Part 59 (1/2)
Mish said to Jeannie: ”Can you tell which one this is?”
”Sure.” Jeannie looked at him and said: ”I play a little tennis myself.”
He grinned. ”If you only play a little little tennis, you're probably not in my league.” tennis, you're probably not in my league.”
”Thank G.o.d!” she said. She threw her arms around him. He smiled and bent to her face, and they kissed.
The cameras swung around to them, a sea of flashguns glitered, and that was the picture on the front page of newspapers all over the world the following morning.
NEXT JUNE.
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63.
FOREST L LAWNS WAS LIKE A GENTEEL OLD-FAs.h.i.+ONED HOTEL. It had flowered wallpaper, and china knickknacks in gla.s.s cases, and occasional tables with spindly legs. It smelled of potpourri, not disinfectant, and the staff called Jeannie's mother ”Mrs. Ferrami,” not ”Maria” or ”dear.” Mom had a little suite, with a small parlor where visitors could sit and have tea.
”This is my husband, Mom,” Jeannie said, and Steve gave his most charming smile and shook her hand.
”What a nice-looking boy,” Mom said. ”What work do you do, Steve?”
”I'm studying law.”
”Law. That's a good career.”
She had flashes of rationality interspersed with longer periods of confusion.
Jeannie said: ”Daddy came to our wedding.”
”How is your father?”
”He's good. He's too old to rob people anymore, so he protects them instead. He started his own security firm. It's doing well.”
”I haven't seen him for twenty years.”
”Yes, you have, Mom. He visits you. But you forget.” Jeannie changed the subject. ”You look well.” Her mother was wearing a pretty cotton s.h.i.+rtwaist with a candy stripe. Her hair was permed and her nails were manicured. ”Do you like it here? It's better than Bella Vista, don't you think?”
Mom began to look worried. ”How are we going to pay for it, Jeannie? I don't have any money.”
”I have a new job, Mom. I can afford it.”
”What job is that?”
Jeannie knew she would not understand, but she told her anyway. ”I'm director of genetics research for a big company called Landsmann.” Michael Madigan had offered her the job after someone explained her search engine to him. The salary was three times what she had been making at Jones Falls. Even more exciting was the work, which was at the leading edge of genetics research.