The Sky Is Falling

Jeff took her in his arms. "Great idea." He reached behind her and curved his hands around her hips, stroking her softly and gently. He started to undress her.

"Do you know you have a great body?"

"All the fellows tell me that," Dana said. "It's the talk of the town. Are you planning to get undressed?"

"I'm thinking it over."

Dana moved up against him and started to unbutton his shirt.

"Do you know you're a hussy?"

She smiled. "You bet."

When Jeff finished undressing, Dana was in bed waiting for him. She warmed herself in the summer of his arms. He was a wonderful lover, sensual and caring.

"I love you so much," Dana whispered.

"I love you, my darling."

As Jeff reached for her, a cell phone rang.

"Yours or mine?"

They laughed. It rang again.

"Mine," Jeff said. "Let it ring."

"It might be important," Dana said.

"Oh, all right." Jeff sat up, disgruntled. He picked up the phone. "Hello?" His voice changed. "No, it's all right...Go ahead...Of course...I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. It's probably just stress."

The conversation went on for five minutes. "Right...So take it easy...Fine...Good night, Rachel." He clicked the phone off.

Isn't it awfully late at night for Rachel to be calling? "Is anything wrong, Jeff?"

"Not really. Rachel's been doing too much. She just needs a rest. She'll be fine." He took Dana in his arms and said softly, "Where were we?" He pulled her naked body to his and the magic began.

Dana forgot about the problems with the Winthrops and Joan Sinisi and generals and housekeepers and Kemal and schools, and life became a joyous, passionate celebration.

Later, Dana said reluctantly, "I'm afraid it's time for Cinderella to turn into a pumpkin, darling."

"And what a pumpkin! I'll get my carriage ready."

She looked down at him. "I think it's ready. One more time?"

When Dana got home, the woman from the sitter service was impatiently waiting to leave.

"It's one-thirty," she said accusingly.

"I'm sorry. I got tied up." Dana gave the woman some extra money. "Take a taxi," she said. "It's dangerous out there. I'll see you tomorrow night."

The sitter said, "Miss Evans, I think you should know..."

"Yes?"

"All evening Kemal kept pestering me about when you were coming home. That child is very insecure."

"Thank you. Good night."

Dana went into Kemal's room. He was awake, playing a computer game.

"Hi, Dana."

"You're supposed to be asleep, pal."

"I was waiting for you to come home. Did you have a good time?"

"It was lovely, but I missed you, darling."

Kemal turned off the computer. "Are you going to go away every night?"

Dana thought about all the emotions behind the question. "I'll try to spend more time with you, darling."

Chapter Ten

THE CALL CAME out of the blue on Monday morning.

"Dana Evans?"

"Yes."

"This is Dr. Joel Hirschberg. I'm with the Children's Foundation."

Dana listened, puzzled. "Yes?"

"Elliot Cromwell mentioned to me that you told him you're having a problem getting a prosthetic arm for your son."

Dana had to think a moment. "Yes, I guess I did."

"Mr. Cromwell gave me the background. This foundation has been set up to help children from war-torn countries. From what Mr. Cromwell told me, your son certainly comes under that heading. I wonder if you would like to bring him in to see me?"

"Well, I - well, yes, of course." They made the appointment for later that day.

When Kemal got home from school, Dana said excitedly, "You and I are going to see a doctor about getting a new arm for you. Would you like that?"

Kemal thought about it. "I don't know. It won't be a real arm."

"It will be as close to a real arm as we can get. Okay, pal?"

"Cool."

Dr. Joel Hirschberg was in his late forties, an attractive, earnest-looking man with an air of quiet competence.

When Dana and Kemal exchanged hellos, Dana said, "Doctor, I want to explain up front that we'd have to work out some kind of financial arrangement, because I was told that because Kemal is growing, a new arm would be outdated every - "

Dr. Hirschberg interrupted. "As I told you over the phone, Miss Evans, the Children's Foundation has been set up especially to help children from war-torn countries. We'll take care of the expenses."

Dana felt a surge of relief. "That's wonderful." She said a silent prayer. God bless Elliot Cromwell.

Dr. Hirschberg turned to Kemal again. "Now, let's take a look at you, young man."

Thirty minutes later Dr. Hirschberg said to Dana, "I think we can fix him up almost as good as new." He pulled down a chart on the wall. "We have two kinds of prostheses, myoelectric, which is state-of-the-art, and a cable-operated arm. As you can see here, the myoelectric arm is made of plastics and covered with a handlike glove." He smiled at Kemal. "It looks as good as the original."

Kemal asked, "Does it move?"

Dr. Hirschberg said, "Kemal, do you ever think about moving your hand? I mean the hand that isn't there any longer."

"Yes," Kemal said.

Dr. Hirschberg leaned forward. "Well, now, whenever you think about that phantom hand, the muscles that used to work there will contract and automatically generate a myoelectric signal. In other words, you'll be able to open and close your hand just by thinking about it."