'What do you mean, we?' Nancy asked. But no sooner had the question left her lips than she saw a young woman come up behind her son and tilt her head back.
'This is Candee Taylor, Mom,' Jonathan said.
Nancy's mouth went dry. What she saw was a pixielike face on top of a well-developed female body. Her first thought was that she was pregnant. Being the mother of a teenager was like a high-wire act: disaster was always lurking around the corner.
'I'll be right down,' Nancy said. 'I'll meet you in the kitchen.'
Nancy made a quick detour into the bathroom, more to get her emotions in check than to attend to her appearance. She'd been worried about Jonathan getting into this kind of a problem for the last year as his interest in girls skyrocketed, and he'd become uncommunicative and secretive.
When Nancy thought she was prepared, she met the kids in the kitchen. They had helped themselves to coffee that she kept on the stove. Nancy poured herself a cup and sat on one of the bar stools along the central island. The kids were sitting in the banquette.
'Okay,' Nancy said, prepared for the worst. 'Shoot.'
Jonathan spoke first since Candee was obviously nervous. He described how Candee's parents were acting out of character. He said that he'd gone over there yesterday afternoon and had witnessed it himself.
'This is what you wanted to talk to me about?' Nancy asked. 'About Candee's parents.'
'Yes,' Jonathan said. 'You see, Candee's mom works at Serotec Pharmaceuticals in the accounting department.'
'That must be Joy Taylor,' Nancy said. She tried to keep the relief she felt out of her voice. 'I've talked with her many times.'
'That's what we thought,' Jonathan said. 'We were hoping you might be willing to talk with her because Candee is really worried.'
'How is Mrs. Taylor acting that's so strange?' Nancy asked.
'It's both my mother and my father,' Candee said.
'I can tell you from my perspective,' Jonathan said. 'Up until yesterday they didn't want me around. No way. Then yesterday they were so friendly I couldn't believe it. They even invited me to stay overnight.'
'Why would they think you'd want to stay overnight?' Nancy asked.
Jonathan and Candee exchanged glances. Both blushed.
'You mean they were suggesting you two sleep together?' she asked.
'Well, they didn't say that exactly,' Jonathan said. 'But we kinda got that idea.'
'I'll be happy to say something,' Nancy said, and she meant it. She was appalled.
'It's not only the way they are acting,' Candee said. 'It's like they are different people. A few days ago they had like zero friends. Now all the sudden they're having people over ... at all hours of the day and night to talk about the rain forests and pollution and things like that. People I swear they've never even met before who wander around the house. I've got to lock my bedroom door.'
Nancy put her coffee cup down. She felt embarrassed about her initial suspicions. She looked at Candee, and instead of a seductress, she saw a frightened child. The image twanged the cords of her maternal instincts.
'I'll be happy to talk with your mother,' Nancy repeated. 'And you're welcome to stay here if you'd like in our guest room. But I'll be straight with you two. No fooling around, and I think you know what I mean.'
'What will it be?' Marjorie Stephanopolis asked.
Both Cassy and Pitt noticed her radiant smile. 'Beautiful day, wouldn't you say.'
Cassy and Pitt exchanged glances of amazement. This was the first time Marjorie had ever tried to have a conversation with them. They were in one of the booths at Costa's Diner for lunch.
'I'll have a hamburger, fries, and a Coke,' Cassy said.
'Me too,' Pitt said.
Marjorie collected the menus. 'I'll have your orders out as soon as I can,' she said. 'I hope you enjoy your lunch.'
'At least someone is enjoying the day,' Pitt said as he watched Marjorie disappear back into the kitchen. 'In the three and a half years I've been coming here, that's the most I've ever heard her say.'
'You never eat hamburgers and fries,' Cassy said.
'Nor do you,' Pitt reminded her.
'It was the first thing that came to my mind,' Cassy said. 'I'm just so weirded out. And I'm telling you the truth about last night. I wasn't hallucinating.'
'But you told me yourself you wondered if you were awake or were dreaming,' Pitt reminded her.
'I convinced myself I was awake,' Cassy said angrily.
'All right, calm down,' Pitt said. He glanced around. Several people in the diner were glaring at them.
Cassy leaned across the table and whispered: 'When they all looked up at me, including the dog, their eyes were glowing.'
'Aw, Cassy, come on,' Pitt said.
'I'm telling you the truth!' she snapped.
Pitt hazarded another look around the room. Even more people were eyeing them now. Clearly Cassy's voice was disturbing people.
'Keep your voice down!' Pitt whispered forcibly.
'Okay,' Cassy said. She too could appreciate the stares they were getting.
'When I asked Beau what he was out there talking about at three o'clock in the morning, he told me, 'The environment,' ' Cassy said.
'I don't know whether to laugh or cry,' Pitt said. 'Do you think he was trying to be funny?'
'No, not at all,' Cassy said with conviction.
'But the idea of meeting out in the parking lot in the middle of the night to talk about the environment is absurd.'
'So is the fact that their eyes were glowing,' Cassy said. 'But you haven't told me what Beau said when you spoke with him yesterday.'
'I didn't get a chance,' Pitt said. He then told Cassy everything that happened at the game and after it. Cassy listened with great interest, especially the part about Beau meeting the well-dressed business types on the athletic field.
'Do you have any idea what they were talking about?' Cassy asked.
'Not a clue,' Pitt said.
'Could they have been from Cipher Software?' Cassy asked. She kept hoping for a reasonable explanation for everything that had been happening.
'I don't know,' Pitt said. 'Why would you ask that?' Before Cassy could answer, Pitt noticed Marjorie standing off to the side holding two Cokes. The moment he saw her she came over and placed the drinks on the table.
'Your food will be right out,' she said cheerfully.
After Marjorie had again disappeared Pitt said: 'I must be getting paranoid. I could have sworn she was standing there listening to us.'
'Why would she do that?' Cassy asked.
'Beats me,' Pitt said. 'Tell me, did Beau go to his classes today?'
'No, he's flown off to Cipher Software,' Cassy said. 'That's why I asked you about them. He said he'd heard from them yesterday. I assumed they phoned but maybe they came in person. At any rate he's off for an interview.'
'When will he be back?'
'He didn't know.'
'Well, maybe that's good,' Pitt said. 'Maybe by the time he gets back he'll be back to normal.'
Marjorie reappeared carrying the food. With a flourish she placed their orders before them and even gave their dishes a little spin to orient them perfectly as if Costa's were a fine restaurant.
'Enjoy!' Marjorie said happily before disappearing back into the kitchen.
'It's not just Beau who's been acting differently,' Cassy said. 'It's Ed Partridge and his wife, and I've heard of others. I think whatever it is, it's spreading. In fact I think it has something to do with the flu that's been going
