STEVVANS is the book I wrote concerning the lives of Jessica Storey, her husband Evan and myself, Francesca Fielding. It’s aim changed as I wrote it. Originally envisaged as a history of the Stevvans Foundation it refocussed as an explanation of what it means to be a Stevvan which once meant an employee of the Foundation but ultimately became the nationality of the people whose home planet is Safe-at-Last. To be a Stevvan is not as many non-Stevvans claim to be a member of a religious cult that is an offshoot of Judaism, rather it is to be a member of a large people with a clearly defined socio-philosophy, some of whom are of Jewish heritage, but most are not. The book includes conversations with various persons interspersed with factual information from many sources and of course my opinions on what I have recorded from elsewhere. Jessica has read and approved the work and what is here is nearly ready for publication, though the last chapter has yet to be written.

P.S. The last chapter is now written and at the end of the document.

N.B. I have clarified numerous events since their first publication. It was because I knew some of the facts would not be available for some time that the book has never been published in a hard copy edition, but only available from the datablock, the interstellar descendant of the internet. New information is uploaded as soon as it becomes available, so although nearly finished even now thirty years later strictly it must still be considered to be a work in progress and the date of any printed off hardcopy must be checked against the datablock document list of updates to ensure maximum reliability.

STEVVANS

Since I have been commissioned, to my great delight, by no less a personage than Jessica Storey herself, I refer to her as Jessica and not Jessie because Evan always did, to write up the history of the Stevvan’s Foundation, and furthermore have been told to write it in whatever way I consider to be appropriate, I decided to go back as far as I could and rely heavily on Jessica’s memories of herself, Evan and the events pertaining to their lives. When I asked Jessica if my approach was acceptable she smiled and replied, “Perhaps it’s time. Evan was the way he was because he had no choice, but he truly was not the cold, aloof, uncaring man he appeared to be to so many, and I would like him to be remembered for his real self and not what many back on Earth thought him to be.”

So, let us start with a few facts. Jessica Ruth Storey is the ultimate Hollywood contradiction, an international then interstellar sex symbol for over two centuries whose name has been synonymous with wholesome family entertainment including musicals for the same length of time. She was also an acclaimed leading lady on the stage and played a wide range of character types from Shakespearian rôles to modern ones. A woman whose private life has always been a complete enigma, she married Evan Evans in her middle twenties and remained happily married to him till his death many years later. There had never been the slightest hint or suggestion either had ever had any interest in anyone else. She is the mother of six highly successful daughters, none of who have ever given so much as a glimpse of their family life to outsiders when growing up or since.

Evan was eleven years older than Jessie, as all but Evan had called her, a Nobel prize winning geneticist and the founder of the highly controversial Stevvan’s Foundation which led to the founding of the Stevvan Nation an independent people on their planet Safe-at-Last who’s government was the Foundation. His life had been even more private than Jessica’s and virtually nothing was known of him despite all the efforts of the media, for, other than his in-laws, he’d had few family and fewer friends outside his family circle. With the immortality treatments developed by Evan even at well over two hundred Jessica had a beauty that transcended age and was a guarantee that a film would be a galactic sensation and gross trillions. However, Evan had died a score of years ago and she’d had enough which explained why she was here on Seltin, the smallest of Safe-at-Last’s eight continents, with her family before going to a Stevvan’s clinic where she was going to die. What it didn’t explain was why she had finally chosen to tell of her life to the media, and least of all why she had chosen me, a twenty-nine year old journalist of limited experience and no real reputation who was best known for writing and drawing comic strips, to tell that story to.

“Jessica, I’ve read all the information you provided, but there is little there of your early life before you met Evan, and nothing of Evan’s before you met. I would like to start at the beginning. I understand that may be intrusive, but I only want enough to explain the speed of your courtship so that you both appear as real characters who knew what they were doing rather than as lucky fools, which I have read used as a description of both of you, albeit I admit by members of the Hollywood machine and its inter galactic descendants.”

There was a long pause, and I wondered if I had stepped over a line beyond which Jessica was not prepared to allow me to go. I also wondered if I were about to be fired. “Francesca, that makes sense to me, but it will be difficult for me, not to tell you of my early years, but to tell you of what I know of Evan’s.” There was an even longer pause and in it Jessica asked for coffee. I waited patiently and I just let my recorder run, for it could record for longer than anyone could stay awake. I’d asked Jessica if I could record our conversations rather than risk disturbing her concentration by taking shorthand and she had agreed. We drank our coffee in silence, and very abruptly she began to speak. Much to my surprise she began by offering me a deal. When I thought about it I shouldn’t have been surprised, for she was well known to drive hard bargains, often Margaret Southern her agent, had merely negotiated the exact legal terminology of her contracts in order to reflect her wishes. “It will be as hard for me to talk about what you want as it will be for you to tell me of your life. Angharad informed me of as much as we know of you before I decided to ask you to write the book. If you answer my questions truthfully, and I promise they will be personal and painful to answer because I want to know how the events of your life as a Stevvan affected you, I promise to do the same and I will accept the pain. Do we have an agreement, Francesca?”

I couldn’t have been more stunned, and I took a long time to think. We were on our third coffee when I finally accepted what I had known for a long time: that some day I was going to have to face my past. I nodded and quietly replied, “Yes we have an agreement, Jessica.”

“I’m glad you took your time to think it through. I’m not sure I would have believed you if you had answered me immediately with a yes. Now, and I really want you to think about this, your past is as much a part of what Evan created when he founded the Foundation as is his past and mine, and I would like you to write of that too since it will explain the ethics and workings of the Foundation perhaps better than anything else could. You, I know, are proud of being a Stevvan, so this is your opportunity to explain to non-Stevvans what that means which I suspect would make us all safer here on Safe-at-Last. For that I would be grateful and I know Evan would be too. I also suspect eventually such a work will be one of the most significant documents of our people, but the choice is yours. Would you like to think about it and give me your answer tomorrow? Whatever you decide I would still like you to write the book.”

Her voice was very gentle and I stumbled out flooding with tears saying, “Yes, thank you. When and where shall we meet?”

“The same time, here.”

I didn’t sleep that night, for my past haunted me, but I came to the conclusion that if I were to talk of my past I may as well write of it after all that was how I came to write in the first place as a child, it helped me to live with events. It maybe even forced the nightmares to recede. I had found to write of events I had to think of them clearly and cogently and in doing so I robbed them of some of their power. I remember being told at the age of eight of the deaths of my parents and my shock when I realised that even being Stevvans could not bring them back from the other side of the grave. Up till them I’d childishly believed Stevvans could do anything. I’d kept a diary for a number of years and it was writing of my parent’s death that enabled me to accept it was real and that I was an orphan with no relatives.

The following afternoon I told Jessica I would do it. “Good. Is your recorder on?” I nodded and Jessica started.

Jessica’s Tale of the Beginnings

I had a good home with loving parents who lavished their care and love on me, their only child. Mom had had a difficult birth and sterilisation had been advised because another pregnancy would be dangerous. Mom loved me, but Dad lived for me. I was an indifferent student at school and the only things I excelled at were theatre, dance, song and art. I hated school because I was constantly teased, it would be called bullying today, about my inability to write good English and my poor grasp of mathematical concepts which puzzled me because I spoke good English, loved reading and had a large vocabulary which I knew how to use and I was better than most at metal arithmetic, but alas geometry, algebra and the like completely eluded me. I learned French easily enough, but I wasn’t interested because I didn’t know anyone who spoke French. I did however speak good Spanish which I enjoyed because I had some Hispanic friends and it enabled me to talk directly with their older relatives, especially with their grandmothers about their traditional foods and how to cook them. I have loved cooking as far back as I can recall.

I mixed up dates and names in history and could be relied upon to move cities not just from one country to another but one continent to another in geography. I’m still not sure whether Lourenço Marques is in South America or Africa although I’m pretty sure they export coffee beans from there. I suffered a lot of ridicule for my inability to remember just about anything of American history and could be relied on to give a picture of just about any president the name of another one. I was uninterested in sports. I had thought that things would get better at high school, but that didn’t happen because I developed early and was the prettiest girl in the school, so all the girls hated me because the boys were desperate to attract my attention. The boys were the same boys who had given me a hard time before they became interested in girls, and I was frightened of them. I only acquired any courage when I had Evan and later the girls to protect. My fear my peers interpreted as aloofness, and they thought I believed I was better than they. I would have loved to have been a cheer leader, but the girls hated me and the boys thought I was weird, so I knew it was never going to happen.

I couldn’t wait to leave high school, didn’t bother going to the prom, which upset Mom, and I told Dad there was no way I was even considering going to college. Dad said that I could work for him, he was a financial consultant and investment broker, and that he knew I wasn’t stupid. He was confident I would be successful and could expand the business into the Hispanic community, but I would have had to attend at least some college courses, so I had reservations. I’d been good at acting in school productions, could sing and dance, and had been a well thought of member of a local amateur theatre group since I was fourteen, so I asked Dad if he thought I could make a career of it. He told me that for every person who is a success there must be thousands who don’t make it, or who end up doing porn. He surprised me by saying coldly that the term porn star was an oxymoron. What surprised me was that he knew the term oxymoron and what it meant, but he did read a lot. He had some contacts in the film industry and said he would arrange something out west. He also said I should give myself a realistic time limit and if I wasn’t getting anywhere at the end of it come home and we’d have a rethink. So aged eighteen I went to Hollywood and shared a tiny apartment with three girls, four aspiring actresses.

I got lucky. I’d been a stand in for a leading lady when other actors were rehearsing, and when she was involved in a serious auto accident I just seemed to step into the rôle. Despite it’s huge financial success and it elevating me to stardom, I initially made next to nothing out of the rôle. A seriously unhappy Dad found me Margaret, who was to be my agent for the rest of my life, technically she still is, though I haven’t worked since Evan’s death. When the company wanted me for another film she coolly told them they hadn’t paid me for the first one yet and till they did she would be exploring other rôles with other companies. She was told that she couldn’t do that because they had me under contract. It was only when she asked to see the exact terms of my contract they realised because of the way I had taken the rôle there was no contract at all. She demanded and got the same fee as the original leading lady was to have received. Her argument was simple, they’d had a massive success with me staring and I was a red hot property, they only had to look at the papers, public opinion and their bank account. It was pay up or shut up because she was not going to see her client ripped off and she had been approached by their competitors who had heard I was available. They paid up, mostly I suspect because they feared one of their competitors would make money they could have made.

Acting was easy, I could think myself into the character’s head and then I just behaved naturally. By the time I was twenty-three, I’d starred in a number of highly acclaimed, financially successful films, a low budget B movie I’d starred in had been a runaway success, and I’d had been a household name for three or four years. I’d made a lot of money and I was beginning to believe the nonsense the publicity people were putting out. To my later shame, I’d thought people were privileged if I deigned to associate with or talk to them. Fortunately my parents cared enough to bring me back to reality after my folly had caused me a great deal of anguish because it had left me open to being used and abused emotionally. It had also made it easy for the company to manipulate me. It was Mom who forced me think about what it was that would make me happy, and funnily enough, or maybe not, it was not so very different from what made her happy. I too wanted a husband, a home and a family, but those seemingly simple things turned out to be not at all simple to acquire, and I went through considerably more anguish before I met Evan.

I remember the day I met Evan like it were yesterday. It was the twenty-second July in twenty-fifty-two. Our conversation is crystal clear in every detail even after all these years. I was twenty-four and emotionally bruised. I was in Mom’s favourite deli shopping for her one morning, it was tennish I suppose, and it wasn’t till I came to pay that I realised I had left my purse in the Chevy. It wouldn’t have been a problem because the owner who played golf with Dad knew Mom and me well, but I was getting some lewd suggestions from some young men as to how I could pay when a medium height man squared up to them and said in a soft lilting accent I couldn’t place, “No doubt you’d be happy if someone spoke to your mothers or sisters like that, or is it only acceptable to abuse someone else’s mother or sister?” With contempt he turned his back on them before they could respond and said, “I’ll pay the lady’s bill.” As I tried to thank him he took his change, smiled and said, “It’s ok, put the money in a charity box when you can. I believe you Americans call it paying it forward.” He picked up the heaviest bags and asked “Have you far to go?”

“No.” I replied “I’m parked just around the block, a few minutes away. I left my purse under the seat. I can repay you.”

“Forget it,” he said. “I told you, put it in a charity box. Call it my good deed for the day. I’ll carry these for you so those apologies for men don’t bother you any more.”

It had flitted through my mind that if this man had recognised me I would possibly be better off getting myself out of the situation as soon as possible, but he seemed genuinely concerned and chivalrous, so I said, “Thank you. I’m Jessica.” I said Jessica and not Jessie. Why I have never been able to totally figure. “May I at least buy you a coffee?”

“I’d like that. Thank you. I’m Evan, but everyone except my mum calls me Yanto, and even she sometimes calls me Yanto bach.”

“Why?”

As we walked, he explained that Yanto was a nick name used in Wales for men called Evan, a use name he called it, and that bach, which though it literally meant small, was a diminutive used as a term of endearment. We chatted on the way about so many things we must have walked very slowly. As I deposited the groceries on the rear seat, he looked around at the buildings which were all office blocks and asked, “Where do we get a coffee round here?”

“There’s a small place on the first floor [UK ground floor] of an office block nearby with tables inside and outside too.”

I was relieved when he asked, “It’s a little cool, so inside I think, don’t you?”

“Yes. I’m not really dressed for sitting outside in this breeze.” I wouldn’t have minded the breeze, but the prospect of media attention when I was having a coffee with a man I had just met made me nervous.

As we talked he seemed interested in both me and New York, and we’d nearly finished our coffee when Evan hesitantly asked me, “I’m sorry if I’m being presumptuous, but I’ve noticed you don’t wear a wedding or an engagement ring and I wondered if you’d have dinner with me?” As he spoke he was flushed and looking away from me as if he expected to be turned down. I was in two minds about accepting because I’d been involved with a number of men who thought they could use me as a route to fame and fortune, and I was still hurting from the breakdown of my last relationship. I’d been convinced he was different, and indeed he was. He’d turned out to be far worse than any of the others, for at least they’d never hit me. However, Evan had been kind, didn’t seem to recognise me and wouldn’t let me repay him, so I said, “I’m not married or in a relationship and yes dinner with you would be nice. Thank you. Where is your vehicle? Or can I give you a lift somewhere?”

“I don’t have a car. I’m in America for a conference and my hotel isn’t far away. I thought we could eat at the hotel, the food’s good there.”

“Which hotel?” I asked. “I’ll drop you off. It’s the least I can do.”

“The York,” he replied much to my surprise. The York was an expensive hotel renown for its cuisine, and I wondered at this well but not expensively dressed man being able to afford to stay there. Almost immediately Evan said, “My hotel overbooked, and they arranged a suite at the York and are paying my bill. I suspect to avoid upsetting the conference organisers. I’m sure I couldn’t afford to stay there if I had to pay for it myself. I wouldn’t normally eat there, but I want to take you somewhere nice, and it’s the only place I know.”

“Thank you again. I have some things to do, but shall be free from after lunch. What time would you like to eat at?”

“I thought eight if that’s all right?”

“Fine.” Attracted, it was my turn to be uncertain. “Would you like to do something together this afternoon?”

“I’m a biologist of sorts, and there are things I’d like to see in the Natural History Museum. I’m going to spend the afternoon there, but I’d love to have your company, Jessica. Have you ever been there?”

I’d been called Jessie all my life, and I automatically started to turn to see who he was talking to before I realised it was me. “No. Although having been raised here I should have.” I don’t know why I added, “I moved to California in my late teens and am spending some time back here with my parents in between fi… projects.” An afternoon in a museum! It wasn’t my idea of a first date, but I found myself agreeing. I dropped Evan at the York and agreed to meet him there at two. I went home, changed and told my mother about my chance encounter and my date.

“A man who invites you to a museum is definitely different, Jessie, and after your last disaster, and no I’m not going to say I told you so, is worth finding out more about. A biologist you say. I suspect your dad would like to meet him. Now go and enjoy your afternoon.”

As I drove past the York on my way to park Evan was at the front of the hotel waving me to stop. He got in and said, “I’ve arranged for you to park in the hotel car park, the entrance is on the other side.”

Parking is difficult in New York, and as I parked in the space in the underground lot he directed me to I asked, “How did you manage this?”

He winked at me and conspiratorially said, “I told them I had hired you as my driver.”

“Truly?”

“No, not really. I explained the circumstances to the man in charge of the car park, and he said as long as I was a resident it would be fine. I think he’s a bit of a romantic and wanted to be helpful.”

As we walked across to the elevator, a huge man with scars all over his face who looked like he wrestled gorillas for the exercise waved and said, “Everything okay, Professor Evans? You found the space okay?”

“Yes thank you, George. I’m much obliged.”

“No problem. You enjoy yourselves at the Museum, you hear. I’ll wash and wax the Chevy for you.” George stared at me, and I was sure he’d recognised me, but he said nothing.

“You think he’s a romantic?” I asked Evan incredulously.

“Yes. He’s pretty big on romance. He told me he’s seen Love Story over a dozen times and cried every time.”

“Well, he’s certainly pretty big. Are you sure you’re not having me on?”

“That’s what he told me. He’s a nice man, very helpful.”

“He called you Professor Evans. Did he mix up your first and last names?”

“No. Evan Evans is a pretty common combination in the part of Wales I come from.”

As we went up to street level I couldn’t help but wonder what it was about Evan that enabled a complete stranger who looked like he was no stranger to street violence to confide in him. Although he was quiet, calm and thoughtful he had something about him that spoke of a man of determination and strength of character. He was clean shaven, deep-blue eyed with jet black hair beginning to gray at the temples, and I put him in his early thirties despite the gray. He was about five feet eight maybe nine, of a medium build and he spoke with a hypnotic, sing-song accent that could almost lull you to sleep which I subsequently discovered was characteristic of the Welsh. It was his voice I fell in love with first. We used the subway to get to the Museum, and on the way I asked, “Why the museum, Evan? Is it something to do with your work?”

“No. I just like museums of natural history, and a friend told me that New York’s is something one shouldn’t miss. I only have today as I’m giving a paper tomorrow and planned on going home after the conference is over.”

As Evan put a donation in the box as we entered the museum I said, “I pay for the coffee, okay?”

Evan smiled and asked, “Is that a feminist stance, or are you just being nice to me?”

Shocked I said, “No, absolutely not! It’s an anti-feminist stance.”

“You’ll have to explain that to me. That’s not how feminism works where I come from where feminists want to do everything for themselves and resent men opening doors for them, giving up a seat for them and even more paying for things for them.”

“Feminism is a fighting topic here, and this is not an appropriate place to discuss it, Evan. But put quickly, it’s much the same here except for the paying.” I blushed as I continued, “I didn’t want you to think I felt entitled to the contents of your wallet just because you asked me to dine with you.”

I didn’t know how much a Professor earned, but I knew it wasn’t a fraction of what I made, and I didn’t want that to cause any discomfort between us, so it was a relief when he said, “Jessica, I know this is not where you would have gone from choice. We are here because I wanted to come here, and I am delighted that you chose to spend the time with me despite your initial feelings. So please allow me to pay the huge bills we are going to incur here, and if that makes you a gold digger you will just have to put up with it.”

I felt him shift a little with surprise as I put my arm through his and said coyly, “Okay, Rockefeller.”

He guided me towards palaeontology, and as we looked at the first exhibit he told me much more about it than was printed on the display label. That continued as we looked at the exhibits. Evan was very knowledgeable, and to my surprise I found that just listening to his soothing voice was pure pleasure and I was enjoying myself with my personal museum tour guide. After about half an hour I noticed we had acquired a retinue of half a dozen children who were listening to him with fascination. When Evan turned, a girl of about eight asked, “Sir? Can we come with you and your lady and listen too please?”

Evan looked startled, but he turned to me and playfully asked, “May they come with us, My Lady?”

Initially, I thought I didn’t want an entourage because I was afraid if I were recognised it would spoil it all. It was only later I realised I hadn’t wanted to share him with anyone, but I smiled and replied, “Of course.” The children were thrilled, and as their numbers grew to perhaps fifty Evan’s voiced changed, his vocabulary became more suitable for children, and he assumed what must have been his lecturing voice.

I was startled when a middle aged curator asked me what school we were from. He’d assumed we were teachers taking children on a day out. Evan and the children had by this time moved on to the next exhibit, a rather splendid small dinosaur skeleton. It was the curator’s turn to be startled when I explained what had happened. “Your husband is very knowledgeable and even better at handling children, Ma’am.”

“Oh he’s not my husband!” I exclaimed. “We only met this morning, but it’s already a long story.”

“Storey? Jessie Storey! I thought I recognised you. May I have your autograph? My wife and I are fans of yours.”

“Shush. Please be quiet. Evan doesn’t know who I am, and I don’t want to tell him just yet. I’ll find and sign a museum guide for you later. Please don’t spoil what has been a perfect afternoon so far.”

The man looked at me and smiled before saying, “I have daughters of your age, and I wouldn’t dream of spoiling your day. I hope you enjoy the rest of it.”

He gave me a museum guide and a pen, and I waved to Evan indicating I would only be a minute. “What is your name?” I asked.

“John. John Weglitski, why?” I wrote on the guide ‘For my new friend John Weglitski, who gave me a perfect afternoon, perhaps the first of many. Thank you, Jessie.’ When he read it he beamed and said, “I wish you joy. Thank you. And I shall say nothing about seeing you here.”

When I returned to Evan, he lifted his brows in question, and I said, “He wanted to know which school we taught at. I had to explain.” Evan thought that to be hugely amusing.

I suppose it would have been about four when we reached the end of our fossil tour, and Evan shook hands with every one of the children as they thanked him. We went for coffee and doughnuts, which Evan by the bye paid for, and Evan challenged me to eat a whole doughnut without licking any of the sugar off my lips till I’d finished it. “My sister and I used to try when we were young.”

“Easy,” I said. Evan just smiled. I failed immediately after my first bite. I tried again and again and again. Evan made it much harder by deliberately and provocatively licking his lips after every bite. I think I managed three bites in a row without licking my lips but I only managed it once. Evan had been quietly chuckling throughout, and I asked him, “Is it possible?” We were laughing like children at my failure to accomplish the very childish but thoroughly enjoyable task.

“Oh yes, it’s just very difficult. I can’t do it now, but Catherine and I could both do it with much larger doughnuts than these. Dad used to take us for tea and doughnuts at an open air stall called Popty Bach on Caerfyrddin Mart every Saturday whilst Mum did the shopping and it was rare either of us failed.”

“What does popty mean?”

“An oven or a bakehouse.”

“So popty bach is a small bakehouse?”

“Yes, but in this case the name of a small café.”

I changed the subject to ask, “Why were you prepared to do that for those children, Evan?”

“In that group there will certainly be some of sufficient intellect to become scientists. They need encouragement, but mostly I did it because they enjoyed it and it’s better that than some of the things children do these days.”

“You said you were a biologist, Evan. Is this what you do, fossils?”

“No. I’m a geneticist, or at least I study the DNA that controls genetically inherited characteristics, mostly life shortening conditions. I visit places like this for fun. I’ve told you about me. What do you do?”

That was it. It was time to decide just how much truth to tell. I’d become seriously interested in Evan and was terrified I would frighten him away. I’d had more fun in just a few hours with him than I’d ever had with a man before. We’d behaved childishly with no sense of self consciousness and it had been wonderful. I’d never imagined that at my age a relationship with a man could be playful. I was a twenty-four year old only child who’d always wanted siblings, but Mom couldn’t have any more after me, and I’d wanted a husband and children for some time. I’d been lucky, I’d made a lot of money which Dad had managed for me. I’d been a shrewd judge of which films were worth doing both in terms of my career and financially, and at Dad’s suggestion he had invested some of my money in movies I chose which had made me a fortune. If I’d never worked again I would always have had a good life.

My private life was just that, private, and despite a few painful relationships I had never been involved in anything even remotely sleazy. I’d been offered plenty of work via the casting couch, but had always walked away, which surprisingly had added to my reputation. I say surprisingly, for I had never spoken of such incidents. The men I’d been involved with had all turned out to be abusive losers, and their versions of our relationships, which they’d though to be worth money in the bank, had not been believed. Hollywood has nothing but contempt for a loser, although that contempt does not extend to a refusal by the media to circulate their ‘inside stories’ for the prurient. They just won’t pay very much. So the ‘inside stories’ had been subjected to the full glare of the media which although not damaging to my career had been painful and embarrassing. I’d never bought into the Hollywood scene and was chased by the media, mostly because they knew so little about me and were desperate to find something dirty to titillate their customers’ insatiable appetites for depravity with.

In those days I went back east whenever I could because my parents and family were there and it got me away from the insanity that was the film industry. Too, I’d recently figured I was never going to find the kind of man I was looking for where I worked, but I hadn’t had much luck back east either. That afternoon, I was terrified my career success was going to hurt me even more than my naïveté already had, but I knew I couldn’t build anything real on lies. “My name is Jessica Ruth Storey, but I’m known as Jessie Storey. I’m an actress, both in film and the theatre. I have a house in California, but I spend as much time as I can in New York with my parents and family.” From the look on his face it was obvious Evan had never heard of me. “Life out west is not my idea of fun, and Hollywood is even less fun, but I’m not there much except when I’m working. Where do you live, Wales?”

“No, Paris. I work at the university there. I don’t have a house. I rent a flat, an apartment you’d say, and when I go back to Wales I either stay at Aberystwyth with my mum, my dad died a while back, or with my sister and her husband near Llanbedr. They’ve four children and it gives them an opportunity to have a night out if I babysit. What do you do for fun? When you’re not accompanying foreign men and a horde of children around museums I mean?”

I had to laugh at the way he said that, as though it were a normal sort of thing to do. “Nothing particularly exciting. I enjoy cooking and, although I’ve learned a lot from my mom and the older relatives of some of my friends, I’ve taken all sorts of courses, everything from home preserving to cordon bleu, but unfortunately I have no one to cook for at home. When I’m at Mom’s it’s very different. I have no siblings, but a very extended and close family who regularly eat together. One day I want a house with a kitchen like my mom’s. It’s the biggest room in the apartment and she does everything there. She butchers whole carcasses, makes preserves, pickles, bread, cakes, you name it. I used to sit and watch her for hours when I was a little girl and loved it when I could help. Other than that, I like visiting and photographing wilderness areas and walking. I’ve got some good photographic equipment which I’ve been taught to use well by some of the best photographers in the world. There are some advantages to being in the movie business. Like I said, nothing exciting, and I hate sports and anything to do with exercise other than walking. I can swim, but I’m not over fond of anything that involves cold water or even hot water in larger quantities than a shower or a bathtub. If I need to watch my weight I eat less and walk more. What about you, besides museums I mean?”

“I play the odd game of squash at work, but I’m not a fanatic about it. I too like walking. I’m afraid I’m completely undomesticated. I can’t cook, my attention span isn’t long enough to avoid burning toast, and mostly I eat out. Paris is a great city for that. I get breakfast at any one of the dozens of cafés I pass on the way to work. The entire block I live in is populated by single men and women, many from the university, and une bonne does the cleaning and washing for a lot of us. She’s been doing it for years. She’s a gem and worth every cent. I’m a bit obsessive about work and put in long hours because I enjoy it. I can eat at work, and one of the technicians runs a coffee club, so there is a continuous supply of coffee, tea, cake and biscuits, cookies that is. Every now and then he asks everyone for twenty euros to buy supplies. I believe his wife owns a small shop and we get the goods at cost.” Evan abruptly stopped talking as if he had started thinking about something else and then asked, “You ready to look at some of the more recent exhibits?”

“Do I get the full tour guide with these too?”

“But of course, My Lady. As to whether we get the escort or not only time will tell. I’ll try to speak more quietly.”

I was definitely getting in over my head at a pace that was frightening, and before I had thought about it I had blurted out, “I was jealous of those kids taking you away from me you know.” When I realised what I had said I was mortified and just wanted the ground to open and swallow me. I’d been trying to be so careful and there I was chasing him like a gauche thirteen year old with a crush on her teacher. I was prepared to hazard quite a large sum that seductive voice of his had cut swathes through generations of female students and that he’d prove to be more than capable of depressing the infatuations of what he probably thought of as silly little girls. I was to be surprised.

Evan looked at my stricken face for a moment, put his hand on mine and gently said, “It’s all right. I’m sure you said that without thinking, but it’s truly all right. I wasn’t going to tell you yet, but I don’t have to return for a month, and although I was originally going back immediately after the conference I have decided to stay. I am grateful you told me that because I wish to spend time with you and get to know you better. Now since we have both embarrassed ourselves a little let’s look at the exhibits.” As I stood Evan pulled my chair out and instead of offering me his arm he took my hand. We spent the rest of our time in the museum holding hands like a pair of teenagers. It was delicious and is one of my happiest memories. “See,” Evan remarked indicating an elderly couple probably in their seventies who were holding hands, “You don’t have to be in your teens to hold hands in public.”

As we were leaving, still holding hands, John smiled at us and said, “Goodbye. I hope you enjoyed your visit, and thank you, Evan, for so effortlessly managing those children some of who we thought would be a problem.”

Evan quietly said, “They just needed someone to make the exhibits meaningful.”

Evan looked awkward, so I said, “Yes, thank you, John. It was wonderful.”

Back on the side walk, Evan asked, “He was the man you spoke to earlier wasn’t he? I assume you told him my name, but how did you know his name, Jessica?”

“After he asked what school we were from, he recognised me and asked for my autograph. I signed a museum guide for him and put his name on it. John Weglitski.”

Evan had an expression on his face I couldn’t interpret and said, “You said you were an actress. I don’t know anything about films nor the theatre. I’m not even sure if I’ve ever been to a cinema. I know I’ve never been to the theatre, and I don’t have a television. Are you well known?” He looked distressed and unsure of himself.

“Yes. I’m amazed I wasn’t recognised on the subway and only recognised once at the museum, but maybe the presence of the children helped. It’s possible that dinner will be an ordeal, but I doubt it at the York. If it does become unpleasant we can have dinner in your suite. I suspect the media chase me because I live a quiet and private life and they are desperate to find something discreditable. They used to haunt my parents’ apartment building till Dad hired some people to prevent them getting any further than the lobby. After a while they gave up. When, and it is when not if, they find out we had dinner together they will find out everything there is to know about you and probably print a lot that isn’t true too. Am I still invited for dinner, Evan?” As I asked I couldn’t help sniffing. Out west most men, and women too, would have loved the media attention whether what was reported was true or not, but Evan wasn’t like that and I didn’t want him subject to the intrusion, but mostly I didn’t want to be rejected by him. I watched his face closely and saw the distress and uncertainty replaced by concern and steel. He was a most remarkable man. I was a little concerned because he didn’t behave like any man I had ever met, but I told myself that since I wasn’t interested in anyone I had ever met I needed to make some allowances and in any case he wasn’t American, so there were bound to be differences. I also told myself I needed to be a little less defensive if I wanted to get to know him.

“Of course you are. I’ll survive the media. It can’t be any worse than a hostile conference audience where everything you believe in and have done since the age of twenty-two can be systematically denigrated and torn to shreds by people who are acknowledged world authorities in the field. Much more to the point how do you feel about it? Would you rather go somewhere else? I’ll settle for a picnic in the car if you’d prefer it.”

“But you’d prefer to take me out to dinner?”

“Of course, but not if it will distress you. It’s your decision. I chose where we went this afternoon. Your turn now.”

“I want to have dinner with you at the York because it’s where you wanted to take me. I’m used to the media and there are some perks to being in the spotlight. If we have a drink in the bar before dinner I’ll see if I can get us a secluded table. You okay with that, Evan?”

As we entered the subway building he replied, “It’ll take a bit of getting used to, but I suppose I shall.”

That he was talking about being around long enough to get used to things made my heart flutter, and I was beginning to think into the future. “Evan, if I come in with you when you book dinner I’ll ask about the table then.” I paused before asking, “Will you come home with me to meet my parents when I get changed for dinner? Mom said Dad would like to meet you. I told her you were a biologist and although Dad works in finance he reads a lot of scientific things.”

I remember the look on Evan’s face as he gazed into my eyes before he answered. I could see how very blue his eyes were, and I was sure I could see a hint of a hope as desperate as my own in them, but maybe I then thought that was wishful thinking on my part. It was to be a long time before I realised Evan rarely made eye contact with anyone and never looked anyone other than me in the eyes. I knew I had found the man I was looking for and I felt different from what I had ever felt before. There was a strange calmness that was a part of and yet at odds with the turmoil I was feeling that had always been missing before. Too, Evan was man, and I became aware that my previous relationships had been with boys in their twenties who in all probability would never become men. “Are you sure about that, Jessica? I wouldn’t like them to think I was being presumptuous.”

Alarm bells started ringing in my head. Had I misread him? Was I yet again a thirteen year old pressing too hard? It was with a sense of dread I asked, “What do you mean?”

Evan flushed but held my gaze. “Where I come from a girl invites a man to meet her parents for the first time as a kind of ritual inspection, to see if he meets with their approval as potential husband material and it usually doesn’t happen till they have known each other for some time. I don’t mind. As a thirty-five year old academic I can deal with scrutiny of any kind, but even if you don’t think that’s what will be going on your mother certainly will. How old are you, Jessica?”

“Twenty-four. Why?”

“I’m eleven years older than you, and your parents may be bother—”

I interrupted him, “I doubt it. Dad’s nine years older than Mom.”

“If a lightening paced transatlantic relationship is what’s on your mind I’m happy about it because I’m sure we could make it work for reasons we don’t need to go into now, but I think you ought to be sure about what you’re doing, and if I am being presented for approval I’d like to know it, please.” At that Evan kissed my cheek and said again, “Please.”

As I answered his question with a kiss, a proper kiss and not one on the cheek, I heard the click of a camera. “The press are here, Evan. I just heard a camera. You are almost certain to be on tonight’s news and the front page of tomorrow’s papers. I’m sorry. And yes, I would like you to meet Mom and I would like Dad to approve of you.”

I was going to continue, but he said, “Well, if I’m going to be presented to your parents for inspection I feel entitled to suggest we give the press something to gossip about.” My oh my that man could kiss. I had to cling on to him for support because I’d no idea where my breath had gone.

I wasn’t aware of any more media attention on our way back to the York, but then I wasn’t aware of much other than Evan’s honeyed voice and his exhilarating proximity. Being so close to him I was acutely aware of his scent which made me weak at the knees and want to behave recklessly with no thought of consequences. It cost me a great deal of effort to resist and to behave myself. We went to book a table, we’d rescheduled for nine to give us more time with Mom and Dad, and as I expected I saw the clerk’s eyes widen as she recognised me. “Could we have a table with some privacy please?”

I saw her eyes glide across Evan’s face as she tried to identify him, and with a face carefully devoid of expression she replied, “Certainly, Miss Storey. I’ll arrange it.”

As we left for the car, Evan remarked, “You certainly gave her something to tell her friends, Jessica. Is it like that all the time?”

“More or less, although people tend to leave me alone when I’m shopping with Mom. She’s intimidatingly protective. It’s nice really. What’s really funny is if I’m out with Dad people think I’ve got a sugar daddy. Well, Dad and I think it’s funny, though Mom’s not amused by it.”

“Should I call you Jessie? I think of you as Jessica, but will your parents be offended by that?”

“Jessica is what I was named at birth. You are the only person who calls me that, and I like it because it makes you special. My parents won’t object, they will probably think it rather sweet. I think I told you my name was Jessica to avoid recognition and possibly to give me more time to weigh you up. I didn’t think anything unpleasant about you, but as a result of bitter experience and my own folly I’m finally learning to be careful. I’m glad I did because I love the way Jessica sounds on your lips.”

“It’s a bit weird knowing someone that well known. My name is internationally well known to other workers in my field, but being a household name and face is something else.”

“It’s not going to spoil things is it, Evan?”

“No why should it?”

“It can be intrusive, very intrusive.”

“I’m not part of that world, so my life would be of no interest to them, and I doubt they would be interested in anything I have to say. After all they can’t make me talk about anything, and believe me, there’s no one with a tighter mouth than a scientist on the verge of a break through.”

I gave up. “Should I call you Yanto?”

“No. I like you calling me Evan for much the same reasons you like me calling you Jessica.”

When we arrived at the hotel parking lot we saw George washing a pickup. “Hi, Professor. I washed and waxed your vehicle, Miss Storey, and I fixed the sloppy wing mirror for you. Did you have a good afternoon?”

Evan spoke first. “Yes thank you, George.”

I thanked George for washing the Chevy and offered him a twenty, “I ain’t allowed to take no tips for washing vehicles, Miss Storey. It’s my job.”

“Ah, but this is for fixing the mirror. It’s my mom’s car, and she’s been meaning to get that fixed for months. Fixing mirrors isn’t your job is it?”

“No, Miss, it surely ain’t, and I thank you.”

Evan chatted with George for a couple of minutes while I texted Mom that I was bringing him home with me, and as I drove away, Evan said, “Weird, but I think that’s because strangers know more about you than I do.”

“They don’t really, Evan. They may think they do, but they don’t.” We talked mostly about the afternoon on the way, and just before we arrived I said, “If you’re planning on staying the full month, Evan, my uncle Isaac would provide you with a courtesy vehicle for free. He’s mom’s youngest brother and he owns a dealership.” I saw the look on Evan’s face and said, “Dad will see it written it off on his tax bill anyway, so it won’t cost him anything whether he lends it to you or his customers. He has three boys and always wanted a daughter, he’s like another dad to me. Aunt Sarah says they’re still trying for a girl. I babysit for them when I’m here.” Evans face still looked like a thunder cloud. “We wouldn’t be taking advantage of him, Evan. That’s how my family is. Aunt Sarah would not be pleased with him if he took money from someone I care about. I told you my family is close and even when I was young I would have babysat just for the pleasure of doing it, though Uncle Isaac always insisted on paying me.”

Evan’s face looked a little less severe when he asked tightly, “What exactly do you mean by the phrase someone you care about, Jessica?”

I flushed but replied, “I meant what I said. I know I haven’t known you for long, but already I care about you. I have been hurt a number of times over the last few years, but something tells me you care about me and wouldn’t hurt me. I told you it makes me feel special hearing you call me Jessica.”

“Well, that’s true. I wouldn’t want to hurt anyone, but I really wouldn’t want to hurt you because I too care about you. But as to a car, I don’t drive.”

My overwhelming sense of relief at that exchange of admission of care which made me feel like I was twenty-four again and not thirteen enabled me to ask calmly, “What do you mean, you don’t drive?”

“Never learned when I was younger. I’ve never felt the need. I’ve always worked in cities where a car is more of a liability than an asset and on the rare occasions I’ve needed one I just used a taxi.”

I shook my head in amazement. He not only didn’t drive he didn’t care or seem to want to learn. It was a long time before I realised that the reason Evan hadn’t learnt to drive was because he couldn’t face the intimacy of being with an instructor. I pulled up in Mom’s space on the parking lot my parents used, and as we walked I put my arm through Evan’s becoming aware of that heavenly scent again. I wished I knew what he was thinking because I was getting more nervous by the second. I hadn’t even known him twelve hours, and here I was planning out a lifetime together. I couldn’t help myself. I was sure I was facing a wonderful long term future or a prolonged period of extreme pain, again, but he’d said he cared about me, and I desperately wanted him to return my love. I was so distracted by the realisation that in just a few hours I had fallen in love, probably as a result of that sexy, seductive voice and the fragrance that set my hormones surging and my heart racing, it was a shock when as we walked in, not waiting to have Evan introduced to her, Mom sharply and provocatively asked, “You deliberately trying to set the media on your tail, Jessie?”

“No. Why, Mom?” I replied caught off guard, but sounding far calmer than I felt.

“The pair of you have already hit the early news. They’re speculating on who you were kissing at the subway and where you’d been. Offering money to anyone who knows and rings in. But I’d prefer to be told by you before the TV tells me.”

Speechless, I went bright red, but Evan reached for my hand and answered for me. “Sorry about that, Mrs. Storey, it was my idea. Jessica said she’d heard a camera, so I suggested we gave them something to gossip about as the damage was already done. I’m Evan Evans, and I’m a biologist over here for a conference. I live and work in Paris.”

Mom looked at me suspiciously. “Is he telling the truth, or is he being a gentleman?”

“It’s almost the truth, Mom, but it wasn’t all Evan’s idea, and he is a gentleman.”

“Huh! You’d better look out for yourself, Evan. This daughter of mine can surely bring trouble enough on her head for two. But I do like a man who knows how to protect a girl, even if it is from her own mother.” Mom took to Evan on sight, which surprised me, for she was usually suspiciously over protective about me where men were concerned. I told her I’d told Evan about her kitchen and she gave him a guided tour, store cupboards, preserves, gadgets, the works. He was impressed by the walk in freezer and chiller rooms, the latter contained two entire lambs and a full carcass of beef hanging up in quarters.

When did the lamb arrive, Mom?”

“Yesterday, but it should have been here two days before.”

“How long will all that meat last you, Mrs. Storey?”

“Two or three months. I buy whole carcasses because it’s much cheaper and some of the family have some when I’ve butchered it. I used to work in my family’s butcher’s shop before I married Jessie’s dad. Mind the way he and some of the family can eat it never has time to be over hung. You do much cooking, Evan?” she asked.

He laughed and explained about his attention span and toast. “But I’m good at eating and I know the difference between good food and packer.” Seeing the look on our faces he explained, “Packer, is food that packs your stomach and prevents you going hungry but has little taste or virtue other than that. Most of what I’ve cooked has been packer. Even if I start with quality ingredients I seem to have the king Midas touch in reverse. Everything I touch turns to packer.”

“So that’s your dad’s problem, Jessie!” Mom turned to Evan and said, “I was in the hospital for a month when I had Jessie and he nearly poisoned himself. Ever since, I’ve done my best to keep him out of my kitchen, but he’s good at eating and can just about make coffee you can drink.”

When Dad came home I was in for another surprise. After introducing Evan to him I told him Evan was a biologist, a geneticist. Dad looked puzzled for a moment and then asked, “Are you Evan Evans the guy working on fixing faulty genes?”

“Unless there’s someone else with the same name in the same line of work, Yes. How have you heard about me? It seems a little odd to me for someone in your line of work to have heard of anyone in mine. I don’t know any finance people.”

“I never had any proper schooling, never mind college. Family was too poor in those days. I lied my way into finance, and by the time I was found out I was too good for anyone to do anything about it. But to make sure nobody ever could I went on my own as soon as possible. I started by handling investments for family, but it wasn’t long before I had a substantial client base and some good people working for me which gave me a bit of money and some free time. I always felt the lack of a proper education, but I didn’t have enough time to study anything except stuff to do with work, so I started reading. I like all sorts of things, but I read a lot of science stuff written for the intelligent layman. Your work featured in Scientific American a few years back, and I remembered the name because the first and the last names were so alike. I don’t know why but I’d have expected you to be older. Never thought I’d get to meet someone featured in Scientific American though. You getting any grief from the fundamentalists? It was in the papers that they were planning on disrupting that conference you’re attending.”

“No security is pretty good there. Have you any problems with my line of work?”

“Hell no. We’re Jewish, reform Jews. Most of those fundamentalists believe every word of the Bible literally, right up to the point where they need a transplant that is. Then for some reason it becomes acceptable, and the more money they’ve got the more acceptable it becomes. Me, I’d rather accept a more reasonable interpretation of scripture right from the word go. If a man’s sick and the doctors can make him well that seems a fine idea to me. Ashkenazi Jews have a relatively frequent incidence of Gaucher’s disease compared with other folks. If you fix that we’ll all be real grateful.” Dad paused before continuing with that look on his face that was only there when Mom or I, or in this case both of us, had better not interrupt him. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen it, but for sure I’d been still at school. “You serious about my girl, Professor? Her mom rang me at work and told me she met you this morning in the deli and was going to the museum with you after lunch. Next thing I know she’s ringing me again telling me Jessie’s bringing you home before you take her out for dinner. Women say they understand these things better than men, but I’ve spent over twenty-five years making a good living by reading the other guy’s body language, and I think I know when a man means business and when he’s just fooling around, and you looked pretty serious to me on the news. Jessie makes a living out of kissing guys on camera, and a poor bunch of scumbags most of them seem to be. Can you handle that?”

I was mortified, and Mom was horrified, but we both knew better than to say anything. However, Evan didn’t seem to be in the least put out. “The name’s Evan, Mr. Storey, and yes I’m serious, and I know that’s what actresses do for a living. I won’t like it too much, but I can handle it.”

“That one time, Professor was appropriate, Evan. A man of your age should know his own mind, Son, and just for the record I wouldn’t have believed you or trusted you if you’d said you wouldn’t mind her kissing other guys. What do you drink? I’ve a decent Scotch single malt if that’s your poison, and a Dutch gin, but I prefer rye.”

I looked at Mom and could see she was as perplexed by the male mind as I. Dad and Evan continued talking as if nothing unusual had taken place at all. “I’ll try the rye please. I’ve never tasted it, so make mine however you take it.”

Since Evan was clearly happy, and he and Dad were getting on fine, Mom and I had to accept the situation, and when I told them about Evan’s escort at the museum and us being mistaken for school teachers my parents were helpless with laughter at the idea of me teaching. Before I went to change for dinner, Dad said, “I’ll drive you in, then you can get a cab back, Jessie. We won’t wait up in case you decide not to come back tonight.”

That was too much for Mom. “Ruben!”

“She’s a big girl, Rebecca. You don’t watch over her when she’s out west, and I’m happy she’ll be well looked after whatever she does. Now let well alone, or I’ll tell them about the time your father threatened to horse whip me.”

Mom could be pretty earthy, she’d told me a few times that much to her joy Dad was a “vigorous” man, and though, unlike some of my friends, I’d never heard my parents making love I believed her. She’d also told me Jewish women of her acquaintance, including some of my age, discussed their husbands’ performance regularly. When I’d said they’d never spoken about anything like that to me she’d said, “Of course not! You’re not married.” Presumably lovers didn’t count. I eventually came to think she was right, lovers don’t count. At Dad’s threat and his use of Mom’s full name, which was an intimacy he’d rarely used in front me and as far as I was aware never in front of anyone else, she went a brightness of red I’d never seen before, but Dad had terminated any further conversation along those lines.

I’d been thinking for hours about what I was going to wear for dinner, and I’d settled on a dress that was mostly ladylike with just a touch of the whorish, perfect. I went to shower and change, and when I returned Even said, “You look lovely.” I don’t know if Evan saw the look on Mom’s face, but I did. Despite my career, I’d never really been sure what a smirk looked like till then, and I hoped I didn’t have one on my face.

Mom kissed us both as we left with Dad who merely opened the back door of the Buick and said, “Both of you. You don’t want to talk to me.” Dad didn’t talk to us on the way, but even though I had a lot to say I couldn’t with Dad there, so I just held Evan’s hand tightly and prayed.

Dad pulled up outside the York and jumped out to open the door for me. “You didn’t have to do that, Dad!”

“I know. Enjoy yourselves, Jessie, Evan.” As he kissed my cheek he whispered, “He’s a good man.” Before Evan had reached my side, Dad was driving away.

I started to stammer my apologies about my parents, but Evan silenced me with a brief kiss. “They care about you. You don’t ever need to apologise for them to me. I hope I am as good a father to our daughters as your dad is to his. That is if you will marry me I mean, please, Jessica.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I knew it was what I wanted, but I’d thought I could possibly bring Evan to propose in a few months, weeks at the earliest, and there was I playing devil’s advocate because I was getting cold feet. “You can’t be serious! We only met today!”

“I am serious, and your father is certainly expecting me to ask you to marry me.”

“He was just warning you about hurting me because a man hurt me badly about six months ago.”

“No he wasn’t. He was asking me if I wanted to marry his daughter. I told him I did, and he gave me his permission. Now my only problem is how to persuade you to say yes. I love you, and I believe you love me too. I don’t care how short a time we’ve known each other because we can have as long a courtship and engagement as you like, but, and I know it’s selfish of me, I want you to agree to marry me at some time in the future because then you will be unavailable to anyone else and I won’t be as afraid of losing you when we’re apart. Will you marry me, Jessica?”

Evan’s worries humbled me, and we were at the top of the stairs into the York when I agreed to marry him. “Yes. Yes. Yes.” I replied. “And I’m just as bothered about losing you. Let’s have a drink and discuss this sitting down.” It was quiet and the lighting subdued where we sat, and there was no one near enough to over hear us. Evan’s face was questioning when we sat down, so I resumed. “I’m not sure you realise what is involved.” I hesitated, “Dad as you probably realised is not particularly religious, but he is New York Jewish to the core, much more so than Mom who is religious. I’m his only child and his pride and joy. He will want to give me a huge wedding, not to display his wealth like many others but simply because he loves me. It’ll cost him a fortune, and he’ll love spending every cent of it on me. I’m not even going to waste my time trying to persuade him not to. The problem is my engagement ring. You are expected to pay for that, and so as not to hurt his standing we’re talking many tens of thousands of dollars. I love him, and yes I love you too. I don’t want to hurt you or offend you, but I don’t want to lose you either. Especially for the sake of money.”

“I’m not in your father’s income bracket, but I’m not a poor man either. I could run to twenty or thirty thousand pounds if need be. That’s possibly up to fifty thousand dollars.”

“I’m sorry, Evan, but we’re talking at least five times that.” Evan looked stunned, and I continued. “Please don’t be offended, but I do have a solution. I’m worth much more than Dad. Money means almost nothing to me. If I spent a quarter of a million dollars on an engagement ring I’d still be wealthy for the rest of my life. Dad handles my investments, so of course he would know what we’d done, but he’d never admit it, and we must never say anything about it either, so he can feign ignorance. Mom wouldn’t realise, and Dad would never mention it to her, but we must never place him in a position where he may have to lie to her.”

Evan looked even more stunned at that, and after a few seconds asked, “What would your father think of me if we did that? He’s a decent man, and I’d hate to think he considered me to be a kept man, a wealthy woman’s toy. More to the point, what would you think of me if I agreed to it?”

“I’ve told you, I’ve made so much money with Dad’s help it’s meaningless to me. I only value it in as much as what I can do with it. Dad owns the apartment block, so I had an architect remodel Mom’s cooking arrangements the way she wanted as a wedding anniversary present three years ago. The apartment next door was vacant, and it was used to create her pantries and store rooms off her kitchen as well as the new dining room so she can entertain the entire family. Other than her favourite utensils, most of which were her mom’s, virtually everything in it is new, and I’ve no idea what it cost to shell the other apartment and her kitchen and rebuild. It was so big a job Mom and Dad stayed in a hotel for nearly three weeks which I paid for too. Dad will know what it all cost, but I never asked. I bought him a case of bootleg rye and another of corn moonshine which would have cost nothing by comparison, but the cost was irrelevant. I bought them what they appreciated, and Dad knows that. The other apartments on that floor were eventually converted into bedrooms so the whole family can sleep over, which is usually when my uncles have had too much to drink to drive home. If we do this Dad will think we are a clever pair of schemers, and if we let him negotiate the price he’ll make sure we have a good investment and will think the better of you for not being intimidated by money and for having the sense to let him deal with it.

“As for what I will think, you don’t seriously think I’m putting a price on your love do you?” I was flooding with tears and finding it difficult to continue, however, “I’ve never been wise about men, and Mom to her credit has never once said ‘I told you so’ despite the times I’ve been hurt by men who were just using me and she was the one who picked up the pieces and put me back together again. That’s why I spend as much time here as I can. You are the only man I have ever wanted to take home to meet my parents and I don’t care what a damn ring costs.” I gulped, swallowed and said, “I’m my mother’s daughter, and like her all I want is to love a man who will love me for our entire lives and will give me the children I want, the grandchildren Mom and Dad want. The money is nothing, it’s just something I’ve taken out of an industry that would have eaten me alive were it not for Dad getting me a good agent. Please, Evan, let me do this. I can’t bear the idea of losing you for something that doesn’t matter to me.”

Evan shrugged, hugged me, kissed me gently and said, “You spend whatever you want on a ring for the look of it, but can we go somewhere where you can chose a ring I can afford that you actually like? A genuine love token. Maybe if we spend some time in Paris or maybe go to Amsterdam?”

“I’d like that. Can I really choose what I like even if it’s really inexpensive?”

“You were the one who said the money didn’t matter. If it’s what you like that’s what we buy.”

When we went to Evan’s suite so he could shower and dress for dinner he leered at me and said, “You can join me in the shower if you like.”

“I may have agreed to marry you, but there’s no way you’re getting me out of this dress till you have fed me. I’m hungry and it takes a lot of effort to put it on. That’s what Mom was doing when you and Dad were talking, helping me make myself` irresistible. If you like though, I’ll watch you shower and make sure you wash your ears properly. I’m told that little boys always skimp on that.”

In reply Evan undressed and positively strutted towards the shower. As I moved towards him he put his hands out to fend me off and said, “I know I’m absolutely irresistible, but sorry, not till I’ve eaten.” I enjoyed watching Evan dress for dinner and tied his bow tie for him. “I only wear one twice a year at most,” he explained, somewhat embarrassed by his clumsiness.

“Dad will be pleased to hear that because Mom always has to tie his for him. Now we have a little time before dinner, so would you like to kiss me again? Because I’d like it!” We enjoyed the next few minutes, but things went decidedly downhill for us after that. Dinner was a disaster due to the press who were waiting for us. On reflection it had been a mistake me asking for a secluded table. The temptation to tell someone must have proved irresistible to that clerk, even if she hadn’t actually sold the information. We escaped the dining room via the rest rooms and rather than risk being seen going to Evan’s suite we left the York using the service entrance and ate pizza dressed in evening dress in the bus station in between hysterical bouts of laughter. Despite dinner it became an enchanted night, and after idly walking the streets holding hands and looking in store windows for nothing in particular for an hour or so we sneaked back into Evan’s suite via the hotel service entrance, and I spent the rest of the night making love with my fiancé in between planning our future.

The following day, Evan had to give his paper and he left early whilst I was still in bed. I met him afterwards. “How was it?” I asked.

“Oh, fair to medium savage,” he replied. “Better than I expected really considering you kept me up all night. I thought you said you didn’t like sport. As well I had a decent breakfast. How was your day?”

“Are you going to be this horrible to me for the rest of my life?”

“Probably.”

“Well as long as it is going to be the rest of my life I’ll bear it with fortitude. And that wasn’t sport. I was practising family skills for when I’m going to need them. I watched you in the shower this morning you know.” Evan nodded. “I enjoyed spying on you. You mind?” Evan shook his head. “The shower looked very efficient, but before I sneaked out, that service entrance is really very convenient you know, I spent a luxurious hour in your bath, and I must find out who made that bath. I want one, and I’ll let you spy on me bathing if you like. And I discovered I kind of like sneaking out of men’s hotel rooms. Do you think that says something disgusting about me?”

“Probably. I like the idea of spying on you bathing, but with a bath that size I like the idea of joining you even more. We should try it sometime. And as long as it’s my hotel rooms you’re sneaking out of I’ll bear it with fortitude too.”

I had fun sparring with Evan, and his sense of play matched mine. He had the knack to the day he died of talking dirty without ever becoming smutty.

“When I got home, without me saying anything Mom knew you’d asked me to marry you and that I’d said yes. She said I was positively glowing. She was really mad with the press for spoiling our dinner date, but she calmed down when I told her about the fun we’d had the rest of the evening. She laughed and said I was the only girl she knew who could have enjoyed eating pizza in a bus station dressed for dinner. Dad came home for lunch and said he’d break out some bootleg rye this evening for you to try. He must really like you, that doesn’t even come out for his best friends, it’s the stuff I bought him. I suppose if you get a taste for it I’ll have to get some more. I have a friend out west whose cousin makes it, but you mustn’t say anything. She got me the corn liquor too, but I don’t know where that comes from, not her cousin I think. Dad’s trying to think of things you and he can do whilst I’m involved in wedding dress fittings with Mom. Mom’s advising caution and delay, and Dad’s ready for an immediate wedding. He’s going to have our engagement announced in the Jewish papers rather than the usual gossip columns and he told me when Mom was in the kitchen, ‘If it makes you and Evan happy, throw the pills away and get on with it.’

“Oh I almost forgot he also said I should go to Paris with you when you return to find somewhere for us to live, and I think he’s one up on us on the rings scam. Can we take them out to dinner sometime soon? I know a local restaurant where even if the food isn’t up to the standard of the York at least we’ll eat in peace. The owner’s a friend of Dad’s and I went to school with his two boys. They’ll make life really unpleasant for anybody harassing any of their customers. And finally, Mom wants to know if your family could stay for at least a few days before the wedding. She’s not happy with the idea of you getting married surrounded by my family with none of your own there. It doesn’t matter how many there are because even if the weren’t enough room on Mom and Dad’s floor of the building there’re enough of us to provide accommodation, and my family would be proud to do it. It’s what we would do no matter who you were or where you came from. I’ll let you think about it, but when I go back with you to Europe I want to meet your family if I may? And finally finally I want to know what you meant when you said there were reasons we didn’t need to go into then as to why we could make what you referred to as a lightning paced transatlantic relationship work.”

“Let me see. I’ll try to take what you just dealt me in the order dealt. I’ll leave the matter of the bath in your hands. Sneaking and spying, no comment. You’d better get me a case of that rye too. If I don’t drink it we’ll need it for your Dad when he visits. I’ll leave what he and I do when you’re involved in wedding preparations up to your Dad and I’ve got no comment to make on wedding dress fittings. The bridal arrangements are the business of the bride’s family. I’d like a family, but for the moment the pills are your business, but if you do throw them away see if you can cook me up a daughter. I’ve been led to believe they smell better than sons. As for us finding somewhere to live in Paris, good idea. You expected your Dad to know what was going on about the rings, so it serves you right for planning to deceive him. Very undutiful behaviour in a daughter that. I’ll have to make sure I bring mine up better.” I stuck my tongue out at Evan at that point. “About taking your parent’s out for dinner. I was going to ask you if there were somewhere we could take them without a repeat of last night. Maybe some other relatives too?”

“Just Mom and Dad the first time, please. Unless your mom could make it too?”

Completely unperturbed, Evan replied, “A good idea. I’ll give her a ring and arrange a ticket. As for my family, there’re only Mum, my older sister, Catherine, her husband, Michael, and their four children. I’ll mention it to Mum and see what happens. However, I had time to do a bit of research today, and it might prove a bit difficult to convince them I’m serious.”

“Why? What do you mean?”

“You don’t seriously expect them to believe that Jessie Storey is going to marry me do you? The research I did was on you. I know how to use a computer and I speed read. The only thing I found that I find hard to believe is that you’ve done all that and made that much money and you’re only twenty-four. The rest I believe because I love you and I think you are wonderful.”

“Say that bit again.”

“Which bit?”

“I hate you, Evan, you know that?”

“You’re only saying that to make me feel good, so I’ll return the favour. I love you.”

“And you think I’m wonderful?”

“Yes. And I think Jessica Ruth Storey, the woman who has said she wants to marry me, is wonderful. But to my family you are Jessie Storey, the Hollywood and Broadway star and all that goes with that. Of course they’ll think I’m joking when I tell them you are going to marry me. I’m just a scientist, somebody very ordinary they have known for years, definitely not someone who marries film stars.”

“One film star, not film stars! Okay!”

As I said that I poked him in the ribs with my finger which he grabbed and kissed before kissing me properly and then saying, “Okay, okay. Just one film star my jealous, little wife to be.”

“All that as you put it is just the industry hype, Evan. It’s not real.”

“But it’s all they will know. They’ve not met you, and Catherine and Mum watch the kind of romantic films you do. I even recognised some of the titles from their conversations.”

“But I want to marry you. You asked me, and I said yes. I have to marry someone! Why not you?”

I got upset when Evan started to laugh. When he drew me into his arms he said, “I’m sorry. It was the look on your face. You really don’t understand do you?”

I was feeling vulnerable which made me petulant and childishly I stamped my foot. “No. I don’t. And it’s not funny. I’ve been looking for a decent man to fall in love with for a long time, ask Mom, and I’ve been hurt by all the men I’ve had anything to do with so far. I’m just an actress, a professional let’s pretend artist. I know I’m pretty, but that will fade, and I also know I’m not especially clever. That’s why I became an actress. Dad’s made far more money for me investing what I’ve earned than I ever did earning it. I got lucky, but I work in a world that’s all make believe, and I want something real. I know this has all happened very quickly, but I’m not willingly going to let go of you.

“You’re real, Evan. You do real work, not make believe, and I love you. Dad told me you are a world leader in your field and have already done what is considered to be remarkable work and are expected to do a lot more which will help a lot of people, especially children, with serious conditions some of which are currently death sentences. You are the wonderful one. You are the one who put those punks in the deli in their place. I was frightened for you when you turned your back on them because one of them might have had a knife. I thought that was very brave, and then you paid for my groceries. That was kind of you. I don’t know anyone else who would have done that for a stranger. I may not understand how it seems to you, but you don’t get it either. I feel like a prospector must have felt when he discovered gold after looking for years through thousands of tons of gravel and mud.”

“All right, all right. Let’s agree we’re both wonderful. I’m not going anywhere without you my pretty, pouting, foot stamping nymph. And if it makes you feel more secure let’s start our family sooner rather than later and we’ll go with your Dad rather than your Mum regards the wedding date. Now dry your eyes. How do you do that by the way, cry and look pretty at the same time?”

“It’s a trick. It’s called extreme ability. I’m a professional. You just asked that to make me laugh didn’t you?”

“Guilty, but although you look pretty when you’re crying I prefer it when you’re laughing. Now, I’ll do my best with Mum, and you can talk to her too. Maybe that’ll make a difference and get her over here for that dinner with your mum and dad. If not it’ll have to wait till we fly back here with her. Anyway I suggest we plan on flying to the UK, for you to meet my family, before going to Paris to sort out somewhere to live.

“Will your mom like me?”

“I imagine she’ll criticise your figure and tell you it’s nothing a few good meals won’t sort out, and she’ll then bully you into eating those meals, but yes she’ll like you. She’s wanted me to get married for years.”

“I work hard to maintain the way I look, but I suppose if it makes her happy I can diet back down again afterwards. Why are you still single or have you not always been?”

“Never met anyone I was interested in who was interested in me. Never been married or engaged before and I’ve never been seriously interested in anyone.”

“No one?”

“Well there was a primary school teacher when I was about six, but I suspect that was because she had a pet monkey.”

“Seriously?”

“Oh yes. I was definitely interested in the monkey.” To this day I don’t know whether Evan was telling me the truth about that.

“Why me?”

“I honestly don’t know. I do know that I knew by the time I’d asked you out to dinner. You are pretty, but it wasn’t that. I had no idea who you were, and even if you’d told me you were Jessie Storey I still would have had no idea. Perhaps as well or maybe I wouldn’t have had the nerve to ask you to have dinner with me. Just something about your manner I suspect, and most women don’t want to talk to me, but you did.”

“I’m glad you didn’t know then.”

“Me too.”

I interrupted, “What do you mean most women don’t want to talk to you? Why not? I did. You were nice to me and kind. No woman in her right mind would want a man who wasn’t, although it took me a long time to grow up enough to realise that.”

“I’m not easy to talk to. Mum says it’s because I’m clever and don’t do small talk. Catherine says it’s because I push people away and that I make people uneasy. Usually though, other than in connection with work, if a woman does talk to me they don’t want to do it again.”

“What do you think?”

“I’ve never found what people call casual conversation easy, but now I neither know nor care any more. You want to marry me and that makes me happy, so I shan’t be looking any more, and it doesn’t matter now. I don’t know what makes the difference, but I do find it easy talking to you about anything and everything.” It was a long time before I came to realise how significant that was for Evan. “And back to what we were talking about, finally finally, I was referring to job opportunities. I’ve been offered positions at universities in the States, but they’re not relevant now since unless you’re working at the time you can live wherever you want, and I’d rather work with the people I’m used to in Paris. Have I dealt with all your queries now?”

“Yes. But how did you do that, Evan. I mean remember it all and in the correct order even with me interrupting you?”

“It’s a trick.”

“What’s the trick?”

Quietly Evan replied, “It’s called extreme intelligence. I’m a professor.”

That was the point at which I tried to hit him, but he caught me in his arms and kissed me into submission.

“Brute. You took advantage of a poor defenceless female.”

“I did didn’t I? Shall I do it again?”

“Please.” As I said I had a lot of fun just being with Evan.

The media wouldn’t believe that we hadn’t known each other for months and spent a lot of time and effort trying to unearth a past that didn’t exist. Evan had a playful sense of humour, well I always thought so even if others didn’t, and he was a master manipulator. I’d have tried to explain in an effort to make them desist, or even told them how we met, but Evan enjoyed playing them at their own game: misinformation, only he called it the gentle art of creating the new truth. As far as I am aware he never lied, but instead he led them to lie to themselves. A particularly good example was in the early days when they were trying to find out about our past. Evan had taken up photography and wanted some equipment of his own because we were going to Greenland for a fortnight, so we were trawling camera and equipment stores. We’d gone for a coffee, and Evan, who was better than I at spotting what he called snoops, said, “Those two who just came in, what do you bet they sit at the table next to us? Let’s have a bit of fun. All you have to do is be yourself and tell the truth, okay?” They did indeed sit at the table next to us and Evan asked me, as though the conversation had been going on for a while, “Can you remember the name of that photographer at the Excelsior in Belgrade last summer?”

I replied, “No, and it’s unlikely it’ll come to me. Come on let’s go, or we’ll never find anything before they close.” I’d never been to Belgrade. Evan had gone to a conference there five years before when he’d stayed at a hotel on the other side of the city from the Excelsior. I believe a dozen reporters went to Belgrade looking for a story. Evan’s view was that if they were in Belgrade they couldn’t be focussing high powered telephoto lenses on our bedroom windows.

I think the only person who wasn’t surprised by the speed of our courtship was Dad. It didn’t surprise me that he knew my heart and how desperate I was because I knew when he looked at me one eye saw me as I was, but the other saw his insecure little girl struggling to make her way in an unfriendly world. What did surprise me was that he understood Evan in the same way. Dad did not use names or titles casually, and when I remembered that he had called Evan Son within ten minutes of meeting him I’d been more than a little awed thinking about that short conversation he’d had with Evan that had so embarrassed Mom and me which Evan had interpreted so accurately. For a long time I was afraid I was in a beautiful dream from which I’d one day awake to the horrors of reality. Evan had his own insecurities, but it was a long time before I became aware of the problems he lived with, and it was even longer before marriage and family gave him the sanctuary he so desperately needed.

That month was the most exciting time of my life. Evan had told me if I wanted to throw the pills away that was fine and was amused when I kept telling him to try harder when we were making love. It was a whirl of wedding preparations. Dad didn’t care how pregnant I looked when I got married, although Mom wanted me to be able walk rather than waddle at my wedding. I didn’t care because Evan didn’t care. The society press were besides themselves with anger because of the way Dad had announced my engagement. It was day old news by the time they had it which of course was why Dad had done it that way. I believe it settled a few old scores for him. They were even more furious when they realised that Evan was immune to their blandishments and there were no inside stories to be had. He’d been correct, his life and work were of no interest to them because they were of no interest to their readers, although that would change dramatically in years to come. I was surprised when Evan rang his mom and started talking in Welsh. I knew the Welsh had a language of their own that not many spoke, and although we had fleetingly discussed the odd Welsh word or two and Evan used the Welsh versions of place names he’d never mentioned he came from a Welsh speaking family. The only reason his mom believed him and agreed to fly over was because she recognised my voice which surprised me even more. I told her I would send her copies of the papers which carried our engagement notice.

Evan asked Dad if he would negotiate on his behalf the purchase of an engagement ring that would be in the way of an investment for our children. Dad asked him what order of investment was he thinking of and was absolutely deadpan when Evan replied, “Somewhere between one and two million dollars should provide the required investment even if we have a large family. We could of course buy something in addition at a later date should we be concerned that is inadequate.” Evan and I had discussed the matter and he’d admitted the only way he could accept spending that much of my money was by regarding it as an investment for our children and he refused point blank to consider it as my engagement ring, which was fine by me since I was to have no say in choosing it.

Dad had a friend who was a gemstone expert, he seemed to have friends everywhere in every walk of life, select the stone, and then he had a jeweller acquaintance cut and mount it. Dad spent over a million and a half dollars on our behalf on an ostentatious monstrosity of a ring that meant nothing to me and looked ridiculous on my small hand but which completely awed Dad’s business associates when the price got out, as of course Dad knew it would. As he said ‘No jeweller can keep his mouth shut.’ It has spent most of the time since locked in a bank vault quietly acquiring value on behalf of his granddaughters. I can count the number of times it’s been on my finger on my fingers, and, other than our wedding, all were film award events. Dad initially paid for it all and didn’t blink an eyelid when I asked him to sell off two million dollars of my assets so we could go house hunting in Paris. I paid the money into Evan’s account, and he paid Dad. I was there when Evan wrote the cheque and gave it to Dad, and the pair of them had facial expressions like the masks of Thalia and Melpomene.(1) Dad told Mom he’d treasure forever the look on uncle Manny’s face when he told him Evan was good boy who knew what was due to family. When I showed Dad the ring Evan had bought me because I loved it, that had cost less than four thousand euros in Paris, he said, “Good girl. You have good taste. I told you he’s a good man. He has a fine appreciation of the distinction between what matters to people who don’t and what matters.”

I was at most a month pregnant when we were married, so wasn’t aware of it at the time. Like many weddings between Jews and Christians ours was a blend of Jewish and Christian customs. It was created by our rabbi and a Methodist minister, although Dad had a lot to do with it. Neither Evan nor I were religious but some in our families were, and initially things were a little difficult. It was Evan who solved it. He said he had no objections to our children being reared as Jewish providing the household language was Welsh, which meant I had to learn Welsh. I looked forward to it, and Dad told me it was all very amicable and easily settled in the end. I don’t remember much about the wedding, but of course I’ve still got all the photos, film and the papers. I suspect most of what ‘memories’ I have aren’t memories at all, but re-creations culled from the records of the wedding over the years.

However, my memories of time shared with Evan’s family are real. Bronwen his mom was a lovely lady whom I came to love, and Catherine and Michael became close friends as well as family. I still keep in touch with them, their children and their families who are all Stevvans, and Michael and his two sons supported Evan at the wedding and Evan’s nieces were two of my bridesmaids. My most vivid memory of the wedding is of the wine waiters’ faces when Evan with Dad’s support insisted that all the dozens of children were given champagne flutes for their soda pop. There are any number of Jews and Christians who would say our wedding was neither Jewish nor Christian, and they are right, but I think the whole business was a bit superfluous to Evan and me, for we were deeply in love and equally committed to each other, and I bless Dad for knowing it and genuinely not minding. Mom of course cried buckets and enjoyed herself enormously. Our rabbi had said many times over the years that if he weren’t prepared to officiate at interfaith weddings in two generations there would be no Jewry left to officiate for, and he’d been pleased to accept our future children as Jews, so they hadn’t fallen between the cracks, the victims of religious intolerance. Evan’s mom had accepted our wedding as valid because of the participation of the minister, so all the people who mattered to us had seen us married properly in their own eyes.

Evan’s Nobel Prize

Five years after meeting Jessica Evan published the procedures required for repairing the genetic material in every cell in the body for Huntington’s disease, Sickle cell anaemia, Cystic fibrosis, Gaucher’s disease, Haemophilia and Tay-Sachs disease, all debilitating or ultimately deadly conditions. It was known that he was on the edge of finding solutions to dozens more such conditions. No one was surprised when he was awarded the Nobel prize for his work. His mother had died the year before, and Jessica was saddened that Bronwen was not there to witness her son’s recognition and success before his peers.

Consequences

Jessica’s contract allowed her time out from filming for personal reasons, but the film she was working on was at a critical time when she exercised her contractual rights to three days off. She hadn’t told the company that she was going to watch Evan receive the Nobel prize. The film company made it clear that if she took the time off they would neither give her any more work after the film was completed and nor would they allow her to work for any other film company. However, the public backlash when the story of her attendance in Stockholm broke was very damaging to them, Of greater concern to them was Jessie’s refusal to continue with the film unless they renegotiated her contract with Margaret.

Margaret was told, “This is blackmail.”

Her response was, “Your understanding of the situation should save us both a considerable amount of time. You tried to destroy Jessie’s career, so I trust you even less than I did before, yet I am rather generously giving you a way out and a mechanism to save the film. If you want Jessie to finish the film you have to sign. If you don’t sign she has no further film career and even less interest in helping you. At which point you could of course work around her absence using doubles. I of course would make that public and you risk the film being a financial disaster, or of course you could sacrifice the money you have already spent and write the film off, after all it’ll be tax deductible. Jessie has enough money to enjoy the rest of her life and she is not sacrificing her family for Hollywood and a career she no longer needs. In any case she would be happy to do more theatre work. She is currently playing Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew in England.”

Margaret considered it to be completely unnecessary to explain Jessica was playing Katherina for an amateur dramatics society in a small town with the unlikely sounding name of Ashby de la Zouch for a charity fund raising event which was scheduled to run for six days.

Jessica completed the film after the company signed a contract to pay her for another three films in the following ten years, whether they were made or not, and which gave her the freedom to work for anyone she chose.

Depression

Evan, unable to raise the funding in Europe to continue his work, turned to American research and educational institutions, but on realising the price of taking grant money would be giving away the intellectual rights to his work he baulked and became depressed. Due to his Asperger syndrome Evan had over the years evolved patterns of behaviour and working that enabled others to work with him and for him to cope with the world. His marriage and family had made life much easier for him and hence those around him too, but depression took all that away and put him back to his mental state when at primary school where he was perceived as an intelligent, antisocial, naughty boy, and regularly punished for behaviour he could not help in situations he could not understand. Jessica in desperation asked him how much money would be required to set up his own foundation and continue free of outside influences and interference. It was much more than she could finance, so she suggested they talk to her dad.

Ruben’s Solution

After explaining the situation to her dad, Ruben said it was only a question of deciding exactly what their aims would be. He asked Evan if he would object to the foundation being funded by family and friends because were it to be so funded there would be considerable criticism concerning the perceived Jewish control of what he was sure would become a major social undertaking. Evan’s response of, “Object, why should I? Hell, I’m married to a Jewess! And my house is full of them,” was a relief to Jessica and her parents because it came with the first smile they had seen on Evan’s face for a long time. “Can you do that? Raise that kind of money, I mean.”

“No problem, Son. Most of the family are so wealthy now they have no idea what to do with their money. I know because I handle all their investments. They’d be happy to fund you. Even if you do no more work, Evan, the dividends from what your hospital would be making using your existing discoveries would be so substantial that there’s no way anyone could say the family was doing you a favour. It would be good business, but even were it not so they would want to fund it anyway because there would be no end of job opportunities for the next and subsequent generations. I don’t think you realise how highly you are regarded by us all. I know you only started work on Gaucher’s because of my remark when we first met. That work alone pays for financing you without any consideration of reward.”

“My hospital! What are you talking about?”

“Well you don’t seriously think we’re going to let outsiders skin you by opening a hospital department focusing on using your techniques and paying nothing to do so do you? Far better we open a hospital to do the job in your name, backed of course by your expertise and up to date, if unpublished, work. If the family doesn’t take the opportunity somebody else surely will, and a few of us have been discussing it prior to approaching you for several months now.”

Evan turned to Jessica and asked, “Did you know anything about this?”

“No, but I can’t say I’m surprised, Evan. It’s what Dad does. He seeks out unusual investment opportunities for his clients, preferably before anyone else has the chance to invest, and he’s good at it.”

Evan turned to Ruben, “How do you set up a hospital?”

“Let me worry about that. You any idea of how many lawyers, construction contractors and doctors there are in this family? You let them invest in the hospital they built or where they work and I guarantee buildings and a quality of care second to none with a completely unassailable corporate structure. Your research facilities are best built as part of the hospital too. Doing it that way will be cheaper, but more importantly it will be easier to provide the necessary security. Let me handle all that. You need to think about what it is you are trying to do and how you want to do it.”

“What do you mean?”

“For example being a charity has advantages, but it also means the IRS(2) and the state have the right to examine all sorts of things. It’s probably better to be a regular business and let me sort out accountants and the like. I think this is the time to tell you to be much more closed mouthed about what your research goals are because as of now you are a private researcher and no longer working in the public domain. You are the master dreamer in charge of the goals of what is going to be a mighty foundation. You told me a long time ago the dream was to be able to target and manipulate any genetic material in a manner tailored to any specific individual so as to cure what may be a unique problem. You any nearer to that?”

“Yes. Within ten years anyway. Why?”

“That is so powerful and valuable you need to keep a lid on it. And I hate to say this but we need to get you and the family some protection.”

“Why?”

“What would you do if someone kidnapped one of my granddaughters or Jessie and demanded your work as ransom? Don’t answer me, but if we start the Evans Foundation we’re going to need to protect it. If family and friends are going to fund it it’s only proper we protect their investment.”

Evan was startled and looking worried. “You think?”

“I know. Now the big one, Son. I listen more than I talk, and I’ve got a pretty good idea how you think, and you’re no bleeding heart liberal, so who gets treated? Anyone? Just the wealthy? What about the kind of scum you despise, and I don’t just mean the dealers, gunmen and pimps. I’m talking about the crooks in city hall too. You need to think about that. Then we need to have all the major investors round the table to hear what you think. I can’t see it being a problem because all the persons I’m thinking of already see it your way, but it needs to be talked about by the ten or so who will be on the board. Don’t worry, they will all be people you know and get along with. I’ll manage the meeting, and Jessie and I can make it easy for you. Whatever you decide I’ll come up with a way to find out the information required as to whether your doctors treat someone or not, even if it means employing our own investigators and security people. Naturally we don’t employ anyone we wouldn’t be prepared to treat.”

“You can’t be serious about all this?” As Evan asked he looked at Jessica not Ruben.

“Dad is a person with a good sense of humour who has always been good to have a meal or a drink with, Cariad(3), but I’ve never heard him joke about money or business. I know you’re worried, but you won’t make things any better by arguing with Dad. Let’s take the girls on vacation till I need the hospital. You can relax, have a bit of time to get used to the idea and talk to Dad when we get back. I’d appreciate an easy time for the last bit of this pregnancy because I already feel tired. If there’s something you want Dad to know while we’re away and you don’t want to use a telephone Dad can arrange couriers. There’s no point in saying no to protection because Dad will be looking in to it with or without your approval, if he’s not already started. I know what he’s like, and he’s been worried about me and the girls for a while. He told me that months ago.”

Evan looked at Ruben who nodded before saying, “Jessie’s talking sense. Take some time off and get used to having protection around. I’ll look into finding some you can get along with.” He smiled again before continuing, “I’ll find a young lady who can tell stories and play with the girls as well as protect them. Everyone will think she’s a nanny, because she will be.”

As Evan started to protest, Jessica kissed him and said gently, “I told you on the day we met that you were the wonderful one for a number of reasons, and one of those reasons was because of the value to the world of your work. And this is where it has led us. I’m not going to like the intrusion into our privacy, but I shan’t complain. The entire family knows and respects how private a person you are and all about your difficulties, my love, but please don’t be difficult over what can’t be helped. If you don’t like someone who is there to protect us I’m sure we can eventually find someone whom you can get on with without being callous. Now, let’s find Mom and the girls and go for that picnic. You can be thinking about how you can get the researchers you want to work for the foundation because I know you’d be easier working with people you already get on with and respect. If you need money talk to Dad.”

Ruben had always liked his son in law, had immense respect for his intelligence, knew he was a good father and husband and was aware of his social difficulties, but this was the first time, and he suspected it would probably be the only time, he had seen him vulnerable, defenceless without his cloaking academic brilliance, and being shielded from the world by Jessica.

Founding the Foundation

Evan decided to name the Foundation the Stevans Foundation, that being a combination of Storey and Evans, but to make sure it was pronounced properly in English he ultimately spelt it Stevvans.

Perhaps not surprisingly Evan and Ruben were in complete agreement regarding the ethics of the foundation, and it boiled down to no bigots were to be employed nor treated. Persons of any sex, sexuality, race, religion, colour or politics were all acceptable, but no bigots. That meant no fundamentalists of any persuasion including extreme feminists, and members of certain organisations debarred themselves by the action of some of their members. That meant members of all neo-Nazis organisations, white supremacists, Islamic extremists, Christian extremists, anti white groups, amongst many others, were not acceptable.

Ruben went to talk to Solomon, a labour leader and boyhood friend, with a view to sorting out the union situation before the Foundation started. Ruben shewed Solly a draft idea, which included free medical and dental treatment and health insurance, for all employees and their family. There were generous maternity payments and time off, pensions and much more, but any workplace bullying or bigotry meant out. It included care of widow(er)s and orphans and education and training programs. Solly told him, “I’m too old to negotiate and then manage an undertaking of this scale, Rube, but I know of a young union man who would be just what you need. Zack is a union firebrand of intelligence, and principles. A first class but not unreasonable negotiator who is getting nowhere in the dying automotive industry due to workforce apathy. I reckon Zack would be glad of the change and the challenge, but you need to make sure the ground rules are in place before the building work starts, and I mean before the first sod is lifted.”

When Zack saw the draft he asked, “What’s this? An idea for a fantasy movie about unions that Jessie is in and you want to run it past us for comment?” Zack was serious, that was what he assumed and he was not unwilling to help because he thought the movie would advance the union cause generally.

Ruben laughed and replied, “No. It’s for real and a first outline draft of a labour management agreement for a proposed new Foundation. I wrote it and it’s just my first ideas, so it’s crude, but it does set out what I’m trying to achieve on behalf of those I represent.”

“No management would buy into this. It wouldn’t make enough money for their share holders. They’d have to be crazy to try it, Ruben, and they’ll tell you so.”

“The idea is not just to make money, Zack. All employees would be share holders, and a major objective is to create job opportunities for their families. I’m not crazy, and nor are my son in law and my family and friends who are going to finance it. Take it away, look at it and come back with whatever you want. Solly says you’re the man to represent workforce. Solly and I go back a long time, so if he says you’re the best I want you in from the ground floor, and in means as a shareholder. What do you say? Will you look at it? Fancy a slice of what I predict will make you wealthy, with me to manage your investments?”

Zack flipped through the file and said, “I don’t mind the idea of being wealthy enough for it not to hurt to put my kids through college. Any chance of a combined maternity-paternity package like they used to have in Germany? I always thought they had that right. Or is that too much to stomach?”

“If that’s part of your side of the deal, you’ve got it, as long as you accept the ten percent bonus for being married. Get back to me on it when you’ve had time to study it and think about it.”

“What do you mean ten percent for being married?”

“If an employee is married he gets a ten percent salary hike. If both partners work for the Foundation they both get it get.”

“Sounds like a potential source of sexuality discrimination lawsuits to me.”

“When we say married we mean it, gay, lesbian or hetero. No marriage licence means no bonus. Get divorced and the bonus stops. No discrimination, it applies across the board.”

“Social manipulation of that order will have the social justice warriors going crazy, but you don’t sound bothered. Are you?

“No. We believe in marriage and the right of kids to expect the care of two parents, and are prepared to put money in to support that belief. Would your members be bothered by the fall out?”

“Hell no. I believe in marriage and proper old fashioned families and that it’s the safest and best way to rear kids. Most of the work force will too. But just like that, Ruben? I want the paternity package, so I get it in return for supporting the Foundation paying a couple twenty percent more? Sounds too good to be true, so it probably is. What’s the catch? How do I know what the board are going to do to take the value out of it, Ruben. Solly trusts you, so I do, but you’re not the entire board.”

“Because my suspicious friend, as you would have been aware of if you’d read that bit before opening your mouth, part of the deal is you’re on the board.”

Zack shook his head and said, “This is like no deal I’ve ever heard of. How you going to sell it to the work force, Ruben? Some will think it a union sell out.”

“I’m not. That’s your job not mine, Zack. Yes, we’re trying to do something never done before: a major foundation owned by its workforce and their families. It’s based on similar principles to the old coöperative organisations. The major difference is we provide education and health care, in some cases life itself, and we choose who we provide them to. We believe in it and that it can be done to the betterment of mankind. But before you convince yourself all your birthdays and Christmases have arrived at once, I suggest you read the obligations and penalties sections, and most of what’s there is non-negotiable, but it all boils down to no bigotry or bullying or you just lost a good job.”

“I don’t have any problems with that and I know most of any work force would be with me. It’s about time someone sorted workplace thuggery out in a fair way with the unions and management singing from the same hymn sheet. What do you think to a one union organisation? One that represents every employee? Most employers hate the idea because it cuts out their ability to divide and conquer.”

“I’d buy into that because too many employers are wasting too much time having to deal with far too many union representatives. Places lose money that way, and it puts jobs at risk. If that’s what you want write it down for us, that’s you, me and the rest of the board, to talk about. The rest are all reasonable people and I’m certain they’d buy it too.”

“I’ll read it with interest, and get back to you in a few days.”

The First Amendment

The Stevvan’s Foundation Hospital had not been open long when there was much media outcry about their treatment policies. At a press conference, a reporter asked, “What gave the Foundation the right to play God in refusing to treat some people? That’s just not Christian.”

A Foundation spokeswoman informed the media, “We’re not playing God, and we are a business, not a charity, and our ethics are our own business. You are correct it’s not Christian, but I fail to see the relevance of that remark since as the media have already tried to pillory us for we are a foundation run on Jewish not Christian principles and we have the constitutional right to do so. I presume you have heard of the first amendment?(4) As a business we have the legal right to decide whom we will do business with. We also have the legal right to make charitable contributions where we choose, whether they be in money or services. If you choose to invoke God in your criticisms of us it is not for us to deny your right to do so, nor is it our decision whom God decides to call home to him. I should also add under the first amendment any journalist or news outlet is of course entitled to output what they chose and the Foundation’s board would defend with their last breaths their right to do so.”

At this point a number of reporters realised something unusual was about to happen. It did. “However, the other side of that coin needs to be borne in mind. The Foundation like any other organisation or citizen has the right to decide whom it will and will not talk to, and that includes whom we invite or not to media briefings and conferences. Any reporter who releases anything other than the truth concerning the Foundation or indeed uses the truth in such a way as to mislead or sensationalise, shall never be briefed again, a lifetime ban ladies and gentlemen. Even more so than the law, we will not accept scientific ignorance as an excuse. If there is something you do not understand all you have to do is ask and our public relations department will provide clarification. Any publication or outlet which allows anything other than the truth to be released shall suffer similarly. That lifetime ban shall apply to each and every member of their board and any individual we deem to be able to exert editorial influence. We shall decide who those people are, and our decisions shall be final and non-negotiable. Furthermore we shall never accept those persons as patients.” The uproar took twenty minutes to die down, after which the spokeswoman merely added. “You seem to be upset because we shall refuse to associate with you if you release misinformation about us. You need to grow up and join the real world. Good day.”

After a dozen or so journalists and media outlets had been so punished the rest started to publish what they had been given, as it had been given and often asked for clarification.

Security

Although no one at the Foundation ever gave a statement on the matter it soon became clear that the Foundation would not treat anyone whom it considered criminal or corrupt irrespective of the stratum of society they came from. John Potts, the head of the Foundation’s security and investigation department was a talented, ex-police detective who had been regularly passed over for promotion because of his unshakable integrity, and he had put together a remarkably efficient department. Many of John’s team had originally been intelligence operatives, police or military but many had been petty criminals who had welcomed the opportunity to put their skills to a legal and better use in return for acceptance as rehabilitated members of society by the Foundation. John’s team were experts at determining whether someone should be treated or not. He admitted “We’ve almost certainly made a few mistakes, but all such would be persons we decided against, for there would have been none treated who shouldn’t have been. Any not treated who possibly could have been were right on the demarcation line so were shady characters at best and no loss.” Any one who worked for the Foundation was by definition a Stevvan. There were a number of unsuccessful kidnap and assassination attempts on Evan and his family, but John’s people had made sure all the perpetrators and their paymasters that the police had not managed to track down were brought to justice and put behind bars. Some, usually those with extensive political influence, merely disappeared.

Lethal Sequences with Tragic Consequences

In the early days Evan protected his gene sequencing and manipulation codes by the best encryption techniques available at the time. What was not generally realised till the encryption had been hacked and part of the code stolen and subsequently used with tragic effects was that the code stolen had contained rapidly acting lethal sequences. When challenged the Foundation spokeswoman said, “We keep the coded gene sequences for many serious and deadly conditions as well as gene sequences for desirable and life enhancing conditions. The sequences are vital tools of our organisation that are protected as well as they possibly can be, both in a commercial sense and from a safety point of view.” The proprietary information was in fact kept scrambled in amongst all the other information and only a few persons had access to it, and fewer still knew how to extract it.

The Foundation spokeswoman answered in reply to further questions, “No. I do not have access to the data. No. I do not know who has, although I suspect Professor Evans does and would know who else does. I do know that information is deliberately held in secret so as to protect the Foundation from cyber theft like what has just occurred and also to protect all from incautious use. I have been instructed to say that it is not safe to steal and then use any sequencing data as has unfortunately been found out the hard way. All sequencing data must be regarded as potentially lethal. No. I do not know who told me to say that. I received the instructions on an unsigned internal memo, which I know was genuine. No. I am not going to tell you how I know it was genuine.” What was never realised and never made public was that in order to protect his work Evan had deliberately altered sequences to make them lethal and several parts of his own genetic sequences had to be provided as a key to reinstate the original code and render it safe.

Genome

The growing ill feeling towards the Foundation was as Ruben put it, “Anti-Semitism at it’s immediate pre world war two stage. In the minds of the idiots Stevvens and Jews have become the same, despite the fact that only a few percent of Stevvans are of Jewish heritage, and it’s true what has been said ‘Anti-Semitism never dies, it merely disappears for a while before it returns freshly rejuvenated and as alive as ever.’ We need a new home, a defensible home, a large town or a small city where eventually everything is owned or controlled by the Foundation. We have the income to defend it and the political influence to buy immunity from the consequences of defending it.”

The fortified city, originally a derelict part of greater Detroit, was built from scratch and named Genome. The Foundation negotiated with the federal and state authorities a tax free status for itself and its employees in return for conception to grave inability to receive any benefits other than those received by state or federal employees like the police or the military as part of their terms of employment. The cash strapped authorities were more than happy with the arrangement. This along with the contract all Stevvans had with the Foundation ended the disproportionate power of women on separation and divorce. There were no feminists or members of mgtow [men going their own way] in the Stevvans and divorce was almost unknown. The family and eventually the extended family had been re-established as the pre-eminent units of social structure. The only ongoing issue the Foundation had with the government was concerning what its enemies referred to as its monopoly(5) on life. However a team of lawyers specialising in monopoly law and judicious use of health care for bribes kept the Foundation a long way from the courts. The Foundation had also made it clear they had another venue to move to and rather than give up their secrets or their business they would simply move to outside US jurisdiction and thereafter no US citizen other than Stevvans, who would move with the Foundation, would be treated for anything. It was the latter threat that stymied their enemies for it slowed all bureaucratic processes against the Foundation to a virtual standstill.

The acceptance of an outsider as a Stevvan was subject to so rigorous a scrutiny that few mistakes were made. Those few had their status as Stevvans revoked as soon as it became known, for all knew you couldn’t be a Stevvan if you didn’t live and behave like one, i.e. you didn’t honour the terms of your contract with the Foundation. The revokees were put out from Genome back into the outside where they were told by the authorities they had given up their rights to any benefits and it was due to no fault of the authorities that the Stevvans had rejected them. Despite the rigour of the acceptance conditions and knowing that once accepted all benefits from the authorities were a thing of the past the number of Stevvans grew quickly. With time as the fate of the revokees became widely known their numbers dropped off rapidly. It was assumed that fewer persons were willing to take a chance of becoming a Stevvan if it meant they couldn’t return to being a regular citizen outside Genome, and that accepted outsiders worked harder to become Stevvans in all ways. For all who had been decent citizens outside becoming a Stevvan was such an improvement to their lives that living and behaving as Stevvans was natural and instinctive.

Immortality

DNA testing of newborns and subsequently foetuses in utero had become routine, and faulty genes in Stevvans became ‘extinct’, in the same way that smallpox had so many years before. Evan’s work ultimately enabled successful management of Down syndrome by elimination of the extra chromosome. It also managed to deal with sex chromosome abnormalities such as Klinefelter’s syndrome and many others, including conditions where introduction of an extra chromosome was required. Cerys and Blodeuwedd Evan’s third and fifth daughters followed in his foot steps and enabled his pioneering techniques to be used on mitochondrial DNA too which was a major advance. It was not long after that that sex changes with no surgery became possible and gender dysphoria became a thing of the past. The undoing and reversal of embryonic and pubertal sexual differentiation, which in normal development had limited time windows in which to occur, had been the biggest problems, but they had been solved. Early on, menopause had been controlled as had all ageing processes, but it was when it was realised that the Foundation would eventually conquer death and that immortality would be in the hands of the Foundation to hand out or not as it suited them that the troubles and riots started. All Stevvans at that point moved to Genome for there were tales and films circulated by Stevvans of Jewish heritage to Stevvans of non-Jewish heritage concerning Kristallnacht.(6) None were prepared to risk such an event and its consequences occurring again. The mass movement to Genome created an immediate housing shortage, but all looked after the incomers and the problem was of a temporary nature as thousands worked to create more accommodation. The unrest spread across the planet and the global civil war lasted a quarter of a century and the Foundation pulled back all activity from the rest of the world to Genome which was besieged by the mob for as long. Fortunately the Foundation had the where with all to buy anyone and everyone including government and the military who were all desperate for the longevity treatments, but it led to a five mile world war one type no man’s land around Genome and any wishful of treatment including the president had to go to Genome to receive it, for no Stevvan left Genome on anything other than Stevvan business. All materials and personnel going into or out of Genome did so with a heavily armed military escort.

The Diaspora

When the colossal Galaxy class faster than light resettlement ships were developed the Foundation commissioned eight and with their own troops assisted by mercenaries the entire Foundation personnel and their belongings with all else necessary for settling on a new home planet evacuated Genome over six months by shuttle to the orbiting craft which once full left immediately for Safe-at-Last to return to Earth as soon as they had discharged their passengers and cargo. The last to leave were the troops and mercenaries with their equipment who evacuated within twelve hours in the middle of a blizzard which provided cover. All eventually settled at their new home the planet named Safe-at-Last occupying all eight continents in what were essentially fortified garrisons.

Ffion Jessica’s youngest daughter was a lawyer and had been the author of the constitution of Safe-at-Last. The constitution was based on the best of what her encyclopaedic knowledge of historical constitutions could supply and it was written with its evolution in mind. The Foundation had the resources and more to the point the medical services, limb, nerve and organ regeneration had been mastered long since, to recruit mercenaries in huge numbers into its armed forces, especially its space navy, which was as well since Safe-at-Last was for many years a besieged garrison planet fighting a constant battle with many a would be invader seeking control of the Foundation which meant the constitution had to be able to initially provide for a planet under martial law involved in a war that could last more than a generation, but it also had to be able to ultimately provide for a planet at peace with its neighbours. It was a masterpiece of language.

Earth’s Renaissance

The early immortality treatments had to be renewed periodically and all on Earth who had received them as bribes for services rendered to the Foundation eventually died and immortality became an Earth fable. By the time the civil wars and the meltdown of Earth were done and the madness that the cradle of humanity had become was over and Earth was in a position to send out faster than light ships again there was a flourishing interstellar civilisation that was technologically and medically decades ahead of Earth. Safe-at-Last had long been guaranteed political independence by a treaty signed by all off Earth populations and none was prepared to risk war with all the others and the potential loss of the Foundation’s services. Earth was told to sign or it would be considered an enemy at war with the rest of space going humanity. Earth had no choice and signed the treaty that had been drawn up years before by Ffion ready for the occasion.

Evan’s Death and Daughters

Sîan who was Jessica’s eldest was an accountant and an economist. She was also an unbelievably successful investment broker for the Foundation. So much so that long before she was thirty she’d had to do all her dealing via a host of proxies because her name, which had initially been a legend on the Earth’s, and later the settled galaxy’s, stock exchanges, was enough to massively alter prices. Sîan was the only one of the girls who did not have a university granted PhD. She had however been trained by her grandfather Ruben and as she put it “There is nowhere that I could have got a regular PhD from that would be anywhere near as good as five years with granddad at equipping me to make money. I was the only ever student at the best post graduate financial institution that ever existed. Granddad told me that my PhD was the ultimate money maker. Sîan was a Procurer and harvester of Dividends and a multi-Quettanaire(7) before the age of twenty-five.” Sîan was married to Dougal who was twenty years her senior and had been her bodyguard since she was nine. At sixteen she’d told him you’re in my room when I sleep, but I’d much rather you were in my bed that way you are nearer in case I need you. They were married within six weeks and Llewellyn was born seven and a half months later.

Evan died unexpectedly in an æroplane accident and though still grieving the sisters and Jessica met a fortnight after Evan’s death in order to solve a problem his death had caused and Sîan stated emphatically “There is no way that Dad would have left us unable to access his sequencing and coding data. However, he would not have made it easy and there will be some mechanism in the solution such that only close family could possibly access it. I suggest we all contribute what we know and see what that produces.” A week later she said “We have the largest part of what we need, but we still need the key sequences to deactivate and render safe the lethal sequences. Dad used his own sequences as the key for the code he used, but this is a copy that uses someone else’s sequences. I thought it would when his code destroyed itself, presumably because it had not been accessed for some predetermined time period.”

Ceinwen who was Jessica’s second daughter was a mathematician and computer expert who designed and maintained the Foundation’s AI(8) systems said, “It must be a close family member. Dad wouldn’t have used anyone else’s. He would have considered it too risky. So let’s try ours, our husbands’ and our children’s first and see what that produces because I can now say with certainty whose ever it is it is not stored on any of our systems.” After another week had gone by Ceinwen said, “Nothing! I’ve tried them all. Who else’s sequences would Dad have been prepared to use?”

After some thought Sîan suggested, “Our cousins’ possibly? Or their children’s? He wouldn’t have used Granddad or Grandma Storey’s or even Grandma Evans’ because of the risk they may have died as has happened.”

Cerys who was Jessica’s third daughter and worked as a geneticist for the Foundation asked, “Why not? One sequence is as good as any other.”

Sîan replied, “Because they are dead and unavailable to sequence, unless of course their sequencing data has been recorded and preserved somewhere?”

Blodeuwedd, Jessica’s fifth daughter who like Cerys worked for the Foundation as a geneticist, laughed and said, “That sounds exactly like the sort of thing Dad would have done. He’d have used sequences no longer available to any one else and then hidden them. What do you think, Mother?”

“I agree, but it’s no use asking me where the information could be. Your Dad never spoke to me concerning the specifics of his work. When he wasn’t working and was spending time with me we had other interests.” Jessica had a glint in her eye that embarrassed her daughters and continued, “You know you have dirty minds, just like your Dad. I was referring to photography.” Amused at having disconcerted her daughters she continued, “He had three portables I know about. Try those. I’ve already removed anything on them he wouldn’t have wished you to see.”

Ceinwen blushed and said, “Stop it, Mother. You know very well we’ve always respected your privacy. You brought us up to because of Dad’s difficulties with relationships. We all love him. Yes. Like you we always shall. We know what it cost him to tell us he loved us. But we still have to solve the puzzle he set us.”

Angharad Jessica’s fourth daughter was a psychiatrist who ran the Foundation’s huge Stevvan Support Department which any Stevvan could access for help of any kind. Angharad understood people well, even people as devious as her dad and she opined, “It’s worth a try, but I think the portables are too obvious, although I don’t believe the information will only be found in one place. Dad was devious and would have had at least two backups, and all would have been very secure. Where’s his private communicator, Mother?”

“At home. I was looking at the videos and photos he had of the two of us yesterday. He also had holiday videos of you lot running about naked on the beach as toddlers which I’ve not removed.”

Ffion, who was Jessica’s youngest daughter and a lawyer for the Foundation, started laughing, “Mother, I think you’re worse than Dad, but I don’t think its on Dad’s communicator, but I think I do know where it is now.” She looked at her sisters. “Did Dad ever borrow any of your communicators? He borrowed mine. I’ll bet if we look for our grandparents’ sub-files we’ll find what we’re looking for.”

Indeed it turned out to be so. There under Grandma Evans, who had died so long ago that even Sîan had no memory of her, was the data and it was on all six of the sisters’ communicators.

Francesca

“Now it is your turn, Francesca. Tell me of your life.” Jessica had a kindly look on her face and I was ready to fulfil my part of our bargain.

“I know I was treated as a new born for Huntington’s chorea. Obviously I have no memory of it, but I learnt years later that there was no instance of it in either of my parents’ families. The condition had been eliminated years before in Stevvans, so the doctors and geneticists concluded I must have experienced a spontaneous mutation very early in my development, possibly even before fertilization in either my father’s sperm or my mother’s ovum. I have no memories from before being told at the age of eight that my parents both died in an æroplane blown up by anti-Stevvan terrorists. I remember being shocked that I was an orphan and not even Stevvans could be brought back from the other side of the grave. Till then I had childishly believed that Stevvans could do anything. When the initial horror had lessened I came to consider myself fortunate. I know that will seem strange to most and they would ask why. And they might well ask, but the explanation was simple. My parents were both second generation Stevvans, which will explain every thing to those who are Stevvans and nothing to those who are not. I had no other family but within days I was adopted by Thomas and Gwen Fielding, a loving and caring Stevvan couple with two daughters Ælwen and Melangell. After the distress of losing my birth parents faded I grew up a happy child with my sisters and the birth of our younger brother, Brynmor, made us all somehow closer, but I suffered from nightmares about losing my patents and worse losing my new family too. I still have the nightmares, not as often, but they are just as bad. I’d kept a diary from maybe four or five and I discovered writing about the horrors robbed then of some of their haunting power. That’s why I started writing.

“I was clever and was considered to be an outstanding pupil at school, and I know you had something to do with my literature scholarship awarded by the Allembi Times on their home planet, Jessica, but I only discovered that after my year’s internship was over.”

Jessica had played a major rôle in welfare of employees and when Francesca, who had been an outstanding pupil at school, had expressed an interest in journalism Jessica had asked Angharad, who managed such things for the Foundation, to organise either a Foundation scholarship or an outside one providing it carried prestige. Francesca had been awarded a scholarship by the Allembi Times, a major press organisation, and graduated with a brilliant degree.

“I’d always done a considerable amount of freelance journalism and was a regular contributor to a popular magazine writing a comic strip for which I produced my own artwork. It earned me a much better living than work traditionally done by students and when I left the Allembi Times I decided to continue working freelance and turned down all of the numerous job opportunities offered by major publishing organisations because I was already earning more than they offered.”

Jessica had originally been thinking in terms of a major series of newspaper articles about Evan’s life and work and had been casting about for a suitable journalist. When her granddaughter Morwen, who was a friend of Francesca’s, told her that Francesca was available and interested her thoughts changed and she suggested that Francesca wrote a book, and having seen some of Francesca’s artwork she suggested Francesca could produce some sketches taken from photographs too.

“After a couple of years had gone by I was moderately wealthy with a secure income and was thinking about settling down. I wasn’t hankering after anything remarkable just a husband, a home and a family, the things that most women are happy to embrace. I thought it was just a matter of patience, but I hadn’t realised that most of the men on Allembi didn’t even see me as a woman. They certainly didn’t love me. All the men I met who expressed interest in me were in love with themselves and were only interested in me because I was a moderately wealthy Stevvan who represented an easy route to Safe-at-Last and Stevvan citizenship. Like you, Jessica, I was hurt a number of times before I decided to return home. I came home about four years ago because I needed my family.”

Shocking Revelations

“I think that is all, isn’t it? If there is anything else you have a week. My appointment is next Thursday at ten.” Jessica smiled and continued, “That should give you enough time to clear up any remaining questions shouldn’t it, Francesca?”

“Actually I only have till next Monday evening, because my appointment is on Tuesday morning. The only reason I accepted this assignment was for the money I needed for the clinic. I have been putting my notes in order as I acquired them and a friend is going to write them up as a ghost writer. You’ve already seen and approved all of my drawings. My apologies for the deception, but like you I just don’t feel able to continue. I’ve left a letter for my family that I’ll post last thing on Monday. I know I’ll be hurting them, but I’ve felt empty, hollow for years and I can’t face that any more.”

Jessica was stunned. She knew what the feelings that went with isolation and loss were like, but it didn’t seem so bad at her age, but to feel like that at Francesca’s age was such a symptom of an uncaring world to her that it was positively sinful, and she found it hard to accept that Francesca felt like that on Safe-at-Last.

A New Deal

With tears in her eyes she held her arms out to the young writer of such promise and said, “I should like to propose another deal if I may?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Your situation makes me realise we can both find better things to do than seek death. If you do not I shall not. Come. Evan would have liked you. Let us go home, there’s someone I would like you to meet. Two years ago a grandson of mine lost his wife to an uncleared air mine left over from the invasions. It was a tragedy, for it was believed all such had been cleared decades ago. His name is Llyr and he has two young daughters. He is thirty-eight, near enough Evan’s age when I met him. He needs a wife and my great-granddaughters need, and say they want, a mum. He works for the Foundation as a sequence programmer here on Safe-at-Last. Should you come to love him, and trust me it can happen very quickly, I would like to be around to see it. What do you say? He is a good man, truly his grandfather’s grandson, and is going to be running the Foundation research department as of next year. All I ask is that you meet him and the girls with an open mind. He has been seriously seeking a wife, but all the possibilities could not get on with the girls, and that for him made them impossibilities. I shall not insult you by trying to bribe you with his wealth, for were I not already aware you were above that I should not be asking, but it is much nicer being a mum with money enough to make sure your children have what they need, especially in the way of education, rather than not.”

Francesca was equally stunned but steadfastly resilient. “I don’t really know how to reply. You must appreciate why I feel the way I do since my story was the price you demanded for yours. Perhaps I should add that after I returned home I truly expected to be able to find a husband, but for any number of reason four years later it has not happened and I’m tired of it. Don’t misunderstand me Stevvan men are infinitely better than Allembi men turned out to be, but those I like aren’t available and I don’t wish to settle down with any of the available ones I’ve met. Like any other Stevvan to me marriage is for life, so I’m not prepared to take a chance on a man I’m not sure of right from the start. Maybe I’m the problem. I’ve had a huge amount of love and care shewn to me by Stevvans all my life, and I truly am grateful, so maybe I just expect too much.”

“All I ask is that you meet him and the girls with an open mind. You, I am sure the girls will like.”

“I am not prepared to make any commitments other than that I am prepared to meet Llyr and his family, but should things go well I want children myself and that is non-negotiable. How old are the girls and what are their names?”

“Rhiain is five and Elenydd is nearly four.” Jessica had answered quickly but with out pressing the younger woman sensing she was perhaps more interested than she appeared.

Francesca took her time before responding, “I should prefer life rather than death, but I just hadn’t considered a life worth having was even a remote possibility. I’m not interested in being wealthy, I only ever wanted to be comfortable and I have enough money of my own to ensure that for a family even should my husband be earning next to nothing. I gave up on love a long time ago since all the Allembi men I met were not really interested in me, and all the Stevvan men I met were either spoken for or lacked something I needed even if I were not sure what it was. Before I decided on death I was prepared to settle for a man I could like and respect as long as it was mutual, and I always wanted a family. Llyr has several things that predispose me favourably to him, he is a Stevvan, he has the girls who you say say they want a mum and he lives and works here which is where I wish to remain. It’s a fair deal, but if I agree to marry Llyr you have to agree never to consider death before your time because I shall need you. Do we have a deal, Jessica?”

Jessica didn’t hesitate, “Yes. We have a deal. I suggest you pack because I shall have a car pick you up, shall we say at five? and I’ll take you to meet the girls. Llyr can take you out to dinner and you can tell me all about it at dinner tomorrow when we can discuss how you are going to write up these latest developments in both our lives. In the meantime I’ll tell my family they can all go home.” The two women laughed as they hugged and Jessica said as Francesca left, “With four females against him Llyr doesn’t stand a chance, you know.”

The Last Chapter

“Jessica, when Llyr took me out for dinner I think for both of us it was the most excruciatingly embarrassing meeting of our lives. I now suspect that was because we both realised we were seriously attracted to each other and didn’t know how to deal with it.”

“So what changed things? The girls tell me you are wonderful and they discovered you in bed with their father in the morning. Apparently you told them you would be moving all your things in as soon as possible.”

Francesca smiled and said, “Well dinner was so embarrassing we both drank too much. Llyr eventually said seeing as we’d started getting legless we may as well finish the task. I’m not sure how it happened, but we ended up sitting on his bed finishing the bottle of ciëlfruit brandy he’d bought to take home with us. When we awoke we were both naked, but neither of us knew whether we’d made love the night before or not, but I do remember doing so several times before the girls came in. There we were, strangers with hangovers, dazed by sex, naked with two noisy little girls jumping all over us in excitement calling me Mum. That’s so far beyond embarrassing it seems almost normal.”

“So what’s next?”

“I move in. We get married as soon as we can arrange it, and I write the whole thing up for your book. Including the hangover incident. And I’m going to see if I can learn Welsh before I have a baby, so I may have as little as nine months in which to do so.”

“Excellent! You deal with the girls and I’ll deal with the wedding.

Addendum

After Llyr and I had four children I went into politics. I’d been married ten years when I was voted in to replace Ffion as Chairwoman of the Foundation [President of Safe-at-Last’s government] on her retirement.

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1 Thalia and Melpomene, the Greek muses of comedy and tragedy respectively. Often seen as two masks, one smiling the other sad, in and around theatres and theatrical props and on literature.
2 IRS, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) administers and enforces U.S. federal tax laws.
3 Cariad, Welsh for love, beloved, sweetheart or darling.
4 Amongst other things, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the freedom of speech, religion and the press.
5 Monopoly. It is almost true to say that a monopoly is illegal in the US. There are a few rather specialised exceptions.
6 Kristallnacht, the night of November 9–10, 1938, when German Nazis attacked Jewish persons and property. The name refers ironically to the litter of broken glass left in the streets after these pogroms. After Kristallnacht, the Nazi regime made Jewish survival in Germany impossible.
7 Yotta, Millions of millions of millions of millions of millions. 1000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 10³⁰
8 AI, artificial Intelligence.