The Sky Is Falling

Kemal's face lit up. "I will? How - how do I put the arm on and take it off?"

"It's really very simple, Kemal. You'll just pull on the new arm. It's a suction fit. There will be a thin nylon sock over the arm. You can't swim with it, but you can do just about anything else. It's like a pair of shoes. You take it off at night and put it on in the morning."

"How much does it weigh?" Dana asked.

"Anywhere from six ounces to a pound."

Dana turned to Kemal. "What do you think, sport? Should we try it?"

Kemal was trying to conceal his excitement. "Will it look real?"

Dr. Hirschberg smiled. "It will look real."

"It sounds rad."

"You've had to become left-handed, so you're going to have to unlearn that. That will take time, Kemal. We can get you fitted immediately, but you'll have to see a therapist for a little while to learn how to make this a part of you and how to control the myoelectric signals."

Kemal took a deep breath. "Cool."

Dana hugged Kemal tightly. "It's going to be wonderful," she said. She was fighting back tears.

Dr. Hirschberg watched them a moment, then smiled. "Let's go to work."

When Dana returned to the office, she went in to see Elliot Cromwell.

"Elliot, we just left Dr. Hirschberg."

"Good. I hope he can help Kemal."

"It looks as though he can. I can't tell you how very, very much I appreciate this."

"Dana, there's nothing to appreciate. I'm glad I could be helpful. Just let me know how it goes."

"I will."Bless you.

"Flowers!" Olivia walked into the office with a large bouquet of flowers.

"They're beautiful!" Dana exclaimed.

She opened the envelope and read the card. Dear Miss Evans, Our friend's bark is worse than his bite. Enjoy the flowers. Jack Stone.

Dana studied the card a moment. That's interesting, she thought. Jeff said his bite is worse than his bark. Which one is right? Dana had the feeling that Jack Stone hated his job. And hated his boss. I'll remember that.

Dana telephoned Jack Stone at the FRA.

"Mr. Stone? I just wanted to thank you for the beautiful - "

"Are you at your office?"

"Yes. I - "

"I'll call back." Dial tone.

Three minutes later Jack Stone called.

"Miss Evans, it would be better for us both if a mutual friend didn't know we were talking. I've tried to change his attitude, but he's a stubborn man. If you ever need me - I meanreally need me  - I'm going to give you my private cell phone number. It will reach me anytime."

"Thank you." Dana wrote down the number.

"Miss Evans - "

"Yes."

"Never mind. Be careful."

When Jack Stone had gotten in that morning, General Booster had been waiting for him.

"Jack, I have a feeling that Evans bitch is a troublemaker. I want you to start a file on her. And keep me in the loop."

"I'll take care of it."Only there's not going to be any loop. And he had sent Dana flowers.

Dana and Jeff were in the television station's executive dining room talking about Kemal's prosthesis.

Dana said, "I'm so excited, darling. This is going to make all the difference in the world. He's been belligerent because he feels inferior. This is going to change all that."

"He must be thrilled," Jeff said. "I know I am."

"And the wonder is that the Children's Foundation is going to pay for all of it. If we can - "

Jeff's cell phone rang. "Excuse me, honey." He pressed a button and talked into the phone. "Hello?...Oh..." He glanced at Dana. "No...It's all right...Go ahead..."

Dana sat there, trying not to listen.

"Yes...I see...Right...It's probably nothing serious, but maybe you should see a doctor. Where are you now? Brazil? They have some good doctors there. Of course...I understand...No..." The conversation seemed to go on and on. Jeff finally said, "Take care. Good-bye." He put the phone down.

Dana said, "Rachel?"

"Yes. She's having some physical problems. She canceled her shoot in Rio. She's never done anything like that before."

"Why is she calling you, Jeff?"

"She has no one else, honey. She's all alone."

"Good-bye, Jeff."

Rachel hung up reluctantly, hating to let go. She looked out the window at Sugarloaf in the distance and Ipanema Beach far below. She walked into her bedroom and lay down, exhausted, the day reeling tipsily through her mind. It had started off well. That morning she had been shooting a commercial for American Express, posing on the beach.

Around noon the director said, "That last one was great, Rachel. But let's do one more."

She started to say yes and then heard herself saying, "No. I'm sorry. I can't."

He had looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"I'm very tired. You'll have to excuse me." She had turned and fled to the hotel, through the lobby, into the safety of her room. She was trembling and felt nauseated. What is the matter with me? Her forehead was feverish.

She picked up the telephone and called Jeff. The very sound of his voice made her feel better. Bless him. He is always there for me, my lifeline. When the conversation was over, Rachel lay in bed, thinking. We had some good times. He was always fun. We enjoyed doing the same things, and we loved sharing things. How could I have let him go? She made herself remember how the marriage had ended.

It had started with a telephone call.

"Rachel Stevens?"

"Yes."

"Roderick Marshall is calling."One of the most important directors in Hollywood.