunted.

ôLike a big fat grump!ö

ôIÆll stop being a big fat grump when you stop cheating on me with a bird,ö Brutus rejoined.

ôIÆm not cheating on you with anyone!ö

Brutus now hopped up onto the couch and after having circled his spot thrice, as one does, finally lay down, still looking out of sorts.ôIÆll believe that when I see it,ö he grumbled.

ôMax, say something!ö said Harriet.

ôWhat do you want me to say?ö I asked.

ôTell Brutus heÆs the only one for me. And that no one will ever come between us, least of all some silly bird!ö

Brutus seemed mollified by HarrietÆs pleas. After all, how could he not? ItÆs not every day that someone pleads with you to believe in the purity of their intentions.

ôAll right,ö Brutus said finally. ôI believe you.ö

ôOh, thank you, Pookie,ö said Harriet.

Brutus smiled.ôIÆm sorry,ö he said, ôif I was being a big grump.ö

ôThatÆs okay,ö said Harriet. ôYouÆre my big grump.ö

ôOh, little monkey.ö

ôOh, snuggle bunny.ö

ôOh, sparky star.ö

ôOh, God,ö I moaned.

Just then, there was a strange sound at the window, and when we looked over, we saw that a bird was tapping against the pane with its beak. And when I looked closer, I saw that it was actually Jack the sparrow. When he saw that he finally had our attention, he drew himself up to his full heightùwhich was negligible I must sayùand started declamating loudly, ôHarriet, queen of my heart. IÆve written a poem especially for you!ö And before we could stop him, he cleared his throat, affected a strangely bleating diction, and trilled,

ôHarriet, IÆll marry it!

Harriet, IÆll love it!

Harriet, IÆll always be true!

Harriet, donÆt make me blue!ö

At the conclusion of this expression of his immortal soul, Jack took a bow.

Brutus turned to Harriet, eyes burning with righteous fury, then hopped down from the couch and strode off on a huff without another word, though his rigid shoulders and unnaturally still tail spoke volumes.

ôPookie!ö Harriet cried.

But Pookie was gone.

Chapter 8

It had already been a long day for Valina, and judging from the pile of work she still had on her desk, the day was about to turn into night with not a hope of a respite. Of course when you run your own business you canÆt expect to keep regular hours, but this was getting ridiculous.