[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Thinking of Melissa returning, seeing us thatway.When her hand relaxed, I let it go.It took a couple more minutes for herbreathing to return to normal.I said, "Should I call someone?""No, no, I'm fine." She patted her pocket."What's in the inhaler?""Muscle relaxant.Ursula and Dr.Gabney did the research on it.It's very good.For short term."Her face was soaked with sweat, the feathery bangs plastered to her brow.Thebad side looked like inflatable plastic.She said, "Whew."I said, "Can I get you some water?""No, no, I'll be fine.Really.It looks worse than it is.This was a smallone-the first time in.four weeks.I."It was a tough confrontation."She put her hand to her mouth."Melissa!"Shooting up, she ran out of the room.I went after her, following her slender form down one of the dark spokes, to arear spiral staircase.Sticking close so as not to get lost in the huge house.The second man in his early fifties, I guessed was thickset but not flabby, alifelong athlete who'd stayed in condition.Heavyjawed and blue-eyed.Executive-cut black hair with gray temples, clipped gray mustache precisely aswide as his mouth.Seamed, ruddy complexion.Marlboro Man goes Country Club.He cocked an eyebrow and said, "Gina? What's up?" His voice was mellow andresonant, the kind that seems friendly even if it isn t.Page 102 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlThe stairway bottomed at a short hallway just outside a pantry as big as myliving room.We walked through it and into the kitchen, a banquet-sized galleypainted custard-yellow and floored with white hexagonal ceramic tiles.Therewere two walls of coolers and freezers, oiled butcher-block counters, and lotsof copper pots hanging from cast-iron ceiling racks.No cooking smells.A bowl of fruit sat on one of the counters.The industrial eight-burner stove was bare.Gina Ramp led me out, past a second, smaller kitchen, a silver room, and apaneled dining hall that could accommodate a convention.Looking from side toside, calling out Melissa's name.Getting silence in return.We backtracked, made a couple of turns, and ended in the room with the paintedceiling beams.Two men in tennis whites came through the French doors, holdingrackets and wearing towels around their necks.Both were big and well built.The younger man was in his twenties, with thick shaggy yellow hair worn pasthis shoulders.A long thin face was dominated by narrow dark eyes and a cleftchin deep enough to hide a diamond.His tan had taken more than one summer tobuild."Have you seen Melissa, Don?""Sure, just a minute ago." Directing his gaze at me."Something the mat-?""Do you know where she is, Don?""She left with Noel-" "With Noel?""He was doing the cars, she came running out like a bat out of Hades, saidsomething to him, and the two of them drove off.In the Corvette.Something wrong, Geen?""Oh, boy." Gina sagged.The mustachioed man put his arm around her shoulder.Cast another searchinglook at me."What's going on?"Gina forced a smile and fluffed her hair."It's nothing, Don.Just aThis isDr.Delaware.The psychologist I told you about.He and I were trying to talkto Melissa about college and she got upset.I'm sure it'll blow over.He held her arm, pursed his lips in a way that made his mustache peak in themiddle, and arched his eyebrows again.Strong and silent.Another one to the camera born Gina said, "Doctor, this is my husband, DonaldRamp.Don, Dr.Alex Delaware.""Pleased to meet you." Ramp extended a big hard hand and we shook briefly.Theyounger man had retreated to a corner of the room.Ramp said, "They can't have gotten too far, Geen.If you'd like, I can goPage 103 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlafter them, see if I can haul "em back."Gina said, "No, it's okay, Don." She touched his cheek."The price of livingwith a teenager, darling.Anyway, I'm sure she'll be back fairly soon maybethey just went to get gas."The younger man was examining a jade bowl with a fascination too intense to begenuine.Lifting it, putting it down, lifting it again.Gina turned to him."How are you today, Todd?"The bowl descended and stayed put."Great, Mrs.Ramp.And you?""Muddling along, Todd.How did Don do today?"The blond man gave her a toothpaste-ad smile and said, "He's got the moves.All he needs is to work."Ramp groaned and stretched."These old bones rebel against work."Turning to me: "Doctor, this is Todd Nyquist.My trainer, tennis coach, andall-around Grand Inquisitor."Nyquist grinned and touched one finger to his temple."Doctor."Ramp said, "Not only do I suffer, I pay for it."Obligatory smiles all around.Ramp looked at his wife."You sure there's nothing I can do, honey?""No, Don.We'll just wait.They're bound to be back soon.Noel's not finished yet, is he?"Ramp looked out the doors, toward the cobbled courtyard."Doesn't look like it.The Isotta and the Delahaye are both due for a wax andall he's been doing so far is washing.""Okay," said Gina."So they probably did go for gas.They'll be back, and thenDr.Delaware and I will take up where we left off.You go shower off, mister.Don't worry about a thing."Tight voice.All of them tight.Squeezing out chitchat like meat through agrinder.Tight silence.I felt as if I'd wandered into the middle of a collaboration between NoelCoward and Edward Albee.Gina said, "Drink, anyone?"Ramp touched his midriff."Not for me.I'm going for that shower.Good to meet you, Doctor.Thanks for everything."I said, "No problem," not sure what he was thanking me for.Page 104 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlHe used one end of the towel to wipe his face, winked at no one in particular,and began walking off.Then he stopped, looked over his shoulder at Nyquist [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Thinking of Melissa returning, seeing us thatway.When her hand relaxed, I let it go.It took a couple more minutes for herbreathing to return to normal.I said, "Should I call someone?""No, no, I'm fine." She patted her pocket."What's in the inhaler?""Muscle relaxant.Ursula and Dr.Gabney did the research on it.It's very good.For short term."Her face was soaked with sweat, the feathery bangs plastered to her brow.Thebad side looked like inflatable plastic.She said, "Whew."I said, "Can I get you some water?""No, no, I'll be fine.Really.It looks worse than it is.This was a smallone-the first time in.four weeks.I."It was a tough confrontation."She put her hand to her mouth."Melissa!"Shooting up, she ran out of the room.I went after her, following her slender form down one of the dark spokes, to arear spiral staircase.Sticking close so as not to get lost in the huge house.The second man in his early fifties, I guessed was thickset but not flabby, alifelong athlete who'd stayed in condition.Heavyjawed and blue-eyed.Executive-cut black hair with gray temples, clipped gray mustache precisely aswide as his mouth.Seamed, ruddy complexion.Marlboro Man goes Country Club.He cocked an eyebrow and said, "Gina? What's up?" His voice was mellow andresonant, the kind that seems friendly even if it isn t.Page 102 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlThe stairway bottomed at a short hallway just outside a pantry as big as myliving room.We walked through it and into the kitchen, a banquet-sized galleypainted custard-yellow and floored with white hexagonal ceramic tiles.Therewere two walls of coolers and freezers, oiled butcher-block counters, and lotsof copper pots hanging from cast-iron ceiling racks.No cooking smells.A bowl of fruit sat on one of the counters.The industrial eight-burner stove was bare.Gina Ramp led me out, past a second, smaller kitchen, a silver room, and apaneled dining hall that could accommodate a convention.Looking from side toside, calling out Melissa's name.Getting silence in return.We backtracked, made a couple of turns, and ended in the room with the paintedceiling beams.Two men in tennis whites came through the French doors, holdingrackets and wearing towels around their necks.Both were big and well built.The younger man was in his twenties, with thick shaggy yellow hair worn pasthis shoulders.A long thin face was dominated by narrow dark eyes and a cleftchin deep enough to hide a diamond.His tan had taken more than one summer tobuild."Have you seen Melissa, Don?""Sure, just a minute ago." Directing his gaze at me."Something the mat-?""Do you know where she is, Don?""She left with Noel-" "With Noel?""He was doing the cars, she came running out like a bat out of Hades, saidsomething to him, and the two of them drove off.In the Corvette.Something wrong, Geen?""Oh, boy." Gina sagged.The mustachioed man put his arm around her shoulder.Cast another searchinglook at me."What's going on?"Gina forced a smile and fluffed her hair."It's nothing, Don.Just aThis isDr.Delaware.The psychologist I told you about.He and I were trying to talkto Melissa about college and she got upset.I'm sure it'll blow over.He held her arm, pursed his lips in a way that made his mustache peak in themiddle, and arched his eyebrows again.Strong and silent.Another one to the camera born Gina said, "Doctor, this is my husband, DonaldRamp.Don, Dr.Alex Delaware.""Pleased to meet you." Ramp extended a big hard hand and we shook briefly.Theyounger man had retreated to a corner of the room.Ramp said, "They can't have gotten too far, Geen.If you'd like, I can goPage 103 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlafter them, see if I can haul "em back."Gina said, "No, it's okay, Don." She touched his cheek."The price of livingwith a teenager, darling.Anyway, I'm sure she'll be back fairly soon maybethey just went to get gas."The younger man was examining a jade bowl with a fascination too intense to begenuine.Lifting it, putting it down, lifting it again.Gina turned to him."How are you today, Todd?"The bowl descended and stayed put."Great, Mrs.Ramp.And you?""Muddling along, Todd.How did Don do today?"The blond man gave her a toothpaste-ad smile and said, "He's got the moves.All he needs is to work."Ramp groaned and stretched."These old bones rebel against work."Turning to me: "Doctor, this is Todd Nyquist.My trainer, tennis coach, andall-around Grand Inquisitor."Nyquist grinned and touched one finger to his temple."Doctor."Ramp said, "Not only do I suffer, I pay for it."Obligatory smiles all around.Ramp looked at his wife."You sure there's nothing I can do, honey?""No, Don.We'll just wait.They're bound to be back soon.Noel's not finished yet, is he?"Ramp looked out the doors, toward the cobbled courtyard."Doesn't look like it.The Isotta and the Delahaye are both due for a wax andall he's been doing so far is washing.""Okay," said Gina."So they probably did go for gas.They'll be back, and thenDr.Delaware and I will take up where we left off.You go shower off, mister.Don't worry about a thing."Tight voice.All of them tight.Squeezing out chitchat like meat through agrinder.Tight silence.I felt as if I'd wandered into the middle of a collaboration between NoelCoward and Edward Albee.Gina said, "Drink, anyone?"Ramp touched his midriff."Not for me.I'm going for that shower.Good to meet you, Doctor.Thanks for everything."I said, "No problem," not sure what he was thanking me for.Page 104 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlHe used one end of the towel to wipe his face, winked at no one in particular,and began walking off.Then he stopped, looked over his shoulder at Nyquist [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]