At the exact moment when Cleo Hart stepped from the streetcar<br > she saw the sky bruise over. The suddenness of the change fouled her<br >mood， which had uplifted at the prospect of reuniting with Karen<br >Bermann， her dearest and oldest friend. Cleo hurried down the street<br >to the Harris Cartwheel and saw Karen waiting.<br > "Ten years，" Cleo said， rushing into Karen s arms. She pulled<br >away and looked into the sunny face of her friend， "Not a dent on<br >you."<br > Karen laughed， "And you still turn heads. Those guys are ogling<br > ~ y<br > ou haven t changed a bit. Miss nothing." Cleo slid two plastic<br >shopping bags into the comer of the booth the waitress directed them<br >to， and then tossed her jacket atop the slippery mound， "So how was<br >it， down there in God s country?"<br > Karen made a wry face， "We learned to navigate around the<br >shoals of religious opportunists， but their nonsensical censoring of<br >books， television shows， you know， it finally got to me. I felt myself<br >turning mushy and I warned Foster that we go or I go alone."<br > "And?" Cleo accepted a menu from the waitress.<br > "Thanks to Adam， we re here. When I see him I m going to plant<br >a humongous kiss on his handsome face for pulling a few strings at<br >Harvard."<br > "I didn t know he was nvolved， Cleo said.<br > i "<br > "Well， that s Adam， isn t it?" Karen ran her finger down the<br >menu. She looked up at Cleo and leaned toward her， "So， is Adam s<br >career side-lining you? Getting enough loving?"<br > Cleo regarded Karen for a moment before responding. The years<br >had not altered the soft mobility of Karen s face that now brimmed<br >With love. Cleo drew in a long breath.<br ><br >