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Amanda said, "I think this will be fine. Where do I sign the lease?"
That brought her alter to mind. "Will Selene be signing, too?"
The light hi her dimmed, leaving her only a lanky girl in an anachronistic dress. She pulled at a copper lock dangling down over her temple. "There's no need. The courts won't recognize us as separate people. What one does is legally binding on the other."
I was dismayed by the effect the question had on her. I forced heartiness into my voice. "Then let's drive back to the office and sign. Yon can move in today."
Driving down the mountain, I pointed out the villas and estates of
some of our celebrity citizens: actress Lillith Manners, novelist
ХFonest Jakovich, and our extraterrestrial, Gepbhal Gepbhanna. I
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was finally rewarded by seeing the light come back on in her. At the office I explained that the owner of No. 43 would only let the cabin until May. Was that all right with her?
"I hope m be gone before then. I'm just on holiday until I decide what to do with my life."
I raised my brows. "You've given up being hostess for yonr father?"
She lowered her eyes. "My father remarried last month. He doesn't need me any longer. But a woman of twenty-six ought to be leaving home anyway."
'Tin surprised there's any problem what to do. Your dancing has already won critical acclaim."
The light in her dimmed. "Selene is the dancer. I don't know anything about it."
"But if she knowsЧ" I began, then, as her light went out entirely, said, *Tm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you. I was just carious. . . ."
"Everyone is." Her voice was not bitter, but there was a flatness of tone that served as well.
I brought the subject back to business. "If you come to May and aren't ready to leave, 111 find you another cabin."
She tugged at the lock of hair over her temple again. "By that time, it will be Selene's decision."
My curiosity reared up again. The gossip columnists speculated a great deal about how Amanda and Selene managed their dual existence, but because neither personality gave interviews on the subject, it had to remain only speculation. The custody decision, however, was public knowledge. January to June had gone to Margot Randall, July to December to the Senator. It sounded like the alters might still divide then* year that way. But rather than distress Amanda further by asking about it, I bit my tongue and hurried out to get the lease from my secretary.
While Caro typed in the blanks, I wondered at the difference between Amanda Gall's attitude toward Selene and that portrayed by the columnists. They made it sound like kinky fun. Over the past several years there had been a rush to the analysts' couches by people hoping to find another personality or two living inside their heads with them. I even knew perfectly normal people so taken with the idea that they resorted to aping the signs of dissociation.
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Amanda was still very quiet when I took the lease in to her. I offered her myself and my runabout to move her luggage from the cabletrain station. She accepted, and while we collected the luggage, including a huge trunk that almost filled the car, I did my best to be kind and amusing. Finally, she started glowing again. I left her with the key, my telephone number, and a warning that, since the cabins on either side of her for some distance were empty, she should keep her doors locked. I also promised to call her the next day to see if she needed anything.
"Not too early, please?" she said. "I like to sleep late."
"Why don't I come over at noon? We'll have lunch somewhere and I can show you the sights."
She smiled. "That sounds lovely."
I lived on the Heliomere myself, just a kilometer away from Amanda's cabin. I don't sleep late, and the next morning while I was taking my wake-up walk along the beach, I saw no reason not to pass her cabin. I could take a brief look to make sure everything was all right, then come back for her at noon as agreed. I was enjoying the frosty bite of the air in my nose and throat and the surreal effect of the steam rising off the dawn-pink Heliomere when I saw Amanda running up the beach toward me, her hair flying long and loose around her.
My initial spasm of panic passed as I realized she was wearing an exercise jacket and shorts and only jogging, not running. She saw me about the same moment. She spun around as though to run away, then shrugged and waited for me to catch up.
1 thought you like to sleep late," I said.
She started walking. "Mandy does."
I almost missed the next step turning to stare at her. "You're Selene?"
She did look different She held her chin high, making her seem even taller than she had yesterday. Her eye contact was direct rather than through her lashes, and the color of her eyes themselves was less goldstone than the feral warmth of topaz. Too, despite her slow walk beside me, she radiated energy so electric it fairly raised the hair on my arm nearest her. Even her voice was changedЧhigher, firm, rapid.
"Are you in command today, then?" I asked.
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"No." She shook her hair back over her shoulders. "I don't take over officially until January. I just come early to exercise."
I raised my brows. "That's dedication."
"Trial's necessity. Without daily practice Til tighten up and my elevations will fall."
"Elevations?"
Without breaking stride, she kicked high over her head and grinned at me. "Elevations." Then she stopped and turned to face me. "Ill have to ask you for a tavor. Mandy doesn't know about my practice sessions. Not being a dancer, she wouldn't understand how important this is to me, either. She'd just be upset knowing I was here out of my time. So when you take her to lunch today, please don't mention you saw me."
I frowned. "If you know I'm taking her to lunch, how is it she doesn't know what you're doing?"
'Tin continuously aware; she's only conscious when she's out."
That hardly seemed fan' to me. As though she read my mind, Selene said, "I didn't plan it; it just works out that way."
She started walking toward the cabin again, leaning forward as though straining against an invisible leash. I could almost hear the crackle of contained energy within her.
"You won't tell her, will you?" she asked anxiously.
I thought about it a minute. There seemed to be no harm in Selene being here. "No, I won't tell her."
She sighed in relief. "Gordy, you're a friend. Well meet again."