“Well, for purposes of our visit to our son’s new school tomorrow, I think we should style ourselves Mr. and Mrs.”
“Good idea.”
“After we see the school, we can run down to City Hall and pick up a license, then we can speak the vows at our leisure.”
“Listen, Stone, we have to be very careful, very private about this. I don’t want to see stories in the newspapers about us. That might make things difficult for Peter, if he has to start explaining his new name to people.”
“We’ll do it as secretly as possible, and let people find out as it comes up.”
“You’ll want Dino for best man, won’t you?”
“Yes. Whom do you want for maid of honor?”
“I don’t know; I’ll have to think about it. I don’t have a lot of girlfriends.”
“No rush.”
She stretched out in his arms again. “Arrington Carter-Barrington,” she said. “With a hyphen. Will you be Stone Carter-Barrington?”
“Ah, no.”
“Oh, all right.” She kissed him for a long time, then nature took its course.
19
S tone went down to the office for a few minutes before leaving for Knickerbocker Hall, and Joan buzzed him. “Seth
Keener on one,” she said.
Stone picked it up. “Good morning, Seth.”
“Morning, Stone. A couple of things: it seems the New York State legislature is going to pass a no-fault divorce law sometime soon. We have to decide whether to wait for that or go ahead with the present petition.”
“The present petition has been filed; let’s stick with it. It might even get resolved more quickly, because of the impending no-fault law; some cases might be withdrawn to wait for no-fault.”
“All right. The other thing: I’m hearing rumors that 60 Minutes is about to do an investigative piece on the island of Monoto.”
This was the Pacific enclave of the wealthy where Stephanie Fisher and her brother had run after looting the family firm. “What does that have to do with the divorce?”
“I’m not sure. It depends on how big an effect the program has.”
“I don’t think it matters what effect the show has. The petition is filed. If you know anybody who can rush it, that’s fine with me and, I’m sure, with my client.”
“Okay, I’ll get on it.”
“Does Stephanie know about 60 Minutes?”
“I don’t know.”
“If I were you, I’d wait for her to bring it up. No point in getting her upset now.”
“You have a point.” Keener hung up.
Peter and Arrington appeared in his office, Peter dressed in a sweater and an open shirt.
“Where’s your necktie?” Stone asked.
“The headmaster told me not to wear one.”
Stone shrugged. “Okay. Peter, for purposes of this interview, your mother and I have decided to style ourselves as Mr. and Mrs.”
“Whew,” Peter said. “That’s a relief.”
“In fact,” Arrington said, “Stone and I have decided to make that styling permanent, and quite soon.”
Peter smiled broadly. “Then I won’t be a bastard?”
“Peter!” his mother said.
Stone laughed. “I don’t think you’d better bring that up again, and especially not at the school.”
They got out of a cab at Knickerbocker Hall, which occupied a large building in the East Nineties.
“It looks very well kept up,” Arrington said.
“They must have a big endowment,” Stone replied. “I imagine we’ll be hearing a lot about that.”
“You mean, we’ll have to make a contribution to get Peter in?”
“Oh, I think they’ll be more subtle than that,” Stone said.
They climbed the front steps and made their way to the administrative offices. Someone took their coats, then Arthur Golden, the headmaster, met them in the reception area and introduced himself. “Peter and I have already met, of course. This is a good time for our tour, since everyone is in class. In forty-five minutes, the bell will ring, and all hell will break loose.”
He led them down the main hallway, and they peeked into two or three classrooms. “The classes are quite small,” Arrington said.
“We’re proud of that,” Golden said. “Never more than twenty, and more often, fifteen or so.” He showed them the science labs, which were impressive, then he opened a large door that led to the next building.
They saw a life art class, featuring a not-quite-nude model, and a sculpture gallery. Then they went through a door and emerged into the balcony of an auditorium from which all the seats had been removed. A set had been constructed, and a student director was speaking with a small group of actors.
Golden pressed a finger to his lips.
Peter hung over the rail of the balcony to get a better view, and they all watched the scene performed. Golden led them out into the hall. “That will be filmed later; they have to move the camera from another set.”
“You have only one camera?” Peter asked.
“Two are being repaired,” Golden replied. “It seems they’re always in the shop. And they’re not digital.” He led them through another door that led to a corridor containing a number of rooms that were used as editing studios.
“You’re still using Moviolas?” Peter asked, referring to the editing machines.
“We have a Steenbeck,” Golden replied, “but we need new equipment.”
After their tour they returned to Golden’s office, where they were offered tea.
“We’d like very much to have Peter as a student here,” the man said. “I’ve talked about his situation with some of the faculty, and we think that his time should be divided equally between film classes and courses from the university curriculum for the freshman year.”
“I’ve already taken most of those courses,” Peter said.
“I saw that from your transcripts, but we think you need more history, a philosophy course, and a language.”
“I’ve been tutored in French,” Peter said, “but I never had a course at school.”
“We’ll evaluate you to get a sense of your level, and go from there,” Golden said. He handed Stone an envelope. “Here is a schedule of our fees.”
“Peter,” Stone said, putting the envelope into a pocket, “is Knickerbocker your choice?”
“Oh, yes, sir!” Peter said. “It certainly is.”
“Then you may join us at the beginning of the next semester, in January,” Golden said, “and we look forward to having you as a student, Peter.”
Everyone shook hands, and on the way out Golden said to Stone and Arrington, “Frankly, considering what I’ve seen of Peter and his record, I’m not sure how long we can hold on to him before he’ll be going to Yale.”
S tone and Arrington left Peter at the house, then took a cab down to City Hall, where they stood in line for a marriage license. Stone saw a man with a camera in a corner of the room and stepped between him and Arrington. “Just act natural,” he said to her. “This will be over soon.”
