very different from the wedding day. Hardly the lionlike patriarch. He was greatly diminished, as if he’d suffered a true body blow and had barelystaggered back into the ring.
Even his fine clothes—a black suit, white shirt, and silvery tie—seemed to be wearing him today, Maggie thought. Large glasses with aviator frames and smoky lenses covered much of his face.
Maggie knew it was unfair, but she had to wonder if this pathos was indeed real, or simply a play for sympathy. Many here would find him culpable in his son’s death. She didn’t doubt that for one moment. Perhaps his infirmity was some sort of diversion? But it was not fair to even suspect such a thing, Maggie realized. The man had just lost a son. Of course he would look depleted and overwhelmed.
As Philip Lassiter ambled past, she found her body growing tense, waiting for some explosion of temper when he noticed Lewis Atkins. The same sort of outburst he’d had at the wedding, sparked by Alec’s unexpected appearance. But there was none. Lassiter either didn’t notice his old friend, or chose to ignore him.
She carefully glanced at Atkins, who sat with his eyes straight ahead, his hands resting in his lap. He showed no interest at all in his former partner—and present rival, if Alec and Claudia could be believed. If Maggie didn’t know better, she would have never suspected that the two men knew each other.
Perhaps their parting was not as bitter as Lassiter’s children believed. Or maybe their hatred had gone completely cold by now.
Once Jeremy’s father was seated, the memorial began. Speaker after speaker painted a picture of Jeremyas a dedicated scientist, a gifted teacher, a good friend, and an able coworker—a young man with every advantage who was not above sharing his time and talents with those less fortunate.
Stewart Campbell, the principal at Rebecca’s school, spoke about Jeremy starting a science club for children in a low-income neighborhood. In fact, he told the audience, that was how Jeremy and Rebecca met, through their mutual commitment to help others.
“To think that a man of his stature and brilliance would come to our little elementary school every week to teach and inspire these forgotten children. To share his love of the natural world and the method of scientific discovery. I am sure that he’s inspired many youngsters to follow his path. To take his place someday in the halls of scientific study . . .”
Stewart Campbell was not a bad speaker. But he was a bit didactic, Maggie thought, and long-winded at the podium. He seemed quite moved by his own speech, she noticed, and kept pushing the frame of his wire-rimmed glasses as they slipped down his nose, his voice growing thick with emotion.
Finally, he was finished, and a representative of the university stepped up, also praising Jeremy’s intellect and gift for sharing his knowledge in one of the most rigorous scientific areas. “The university and medical school will sorely miss this outstanding scholar and scientist.”
Claudia Lassiter got up and spoke for the family. She told a few anecdotes from childhood that softened and humanized the austere image created by the previous speakers. Jeremy also had a sense of humor and had been quite a prankster, often switchingidentities with his brother, Alec, who would somehow always catch the blame, Claudia reported. Alec was the older brother, by two minutes, she explained.
This detail drew a soft laugh from the crowd and even a small brief, smile from their mother, Patricia. She glanced at Rebecca and squeezed her hand.
This was a different side of the young man, one that had not come across at their first meeting, she had to admit. But that was why these gatherings were important. You learned a lot about the person who had passed on and could honor his memory more completely.
Claudia also praised her brother’s commitment to the family enterprise, At-Las Technologies, and his great contributions.
“He felt
Even his fine clothes—a black suit, white shirt, and silvery tie—seemed to be wearing him today, Maggie thought. Large glasses with aviator frames and smoky lenses covered much of his face.
Maggie knew it was unfair, but she had to wonder if this pathos was indeed real, or simply a play for sympathy. Many here would find him culpable in his son’s death. She didn’t doubt that for one moment. Perhaps his infirmity was some sort of diversion? But it was not fair to even suspect such a thing, Maggie realized. The man had just lost a son. Of course he would look depleted and overwhelmed.
As Philip Lassiter ambled past, she found her body growing tense, waiting for some explosion of temper when he noticed Lewis Atkins. The same sort of outburst he’d had at the wedding, sparked by Alec’s unexpected appearance. But there was none. Lassiter either didn’t notice his old friend, or chose to ignore him.
She carefully glanced at Atkins, who sat with his eyes straight ahead, his hands resting in his lap. He showed no interest at all in his former partner—and present rival, if Alec and Claudia could be believed. If Maggie didn’t know better, she would have never suspected that the two men knew each other.
Perhaps their parting was not as bitter as Lassiter’s children believed. Or maybe their hatred had gone completely cold by now.
Once Jeremy’s father was seated, the memorial began. Speaker after speaker painted a picture of Jeremyas a dedicated scientist, a gifted teacher, a good friend, and an able coworker—a young man with every advantage who was not above sharing his time and talents with those less fortunate.
Stewart Campbell, the principal at Rebecca’s school, spoke about Jeremy starting a science club for children in a low-income neighborhood. In fact, he told the audience, that was how Jeremy and Rebecca met, through their mutual commitment to help others.
“To think that a man of his stature and brilliance would come to our little elementary school every week to teach and inspire these forgotten children. To share his love of the natural world and the method of scientific discovery. I am sure that he’s inspired many youngsters to follow his path. To take his place someday in the halls of scientific study . . .”
Stewart Campbell was not a bad speaker. But he was a bit didactic, Maggie thought, and long-winded at the podium. He seemed quite moved by his own speech, she noticed, and kept pushing the frame of his wire-rimmed glasses as they slipped down his nose, his voice growing thick with emotion.
Finally, he was finished, and a representative of the university stepped up, also praising Jeremy’s intellect and gift for sharing his knowledge in one of the most rigorous scientific areas. “The university and medical school will sorely miss this outstanding scholar and scientist.”
Claudia Lassiter got up and spoke for the family. She told a few anecdotes from childhood that softened and humanized the austere image created by the previous speakers. Jeremy also had a sense of humor and had been quite a prankster, often switchingidentities with his brother, Alec, who would somehow always catch the blame, Claudia reported. Alec was the older brother, by two minutes, she explained.
This detail drew a soft laugh from the crowd and even a small brief, smile from their mother, Patricia. She glanced at Rebecca and squeezed her hand.
This was a different side of the young man, one that had not come across at their first meeting, she had to admit. But that was why these gatherings were important. You learned a lot about the person who had passed on and could honor his memory more completely.
Claudia also praised her brother’s commitment to the family enterprise, At-Las Technologies, and his great contributions.
“He felt
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