Sawyer stood aside, watching the glow infuse his friend's face. She took three steps to the nearest shelf, hand outstretched in a gesture close to rev...rence. She paused, inches from the first spine."I can touch them, right?" she whispered."You can have one," he said. "I told you I'd buy you another. Picking 'em up won't hurt them."Renee grinned, and in that expression you'd have never known she was a synthetic who had been mistreated her entire life. She seemed as fully human as anyone, and her. 4:45. Damn, damn, damn it was getting close now. She watched the second hand go around and around, part of her mind trying to stop it, part of it wanting to speed it along. Her mind was a mad scramble of confusion. 4:50. 4:53. 4:55. ONLY FIVE MINUTES! 4:56. 4:57. 4:58. 4:59. The long hand clicked over. 5:00 on the dot. Was she supposed to knock on the door? Wait for him? She couldn’t stand it any longer. She stood, straightened her skirt, and walked to his door. She knocked, very lightly. . .. I don't know ... An hour at a time?" You can combine as many hours as you like. Deal?" Ok. Done deal." Great! I'll draw up a simple barter contract if you don't mind." Sounds good. When do you want to start?" Humm, it's a bit past noon. How about coming over here about seven tonight for your first payment. When can you start with the rewire?" Tomorrow morning would be fine." Great! See you at seven tonight then."With that, Annette picked up her blouse and put it back on. She left her skirt. Ed and Chris had been dating for over two years, since just after Ed's sophomore year. Now, with Ed graduated and off to Stanford in less than a week, and Chrissy still with one year of high school left, Ed thought for sure she'd give him her virginity as a going-away present.Instead, she was breaking up with him."Why, Chris? Don't you love me like you said you did?" Oh, Eddie, of course I love you," she said, tears in her eyes. "That's why I think we have to do this. It's not fair for me to.