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"Good." She flipped around to engage the table as if none of this had happened. Those who knew her either loved her or avoided her. Often both. She was saying her hellos as Macaluso, evidently contemplating his navel, was nodding his head in denial. Marcus Macaluso and Shannon O'Brien. They were an odd pair. Of opposite physical construction, Shannon had her Celtic light freckled complexion, button nose, green eyes, straight rusty hair, in contrast to Macaluso's swarthy southern Italian countenance, almost Sicilian, with tight jet black wavy locks, a strong nose and deep set Abraham Lincoln eyes. Shannon followed her not too apologetic apologies for her impositions with, "Oooh, I like that song." Unforgettable by Natalie and Nat Cole was on the radio. "Sounds like they actually recorded it together." Someone opined that maybe they did with a ghostly gesture. "Connected across time and space," Shannon mused to the suggestion. "Hey, Mac," a familiar abrasive voice was calling from the next table over, " why don't you get that publicity machine of yours to highlight our neurosurgery program? Not just YOUR crap." Big doc Nathan Ivory puffed in his typical self important way, with cocky eyebrows folded and lips drawn down at the edges, shoulders giving the Well I'm waiting expectant rise to frame the subtle head shake of disapproval. One of Mac's kiddies had been featured on the news last evening, Child given the gift of walking, Channel 2 at 6 o'clock. The three minute feature described a twelve year old boy being carried by his sisters, unable to sit unattended. His bravery through surgery and grueling rehab was capped by video of him walking with a single cane. Another piece on that followed later