Karen. I've been sleeping—or day-dreaming. Or maybe it's the middle of the night. Maybe she's asleep. Maybe she's gone.

Karen! She must be asleep. Or maybe she's dead. Or maybe there's a loose connection in the wiring.

Karen! No answer. Nothing but that deep, dead silence. Karen! Testing. Testing. One, two, three—Testing. Karen. Where are you? Can you hear me, Karen? Karen!

It seemed like several eternities before she answered.

"George?"

He would have breathed a sigh of relief, if he could.

I thought you'd deserted me. Were you asleep?

She laughed that soft, vibrant laugh. "I'm sorry. I just—stepped out."

That's okay, sweetheart. I'm all right. Forget it. But tell me about these things next time, huh? I worry about you when you're gone.

"You shouldn't. I'm a big girl now."

Hey! Is this being recorded?

"Of course."

Who listens to it?

"Oh, a bunch of doctors and medical students."

Any prudes in the audience?

"Not me," she laughed. "But there's bound to be at least one, anyway."

Okay, he said. He spent the next two hours telling bawdy stories.

A month later George knew he had grown to rely on Karen more and more.

In fact, he knew he was falling in love with her.

"Hi," she announced. Her voice sounded excited. "George, I just had a look at your body. It's coming along fine—in fact, it's bee-ootiful! I'll be with you in about ten minutes. Enjoy some music while I'm gone. Bye!"

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