«Certainly.» Dana heard her call, «Kemal, it's your mother.»
A moment later Kemal was on the phone. «Hi, Dana.»
«Hi, Kemal. How are you doing, pal?»
«Cool.»
«How was school?»
«It was okay.»
«And are you getting along all right with Mrs. Daley?»
«Yes, she's rad.»
She's more than rad, Dana thought. She's a miracle.
«When are you coming home, Dana?»
«I'll be home tomorrow. Have you had your dinner?»
«Yes. It wasn't too bad, actually.»
Dana was almost tempted to say, Is that you, Kemal? She was thrilled at the change in him.
«All right, darling. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night.»
«Good night, Dana.»
As Dana was getting ready for bed, her cell phone rang. She picked it up. «Hello.»
«Dana?»
She felt a surge of joy. «Jeff! Oh, Jeff!» She blessed the day she had purchased the international cell phone.
«I had to call you to tell you I miss you like bloody hell.»
«I miss you, too. Are you in Florida?»
«Yes.»
«How are things there?»
«Not good.» She heard the hesitation in his voice. «In fact, it's pretty bad. Tomorrow Rachel is scheduled to have a mastectomy.»
«Oh, no!»
«She's not handling it well.»
«I'm so sorry.»
«I know. It's rotten luck. Darling, I can't wait to get back to you. Did I ever tell you I'm mad about you?»
«I'm mad about you, darling.»
«Is there anything you need, Dana?»
You. «No.»
«How's Kemal?»
«He's getting along fine. I have a new housekeeper he likes.»
«That's good news. I can't wait until we're all together again.»
«Neither can I.»
«You take care of yourself.»
«I will. And I can't tell you how sorry I am about Rachel.»
«I'll tell her. Good night, baby.»
«Good night.»
Dana opened her suitcase and took out a shirt of Jeff's that she had taken from the apartment. She put it on under her nightgown and hugged it to her. Good night, darling.
Early the following morning Dana flew back to Washington. She stopped at the apartment before going to the office and was greeted by a cheerful Mrs. Daley.
«It's grand to see you back, Miss Evans. That boy of yours is wearing me out.» But it was said with a twinkle.
«I hope he isn't giving you too much trouble.»
«Trouble? Not one bit. I'm pleased at how well he's doing with his new arm.»
Dana looked at her in surprise. «He'swearing it?»
«Of course. He wears it to school.»
«That's wonderful. I'm very pleased.» She looked at her watch. «I have to get to the studio. I'll be back this afternoon to see Kemal.»
«He'll be so glad to see you. He misses you, you know. You go on ahead. I'll unpack your bags for you.»
«Thank you, Mrs. Daley.»
Dana was in Matt's office telling him what she had learned in Aspen.
He was looking at her incredulously. «The day after the fire, the electrician just goddamndisappeared ?»
«Without collecting his paycheck.»
«And he was at the Winthrop house the day before the fire happened.»
«Yes.»
Matt shook his head. «It's likeAlice in Wonderland. This gets curiouser and curiouser.»
«Matt, Paul Winthrop was the next one in the family to die. He was killed in France not long after the fire. I'd like to go there. I want to see if there were any witnesses to his automobile accident.»
«Right.» Then Matt added, «Elliot Cromwell has been asking about you. He wants you to take care of yourself.»
«That's two of us,» Dana replied.
When Kemal arrived home from school, Dana was waiting for him. Kemal was wearing his new arm, and it seemed to Dana that he appeared to be much calmer.
«You're back.» He gave her a hug.
«Hello, darling. I've missed you. How was school?»
«Not bad. How was your trip?»
«It was fine. I brought something back for you.» She handed Kemal a Native American handwoven satchel and a pair of leather moccasins she had picked up in Aspen. The next part was difficult. «Kemal, I'm afraid I'm going to have to go away again for a few days.»
Dana braced herself for his reaction, but all Kemal said was «Okay.»
No sign of an outburst.
«I'll bring you back a nice present.»
«One for every day you're away?»
Dana smiled. «You're supposed to be in seventh grade, not law school.»
He was comfortably settled in an armchair, with the television set on and a scotch in his hand. On the screen, Dana and Kemal were at the dinner table and Mrs. Daley was serving what looked like an Irish stew.
«This is delicious,» Dana said.
«Thank you. I'm glad you like it.»
«I told you she was a good cook,» Kemal said.
It was like being in the same room with them, he thought, instead of watching them from the apartment next door.
«Tell me about school,» Dana said.
«I like my new teachers. My math teacher is tight…»
«That's great.»
«The boys are a lot nicer at this school. They think my new arm is rad.»
«I'll bet they do.»
«One of the girls in my class is really pretty. I think she likes me. Her name is Lizzy.»
«Do you like her, darling?»
«Yeah. She's phat.»
