leaving the day after tomorrow, but he thinks he might stay and see how Jenny is getting along.”
For a moment Sid’s voice faded and then came back, “… try to keep him in the dark as long as you can, and I will try to stir up something at this end that will decoy him away from you people.”
“I hope you can. We’d all feel better about it.”
“The way you talk, Jase, you sound as if you were a member of that team over there. I would feel better if you sounded like a member of my team.”
“I am here trying to protect your interests.”
“Wholeheartedly, Jase.”
“Yes indeed.”
“Talk up the picture to Jenny, my boy. Tell her how well we will treat her. Tell her we are budgeting it at ten million.”
“If I can get her attention.”
“Speak of tax shelters, Jase. Some little things can be worked out.”
“She’s never been as interested in money as some of the others.”
“My boy, if you can keep the roof from falling in over there, you might well be assigned to that picture for the duration.”
“I would like that, Sid.”
“I’ll be in touch,” he said and hung up.
Jason thumped the pillow and tried to find a comfortableposition and go back to sleep. But within a few minutes he knew it was no good. He kept thinking of the odd quarrel he had with Lois just before leaving their hotel. Jenny had kept them up until after one-thirty. She wanted to share the way she felt. George had kept trying to calm her down but she had resisted him. Finally she had said, her eyes blazing, “Okay, okay, okay, George! I’m a star. I’m a smash. I gave away my baby. Sam Dean is here. Okay! I’ll be
careful!
I’ll wear sneakers. I’ll puff out my cheeks, paint myself blue and limp. But I am going to see my son again, Sam Dean or no Sam Dean, career or no career, scandal or no scandal. Now kindly shut up about it!”
“Jenny, baby, all I’m trying to do is …”
“All I want to be is happy,” she said. “All I ever wanted to be is happy.” And she began to cry. George signaled to Lois and Jason. They started toward the door. Lois paused and went over to Jenny and kissed her on the temple and whispered good night. They went out into the hall and Jason closed the door.
As Jason walked her down toward her room, Lois said, “What are we trying to do to her?”
“What does that mean?”
“George loves to wheel and deal. Ida has eighteen years of security and she’s used to it. I want to see the world. You want to protect that damned picture deal. Mr. Wegler wants his star unsullied. The doctor wants her off his neck. Sam Dean wants to smash her for good.” She leaned against the corridor wall beside her door and looked into his eyes, frowning. “What kind of a ride are we all trying to take at her expense, Jason?” she whispered.
“She made her choices a long time ago.”
“Does that excuse you?”
“Excuse me from what, for God’s sake?”
“Using her. Look how high she is? Doesn’t she
know
it has to swing the other way? Doesn’t she know that seeing the boy is only going to make it all worse for her?”
“Maybe she hasn’t got your sense of caution, Lois.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Jason shrugged. “If you gamble big, you win big or you lose big.”
“And I don’t gamble at all?” she asked in a strained voice.
“I didn’t mean it as a criti …”
“I gambled big as you call it. And it only takes one bigbet to find out all the wheels are fixed and all the dice are crooked. Only a fool would keep on making bets.”
“There’s an old joke, Lois. It’s the only game in town.”
“I’ve heard it. It’s about a compulsive gambler, isn’t it?”
“Like Jenny.”
“She loses, Jason. You can see that. She loses again.”
“Maybe she knows that. But, you see, she had this day, didn’t she?”
She looked down. “I can’t make that kind of a trade, Jason. I can’t trade little pieces of now for the misery of what comes after. I always see
For a moment Sid’s voice faded and then came back, “… try to keep him in the dark as long as you can, and I will try to stir up something at this end that will decoy him away from you people.”
“I hope you can. We’d all feel better about it.”
“The way you talk, Jase, you sound as if you were a member of that team over there. I would feel better if you sounded like a member of my team.”
“I am here trying to protect your interests.”
“Wholeheartedly, Jase.”
“Yes indeed.”
“Talk up the picture to Jenny, my boy. Tell her how well we will treat her. Tell her we are budgeting it at ten million.”
“If I can get her attention.”
“Speak of tax shelters, Jase. Some little things can be worked out.”
“She’s never been as interested in money as some of the others.”
“My boy, if you can keep the roof from falling in over there, you might well be assigned to that picture for the duration.”
“I would like that, Sid.”
“I’ll be in touch,” he said and hung up.
Jason thumped the pillow and tried to find a comfortableposition and go back to sleep. But within a few minutes he knew it was no good. He kept thinking of the odd quarrel he had with Lois just before leaving their hotel. Jenny had kept them up until after one-thirty. She wanted to share the way she felt. George had kept trying to calm her down but she had resisted him. Finally she had said, her eyes blazing, “Okay, okay, okay, George! I’m a star. I’m a smash. I gave away my baby. Sam Dean is here. Okay! I’ll be
careful!
I’ll wear sneakers. I’ll puff out my cheeks, paint myself blue and limp. But I am going to see my son again, Sam Dean or no Sam Dean, career or no career, scandal or no scandal. Now kindly shut up about it!”
“Jenny, baby, all I’m trying to do is …”
“All I want to be is happy,” she said. “All I ever wanted to be is happy.” And she began to cry. George signaled to Lois and Jason. They started toward the door. Lois paused and went over to Jenny and kissed her on the temple and whispered good night. They went out into the hall and Jason closed the door.
As Jason walked her down toward her room, Lois said, “What are we trying to do to her?”
“What does that mean?”
“George loves to wheel and deal. Ida has eighteen years of security and she’s used to it. I want to see the world. You want to protect that damned picture deal. Mr. Wegler wants his star unsullied. The doctor wants her off his neck. Sam Dean wants to smash her for good.” She leaned against the corridor wall beside her door and looked into his eyes, frowning. “What kind of a ride are we all trying to take at her expense, Jason?” she whispered.
“She made her choices a long time ago.”
“Does that excuse you?”
“Excuse me from what, for God’s sake?”
“Using her. Look how high she is? Doesn’t she
know
it has to swing the other way? Doesn’t she know that seeing the boy is only going to make it all worse for her?”
“Maybe she hasn’t got your sense of caution, Lois.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Jason shrugged. “If you gamble big, you win big or you lose big.”
“And I don’t gamble at all?” she asked in a strained voice.
“I didn’t mean it as a criti …”
“I gambled big as you call it. And it only takes one bigbet to find out all the wheels are fixed and all the dice are crooked. Only a fool would keep on making bets.”
“There’s an old joke, Lois. It’s the only game in town.”
“I’ve heard it. It’s about a compulsive gambler, isn’t it?”
“Like Jenny.”
“She loses, Jason. You can see that. She loses again.”
“Maybe she knows that. But, you see, she had this day, didn’t she?”
She looked down. “I can’t make that kind of a trade, Jason. I can’t trade little pieces of now for the misery of what comes after. I always see
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