Gini suddenly got very serious. “Rob… ber.”
“Oh, don’t be sad. It worked out really well for me. I was adopted when I was ten and became Robert Young. I loved my adoptive parents. Unfortunately, my mom died when I was at Harvard.”
“Har… ver?” She cocked her head.
“That’s where I got my medical degree. They were older when they adopted me. And my dad was one of the first to live in the rehab unit. I really needed him to be there so I could be with him every day. Just like you, I could go there any time of the day and talk.
“We were just starting to try to find my birth parents when he died.”
“He… die?”
“Of heart disease. But I had so many great years with him. We went fishing a lot. Here, as a matter of fact.”
“Fissy.”
Robert knew they couldn’t stay there forever and was sad they had to leave the next morning. His work was piling up, and there were a lot of emails he had to weed through. But that was for another day. He was going to enjoy their last day there.
At ten o’clock he took his bottle of whiskey and cigar and sat at the table on the bedroom balcony. Gini was sweetly sleeping in the middle of the bed. He lit up and took a draw. The air was moist, but the breeze was cooling. He lifted his glass toward the sea, a toast to his new life. These were the greatest moments he’d ever experienced.
He opened his email. There were several from Franco, Ric, Catherine, and one from John.
John’s was the first he read.
Just for heads-up, a news reporter showed up yesterday asking about Gini. They asked for Virginia Anderson, which, as you recall, wasn’t how she was registered here. The receptionist is new so had nothing to tell him since there never was a Virginia Anderson here. He hung around today, too, but got no information from anyone. I thought you should know. Hope you are still having a great time. Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Oh by the way, I’m going to be a grandfather. Vicky is beside herself. I’ll have to say I’m a bit excited myself. John.
The other three were all on the same email string.
Dr. Young, I understand you and Gini are on your honeymoon. Someone leaked Gini has a brain injury. I am attaching a picture put on the internet. Please, be careful and take care of her. I will get my people on this to protect you. Franco.
Robert opened the image. It was Gini standing with the shuttle driver in San Diego. The driver was pointing. He knew it was Gini, looking so beautiful with her hair flowing in the breeze. Her dark glasses made her look like a movie star. The story read:
Virginia Anderson, a well-known political activist, was spotted in San Diego, California, with a new man. It had been reported she and Ric Santini, an entertainment director and local celebrity in Boston, Massachusetts, were together and expecting twins last fall. It appears she is now with a new man. We are trying to contact Mr. Santini to see who has custody of the children.
Robert was a little perturbed that Franco thought he had to send out someone to protect them. He was very capable of taking care of his wife. It was obvious the media had it all wrong.
Franco, aren’t you overreacting a bit? That could be a picture of Gini, but that definitely isn’t Dr. Young. I say let it rest. The news is all wrong here. Catherine.
We can’t let them get hold of her. They’ll make her life miserable and the doctor’s too. He doesn’t know the world of the paparazzi. Ric, figure something out here. Franco.
I’ll somehow get a picture of a woman looking like Gini with a couple of babies here in Florida. You’re right, Franco, we don’t want this to interfere with Gini’s recovery. Robert, I don’t know where you are, and I don’t want to. The fewer people that know, the better, but please be careful. You must protect her. Ric.
Good, Ric, that will take the hounds off the trail. Robert, don’t tangle with the paparazzi; they’ll eat you up. Franco.
I’m on it. Ric.
Robert took another puff on his cigar, then a swig of whiskey. He shook his head in disbelief. There was no way they could trace Gini to that picture or the man in it. He blew off the warning, insulted that Franco thought he couldn’t handle a few news reporters.
Then another picture popped up on his tablet. It was a picture of a younger Gini and Franco in what looked like a foreign country. The caption said:
Ms. Virginia Anderson is married to this man. They live in China. She and Ric Santini have split.
He laid the tablet on the table as more and more pictures popped up on the screen of Gini in Washington, DC, with Catherine and the ones in Boston of her and Ric.
In the back of his mind, he remembered Gini saying something about a man when they were in the market.
He continued to enjoy his whiskey and drawing in the cigar smoke. He would miss the easy life here. Okay, they’d had their difficult moments, but for the most part, it had been a wonderful week. He couldn’t remember the last time he had taken an afternoon nap, or run around in shorts with no shoes or shirt. He lifted one foot and looked at his bright red toenails. Would he ever have done that in the past? Never!
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see more things popping up on his tablet screen.
Before he called it a night, he looked at all the pictures. It was ridiculous
