*'Don't worry. I am not afraid of hospitals."
He drove back slowly, turning the air conditioner full blast on his face to keep him awake. The storm had ended, but there were puddles everywhere. By the time he reached the house, he could feel a hot humid day beginning.
Sheila came onto the porch when she heard the car. They spoke almost simultaneously.
"How is he?" she asked.
"How're the girls?" he asked.
"You talk first," she said.
"It looks pretty good."
"Thank God. We were all so worried."
He looked at his wife. There were a million things he longed to tell her.
"I love you, Sheila," he said. "Do you still believe that?"
"Yes," she answered, almost shyly. And put her arm around him as they walked into the house.
The girls were sitting on the steps in their pajamas.
"How is he?" Paula burst out.
"He'll be okay," said Bob. He sat down wearily.
"This is all my fault/' said Jessica. "When you were gone, I was the scaredest Fve ever been in my life."
"Me too/' said Paula.
"No, girls. It's nobody's fault but mine," said Bob. He wrapped his daughters in his arms and held them tight. He could feel their fright and confusion. "We're gonna be together," he said. "Always. Nothing will ever change that."
He felt a tender touch on the back of his neck.
"You're really exhausted, honey," Sheila said. *Tou ought to get some sleep."
Yes. He was almost numb. All he could feel was the emanations of their love.
"Go on, Daddy," said Jessica. "Mom's right." He nodded, kissed them both and started up the stairs, with Sheila just behind him.
She helped him off with his clothes and into warm pajamas. He could barely manage a thank you as he crawled under the covers and closed his eyes.
Sheila bent over and kissed his cheek.
"I missed you," she whispered, thinking he was already asleep. But he had heard, and, eyes still shut, reached up his hand, fishing for hers. She grasped it. He brought their enlaced fingers to his lips, hugging them, thinking, Please don't let go, Sheila. Never, never, never.
When he woke some six hours later, she was sitting on the edge of the bed with a cup of hot coffee.
"I've got to call the hospital," he said.
"It's all right," Sheila answered softly. "Dr. Shel-ton phoned while you were sleeping. He says the signs are good. His pulse is down and his fever is much lower." And then she added, "He's asking for you."
"Oh." And then he said, "Will you come too?" She thought a moment and then answered, "Yes.
In the next two weeks, while Jean-Claude was gradually regaining strength, Bob and Sheila came to visit every day.
One morning when Bob had business to attend to, Sheila drove to see Jean-Claude on her own. He looked uneasy when he noticed she was by herself.
"Fve brought the books you asked for," she smiled, sitting near his bed. *'Histoire Generate, Spider-Man and The Incredible HulkJ*
"You are very kind," he said.
She sensed that he was trying to convey something more.
"I'm very fond of you," she said, to show she understood.
He looked away.
"As soon as I am well I will go back to France," he said, still facing away.
"Of course not. You'll come and stay with us."
He turned and looked at her. His eyes were sad.
"\Vhen I came here, I did not know . . . who Bob was."
"Yes, I know."
"But you did?"
Sheila hesitated for a moment, then decided honesty was better than awkward diplomacy. "Yes," she said. "He told me."
"Were you angry with him?"
"Yes."
"Then you must also have been angry with me."
How could she respond to this? She took his hand.
"I suppose I was, at first," she said gently. "But now we laiow each other. Now we're friends."
He had listened very carefully. She could not tell if he believed her. At last he said: "You are very kind, Sheila."
Jessica no longer fought with Bob. She who had once been voluble and eloquent was now quiet and withdrawn. She spent a lot of time out of the house. Bob preferred to think it was a stage of adolescence and assumed—at least he hoped—she would get over jt. And he made frequent efforts at conciliation.
**Say, Jess, why don't we all go to the flicks tonight? I hear Silent Movie is hilarious."
''Sorry, Dad. I've got a previous engagement. A date, actually."
"Oh. Anyone I know?"
"David Ackerman," said Jessie,
"Oh-Ddvey. Oh. Nice boy."
There was only one movie house in the vicinity, a gray bam with ancient wooden seats and walls so thin that you could hear the ocean even during the Westerns. Bob took Paula and Sheila that night, sitting between them, with an arm around each. After the film, as they were buying ice cream cones, he caught sight of Jessica and Davey, walking side by side. Did she notice him? He couldn't tell. Anyway, he thought, I guess I should be pleased she's growing up.