Not that one twelve-ounce Diet Coke can was going to make much of a difference. No, if she really wanted to cool off, she might as well go downstairs to the bookstore and try to do some work on her laptop. At least the bookstore had air-conditioning. And there was even food in the break room and an honest-to-goodness coffee pot.

She stood there for a while, battling with the decision of either staying at home and continuing with her book, or going to work. Finally she decided to do the former. So she took the day off to rest, it wasn't a big deal. She deserved to rest a...