“I don’t profess to know all the rules but are you certain this is a decision you can make on your own?”
“My dear Doctor Basilone, I am not going to make the decision alone.”
“Then…”
“Why you of course. We will place our necks in the noose together.”
“I shouldn’t have asked,” was all Basilone replied.
“Not to change subjects, but changing them nonetheless, we need to notify all the members of the ESO membership and the Americans. I know he spent many years in the United States and I feel it is our duty to let them know.”
“They are not members.”
“Yes doctor. Still it is the courteous thing to do. He was a friend to many of them.”
“Fine. I will take care of that as well,” Basilone said.
“No. That is something I should do. I know many of them myself and I think it would mean more if I personally offered my condolences,” the Director General replied.
“Very well, then I will attend to the list. I will have it to you by noon today,” Basilone told him.
“That would be greatly appreciated.”
“Abigail,” James said, walking up to the table.
“I was just about to give up on you,” she said smiling.
“I had no idea where the Sunshine Coffee Shop was located. I had to ask directions three different times,” James replied.
“You actually asked directions? How emancipated of you. I thought men never ask for directions. It is something about their DNA not having the asking directions gene,” she said.
“I do if it is important enough.”
“And this was?”
“Obviously. You’re my boss. If the boss isn’t happy I could find myself on the outside looking in,” he said, finally sitting down.
“James, James, James. Goodness young man. You should have more confidence than that. I never choose a person to be on my team unless I am sure they are not only smart and dedicated but a good fit with the rest of the team,” she assured him.
“So this isn’t about my performance?”
“No. You’re doing just great. I mean it. You are operating at a level higher than I had even hoped for.”
“Wow. That’s pretty high praise,” James said, relaxing somewhat.
“Do you want coffee?” the waitress asked, interrupting the conversation.
“Hot tea,” Abigail replied.
“Diet Coke if you have it.”
“Pepsi okay?” she said.
“No. In that case, hot tea is fine.”
“Okay, I’ll get those and be back for your order,” she said and scooted away.
“So, I am curious about what this is all about,” James said.
“A couple of things. One is how all of this is working out with you having another job? It has to be dragging you down.”
“Does it show?”
“Just around your eyes. I’ve seen them get darker and darker circles under them lately.”
“Crap. I guess I need to get some makeup so you won’t notice.”
“I’m more worried about what it is doing to your health,” she replied.
“I’m okay. Really. Work sucks, excuse me, I mean is a pain, but there isn’t much I can do about that. I need the money to live on.”
“And that brings me to my next question. How is this affecting your social life?”
He laughed and put his hand over his mouth.
“Social life? What’s that? I’m not even trying to have a social life right now. That can come later. Now it is about my quest for knowledge and getting a great job in the field I love at some point. Everything else is on hold.”
She looked at him for several seconds. She was just about to say something when the waitress sat two cups on saucers down. She placed two small tea pots on the table and handed each of them a tea bag.
“Ready to order?” she asked immediately.
Both ordered the Sunshine Special and off she went again.
“James, I know this project is important to you. I realize you see this as your big chance but believe me, you are going to be successful no matter what happens here and now. You can’t get down sick and you have to have some kind of social life. Without it, you lose perspective of what the world is really all about,” she told him.
“Abigail you work just as long and hard as I do. Harder if the truth be known. What about your social life?”
She did a quick laugh.
“I’m fifteen years older than you James. A social life isn’t as important when you get older.”
“Oh give me a break. You are an amazing woman. Half the guys on campus stop and watch you as you walk by. Don’t tell me you don’t notice,” he said.
“Hah. They would watch a female squirrel walk by. Guys just like to ogle. It’s in their wiring. Anyway, that’s not the point. We are talking about you.”
“Not so fast Abigail. You’re ducking the question. Are you telling me you don’t have a social life of any kind?”
“James, my students are my social life. By that I mean they make me feel alive. When I teach something and I see that light bulb go on I get a charge out of it.”
“Well I still think…”
“Oops, hold on to that thought,” Abigail said taking out her cell phone.
“Dr. Montgomery speaking. Certainly. I am. Go ahead. What. No way, that can’t be true. Oh my God. When? How? But he has been down that road a thousand times. Oh dear this is terrible,” she said, her eyes starting to tear up.
“No. Thank you for calling. When is the funeral? Yes. I’ll get a flight out tonight. No, I couldn’t possibly miss it. Thank you Doctor Fassbinder,” she said and closed the phone.
James looked at her but she was a thousand miles away at the moment.
“I assume that was bad news.”
“Yes. Louis Mendoza died in a car crash sometime last night. Louis was my mentor while I was in school. He took me in when I graduated and imparted knowledge that advanced my career immeasurably. Without him I doubt I would be where I am today. I’m sorry James but I need to run. I want to get on the first flight to Chili. I simply must pay my respects to Louis. Here,” she said taking some bills out of her purse and shoving them at James.
“You go. I’ve got it,” he said.
“God. Louis. He was a giant in this field. I will miss him terribly.”
She hated to leave the work load on them but Louis had been so valuable in getting her off on the right foot. Without his guidance she would have never come this far. He saw the raw talent in her long before she ever realized it was even there. Now he was gone. She cursed herself for not have calling every once in a while and thanked him. At least she should have touched base with him to see how his work was going. Instead she had been caught up in her own little world. Now he was dead.
CHAPTER TEN
It is a little over 5,300 miles from Phoenix, Arizonian to Santiago, Chili. A long twelve hour flight if you can go directly. Abigail hadn’t been quite so lucky. By the time she reached Santiago she had spent fourteen hours in the air and another seven on the ground waiting for connecting flights.
She had been fortunate enough to get a room at the Hotel Plaza De Armas. It was just after 2:00 a.m. when she disembarked at the Arturo Merino Benitez Airport. Clearing customs took another forty-five minutes. By the time she had found a cab and got to the hotel it was going on 4:00 a.m.
Exhausted, she managed to get her clothes off and take a shower in tepid water. She flopped down on the bed and closed her eyes. The next thing she knew someone was opening the door.
“Housekeeping,” a voice shouted.
“You will have to come back later. I’m not ready yet.”
“Si, I be back,” she heard then the door closing.
She glanced at her watch; it was 8:23 a.m. She was tired but decided to go ahead and face the day. She dressed and went down to the lobby. A small coffee shop was attached and she went in and ordered breakfast. She had a flash of guilt as she thought how she had just threw some money at James and rushed out.