"Robert Reed - Treasure Buried" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

тАЬWell, thanks again then.тАЭ

Yet when he examined his surroundings тАФ the living room and dining room
and the faraway front door тАФ he saw nothing that reminded him of anyone except
Mekal. Things were clean, but the furnishings and wall hangings exuded maleness, a
faintly Western atmosphere, everything possessing utility and an indifference to
bright colors. The sole feminine touch was Cindy; she was dressed in a very
feminine gown, light and blue like her eyes, and more than a little clinging. Yet the girl
тАФ she looked like a college student playing a grown-up тАФ obviously didnтАЩt belong
here. She was alien. Wallace could see that much, so much so that he fought the
temptation to say, тАЬGet out of here! You donтАЩt belong here! Run!тАЭ

Their conversation continued, deliciously ordinary; and in the middle, without
any warning, Cindy assured him, тАЬHe thinks the world of you.тАЭ Then she winked,
just slightly. тАЬWhich is something for him.тАЭ

Mekal. She meant Mekal. Wallace didnтАЩt know how to respond, moving his
empty glass from one hand to the other.

тАЬYou help everyone in R&D, he says. тАШWallace is the intellectual grease for
us!тАЩ Actually, I think heтАЩs a little jealous, although heтАЩd never admit it to anyone.
Never.тАЭ

тАЬI suppose not,тАЭ said Wallace.
 тАЬYou know my husband. . . .тАЭ

To which Wallace thought: тАЬYou and he donтАЩt belong together. This is a
mistake, you two. All wrong!тАЭ

He felt it тАФ knew it тАФ almost shivering from the stress of keeping his
knowledge inside himself.

He wasnтАЩt thinking about love, even his own love for the gift. He was
oblivious to it. If someone had told him, тАЬYouтАЩre smitten, Wallace,тАЭ he would have
denied it, never sensing that he was lying.

And besides, love wasnтАЩt the point.

The point тАФ and no other seemed more important in the world тАФ the point
was that Cindy and Mekal were existing against the laws of nature. Marriages should
be working unions. The poor girl was chasing a fatherly figure, no doubt. And Mekal
was scrambling to regain his youth. It was a shame, he felt, and a little sad; and he
found himself frowning while Cindy said something about it being nice, company
coming like this, and she wished they could do it more often, and would he like
some more punch? Snacks? тАЬHelp yourself,тАЭ she told him. тАЬMake yourself at
home.тАЭ

тАЬCome see,тАЭ said Meiter. тАЬWe got it this morning.тАЭ

It was a month later, softball season finished and volleyball season starting;