Read Too Much at Stake for Free Online

although not very much because that would violate my newfound priority of living in the moment." She sighed heavily. "Truth be known, I just don't know how we will survive the parting and the farewell to Bruno at the end of June."
    "Just enjoy every minute of what's left," Marc wisely responded. "And make sure that you keep enough Mountain Dew and snacks at home."
    "Don't you think Eric just loves having a big brother for the first time in his life? He's my baby, for heaven's sake, and look how mature and responsible he's becoming," Deb sniffed.
    "Sure," Marc agreed. "That kid is lucky enough to just float through life with ease."
    Deb seemed to be relaxed, sipping her fresh brew, but she suddenly turned to Marc and blurted out, "I want to go to Paraguay!"
    "Paraguay?" Marc responded apprehensively, putting down his book.
    "It's now at the top of my list of travel destinations. The pull is strong," Deb said dreamily.
    "That's not likely to happen any time soon," Marc responded, inserting a tone of realism into Deb's fantasy.
    Deb sighed again and put her dream for more travel out to the universe, as she had put so many other dreams and desires of her heart.
It'll happen,
she thought.
    Deb glanced down at her watch and jumped up. "I would love to sit here and daydream with you a while longer, but I need to call the office and let them know I probably won't be in today. I have to call Kris and ask her to set up an appointment for me. I have a court trial coming up next week."
    "The glamorous life of a divorce lawyer! Not another of those crazy custody battles, is it?" Marc asked sympathetically. "Those drain you so much. I don't know how you keep working with all those broken people."
    "Believe it or not, some of my clients are truly interested in improving their lives and receiving good service," Deb responded, "even if many of them seem indifferent or ungrateful or just so beaten down that they can't see their way clear out of the darkness."
    "Don't you ever feel like you're wasting your time?"
    "Of course I do. That's why I have all this nagging doubt about whether to continue. I just keep trying to be a torch-bearer, but sometimes it's just impossible to lead people who refuse to take off their blinders."
    Marc reached over and squeezed her hand. "Go get 'em, my dear light woman!"
    Deb walked into the kitchen and dialed the office on her cell phone. "Hi, Kris," she said loudly, over the laughter of teenage boys. "Sorry, but Marc and the boys are home today, and I'm not coming in. You can give out my cell number if someone really needs to reach me. I need a mental-health day. I want you to call the Thompsons and schedule an appointment with them to meet with me."
    "Together?"
Kris answered, the surprise clearly audible in her voice.
    "Not on your life!" Deb replied. "Be sure that they don't even get a chance to see each other coming and going, either. And thanks. You're a lifesaver."
    Deb snapped her phone shut and noticed the
Ashland Daily Press
lying open on the kitchen table. The headline caught her eye:
Death at the Tent.
    She continued reading:
Local and regional patrons of Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua were stunned to learn on Sunday of a grizzly discovery at their beloved Big Top.
    The body of an unidentified male was discovered in a roll of canvas on Sunday during the annual tent-raising. Due to inclement weather, the tent-raising had been postponed from Saturday until Sunday.
    "We went to lift the roll, found it to be heavy, and out fell a hand," said Phil Anich, operations manager for the Tent.
    Neither the name of the deceased nor the manner of death has been released by authorities. Sal Burrows, Bayfield County Sheriff's Department detective, is in charge of the investigation. He had no comment.
    "This is a horrible event, no doubt," said Carl Carlson, president of the board of directors for Chautauqua. "But the spirit of Chautauqua is strong. This tent show has endured many other tragedies in the past and will