An Indecent Marriage by Doreen Owens Malek Page A

position is going to be in jeopardy.”
    “Well, maybe you’ll get some good news Friday,” Maddy said hopefully.
    “Maybe,” Jessica said, unconvinced. It would take a miracle and she was long past believing in those.
    The two women finished lunch and left together, promising to keep in close touch. When Jessica arrived back at the house the phone was ringing, and she rushed to answer it, leaving the door ajar. It was Dr. Schmitt, reporting that the new medication was working and her father’s condition had stabilized. He was still semiconscious, but for the first time Schmitt ventured the opinion that he might recover fully in time. Jessica had known this in the back of her mind, but hearing him say it made her finally realize that her father’s convalescence would be lengthy. He would probably require close supervision, and she had no way to take care of him.
    After she finished talking to the doctor she got up and shut the door, returning to the living room to place a call to a local real-estate agent. She had been delaying listing the house, hoping that something, anything, would happen to make the move unnecessary. The money from the sale would be minimal, but she had to begin somewhere. She sat with the receiver in her hand, wondering which agency to use, when Jean came through the front door. Jessica hung up guiltily, as if she had been about to do something underhanded. Maybe she had. Jean had no idea how really grave the situation was, and perhaps she wasn’t doing her sister a favor by misleading her about it, minimizing her fears. The truth, when it came, would be hard.
    “I thought you said you had practice after school,” Jessica greeted her.
    “Miss Aynsley was sick, and her assistant couldn’t take over the squad,” Jean replied. “They just rescheduled it for later. How’s Dad?”
    “Good news. The medicine is working and his condition has stabilized.”
    Jean sighed with relief. “Does that mean he’ll be moved to a regular room?”
    “The doctor said he would be moved in a few days if he continues to do better.”
    Jean nodded. “Great. I’m going to get a drink. You want one?” she asked as she headed for the kitchen.
    “No, thanks. There’s a carton of orange juice in the refrigerator. I picked it up while I was out earlier.”
    Jessica glanced back at the phone after her sister had left and decided to put the call off one more time. Then she rose and went up to her bedroom to change her clothes.
    * * * *
    Friday dawned cloudy and blustery, a precursor of true winter, which was well on its way. Jessica donned a yellow wool dress, the color of lily pollen, and borrowed Jean’s dark green duffel coat, as her sister had worn her cheerleading jacket to school. After years in Italy’s mild climate, Jessica had no warm outerwear of her own. She got into the rental car with mixed feelings, anxious to hear the final word on the deal, but nervous about seeing Jack again. His behavior on their evening together had warned her of a difficult time to come.
    He was waiting for her in Ransom’s office, dressed casually this time in tan cords and a thick eggshell-colored turtleneck. He stood up as she came into the room and took her coat as she slipped out of it. Ransom hurried in behind her, greeting both of them absently, carrying two string-tied accordion folders. He opened these, spreading their contents on his desk.
    “Now let’s see,” he muttered to his two companions, who watched him soberly. Neither of them had uttered a word.
    “I just have to add up this last column of figures,” the lawyer went on as Jessica turned aside, too restless to stand still. Jack followed her with his eyes as Ransom punched numbers on his calculator, pausing to make notes, and then ripped off the slip with the total.
    “Now this takes into account the facility itself, with all the machinery, the inventory on hand and the goodwill,” Ransom said. He read the figure to Jessica. “And it’s a very fair