I Will Fear No Evil Part 15

"Oh. Well, I'm not going to dress; we've still to finish. Grab me a negligee-not that plate-gla.s.s job. The London Fog is suitable, don't you think?"

"I guess. Makes you look only half naked instead of bare."

"Who taught me to dress that way, winsome Winnie?",(I did.) (Sure, Eunice-but she thinks she bosses me. I'm her good baby who always does what Mama says . . . until we get dear Doctor out of our hair.) "Please tell the gentlemen that I will be right out."

Miss Smith stopped to apply lipstick, decided that her face could get along with no other renewals, took a brushcomb and teased her too-short locks into fluffiness, stepped into stilt-high mules, put on the negligee and looked at herself in the long gla.s.s.

She decided that the selective opacity of the robe was just right-except that the upper part was a little too too modest. So she delayed long enough to apply lipstick to areolae. modest. So she delayed long enough to apply lipstick to areolae.

Now satisfied with her appearance-(Boss, we look like a high-priced pooka.) (Very high-priced, I hope. Were you criticizing?) (Not at all, I was applauding.)-she went out into her boudoir. "Good morning, Doctor. Hi, Jake dear. Won't you sit down? Coffee? Or we can find some Old Kentucky Rat Poison, bottled in the barn."

"Coffee," agreed Salomon. "You look charming, my dear."

"Snake charming. I've been exercising and smell like a horse."

"Not more than a small pony. I'll turn up the ventilation. Joan Eunice, Dr. Garcia wants to check you over."

"Really? What's wrong? I feel fine. Aside from these cold prison bars all around me, and my head on a pillow of stone."

"Dr. Garcia thinks we can do something about those cold prison bars. Joan Eunice, we agreed that it was not smart to go into court until you were discharged as well in all respects. He thinks it may be possible, now."

"Oh. Oh! Oh! How about that platoon of psychiatrists?" How about that platoon of psychiatrists?"

"We'll have them. We may never need them. But we'll be ready to offset their expert witnesses. You will have to put up with long searching interviews; our own experts must go into court prepared." (Prepared to justify their fancy fees. Don't worry, Boss; I'll hide under a rock whenever a shrink is around.) "That's okay. I'm delighted that Dr. Garcia thinks I'm well. Shall we step into my dressing room, Doctor? Come along, Winnie. Jake, the Wall Street Journal is over there."

Once she was alone with her doctor and nurse Miss Smith said, "Well, Doctor? Shall I stretch out on the ma.s.sage table?"

"No, this examination is pro forma, to allow me to log that I gave you a physical on the day I discharged you. I'll listen with a stethoscope and make you say 'Ah!'-things like that. If you'll sit down at your dressing table and drop the top of your robe, please."

"Yes, sir."

She kept quiet while he pa.s.sed the stethoscope here and there, coughed when she was told to, inhaled sharply and sighed noisily as directed. Once she said, "Wups! Sorry, I'm ticklish," and asked, "What does that tell you?"

"Just palpating for lumps. Again, pro forma-although it's been some time since this was done." (Enjoying it, kiddo?) (Maybe you are, Eunice; I'm not. I'd rather be approached more romantic-like.) (Don't kid your grandmother; you enjoy it.) The doctor stepped back and looked at her thoughtfully. Joan Eunice said, "Anything more, sir? G-Y-N?"

"Not unless you ask for it. Trouble?"

"Not a bit. I feel healthy enough to whup a grizzly bear."

"And you check out that healthy, too. Nevertheless your case worries me."

"Why, Doctor?"

"Because your case is unique. I know almost as little about it as you do. Joan, when you left this house-as Mr. Smith-I never expected to see you alive again. When you were brought back, I did not expect you to regain consciousness. When you regained consciousness, I felt sorry for you . . . as I never expected you to be other than paralyzed from the neck down. Yet here you are, well and healthy. Apparently."

"Why only 'apparently,' Doctor?"

"I don't know. We know little enough about any transplant-and nothing about a brain transplant other than what we have learned from you. Joan, for the past two weeks there has been no reason-other than caution-why you needed more supervision than any other young woman in good health. Say Winifred here, for example."

He shrugged. "Of the two you seem to be somewhat more ruggedly healthy than she is. Nevertheless I would bet that Winifred, barring accidents, will live out her normal span . . . whereas you don't fit any curve; you're unique. Please, I'm not trying to frighten you, but only a fool makes predictions based on ignorance; I am not that sort of fool."

"Doctor," she answered calmly, "you're saying that this body could reject the brain-or vice versa, it's the same thing. Or that I could drop dead, heart failure, for no defined reason. I know it; I read a great deal on transplants, while I was still Johann Smith. I am not afraid. If it happens-well, I've had a wonderful vacation from old age, with its pain and boredom." She smiled happily. "It's been like dying and going to Heaven-and even a few weeks of Heaven can be eternity."

"I'm glad you accept it so philosophically."

"Not 'philosophically,' Doctor. With wonder and joy and reaching out greedily for every golden second!"

"Well . . . I'm pleased that Winifred is going to stay with you and I hope that you will keep her a long time-"

"As long as she will stay! Always, I hope."

"-because, otherwise, I would worry. But Winnie can do in an emergency anything I could do, and she'll have everything here with which to do it-and she knows and I want you to know that I will get here fast if she sends for me. All right, my dear, let's get that transmitter off you; you won't be monitored any longer. Nurse. Rubbing alcohol, and cotton."

"Yes, Doctor." Winifred went past the ma.s.sage table, reached into a cupboard.

Dr. Garcia detached the tiny transmitter. "Slight erythema, and a faint circle of mechanical dermat.i.tis. With your amazing repair factor I'm betting you won't be able to find where it's been by tomorrow. But I'm going to miss my morning movie."

"Sir?"

"I don't suppose anyone has told you but I have watched the monitors every morning, while you exercised . . . waiting for your heart to pound. Or your respiration to warn me. Nothing. Never anything abnormal, I mean; I could tell that you were exercising. Very mild exercise, I concluded."

"Why, yes, I suppose so. Yoga."

"Well! I would not cla.s.s yoga as 'mild.' If we mean the same thing."

"I meant that yoga isn't a hundred-yard dash, or weight lifting. But I-well, both of us-have been doing the cla.s.sic poses. Except the headstands; I'm not foolish, I know I have a Sears-Roebuck skull."

"I wouldn't have let her, Doctor! But she never tried one; truly she didn't."

"Doctor, I haven't been building muscles for show; I am simply trying to get perfect control over my new-wonderful!-body. Here, let me show you."

Joan stood up, letting the negligee fall, stood on the floor six inches from the exercise mat-shifted her weight onto her left foot, brought her right leg up behind her in perfect extension while she leaned slowly forward . . . deep . . . deeper . . . until she clasped her left ankle with both hands and pressed her cheek against her shin, with her right leg arrow straight above her in a perfect split.

She held it for three controlled breaths, then dropped her hands flat to the floor, slowly lifted her left leg, balancing it against the right, until she was holding a hand stand, legs together, back arched, toes pointed.

Again slowly she let her limbs sink like drooping petals until they touched the mat-let the Arch sink into the Wheel, melted still farther into the Diamond pose, knees and elbows touching mat and floor-held it-let it roll slowly forward into Lotus. "Om Mani Padme Hum." (Om Mani Padme Hum. Pick up your check at the gate, girl; we won't need to shoot this scene over.) (Thanks, Eunice. But I had a good guru, Guru.) (De nada, Chela.) Dr. Garcia was applauding. "Terrific! Unbelievable. Like everything else about this case. Winnie! Can you do that?"

Joan flowed upward, was standing. "Sure she can! Skin'em off, dear, and show Doctor."

The nurse blushed deeply. "No, I can't. Don't believe her, Doctor; I'm just learning."

"Oh, fuff. I have to steady her only a little. Come back in two weeks, Doctor, and she'll do it by herself. It's not hard-just takes angleworms in your ancestry."

"Which you seem to have. But, if Winnie didn't teach you, where did you learn it, Joan?"

(Oh, oh! Watch it, Boss-he smells a mouse.) "How old are you, Doctor?"

"Eh? Thirty-seven."

"I learned it about forty years before you were born. But didn't have time to keep it up," she went on. "Then for many years didn't have the physique even to try. But it all came back so easily that I am forced to a.s.sume that Mrs. Branca was better at it than I was even as a limber kid." (Let's see him check that that, sweetheart.) (Never make a lie too complicated, Boss.) (Look, infant, I was lying with a straight face when your grandmother was in rompers. Erase and correct-your great-grandmother.) "Well . . . I'm going to write it up as part of your final physical-if I can figure out how to describe it. Your robe, Joan?"

"Thank you." She took it and held it, instead of presenting her back for him to put it on her. "Doctor, Mr. Salomon will be settling your fees and expenses. But, to show my great appreciation, I want to add something."

He shook his head. "A doctor should not accept more than his fee . . . and, I a.s.sure you, mine are high."

"Nevertheless I want to." She dropped the robe. "Winnie, turn your back, dear." She went straight into his startled arms, put up her face to be kissed.

He hesitated about one heartbeat, then put his arms around her and kissed her. Joan sighed softly, her lips came open, and she flowed more closely against him (Don't faint! Let's not miss any any of this.) (Don't bother me, Eunice; I'm of this.) (Don't bother me, Eunice; I'm busy! busy!) The Doctor broke from it, caught his breath, and looked at her soberly. Then he reached down, recovered her robe and held it. Joan let him put it on her, then said, "Thank you, Doctor." She turned and smiled.

"Um. I think I can honestly report that you are in excellent physical condition. Mr. Salomon is waiting."

"Please tell him I'll be out in a moment."

Joan waited until the door closed. Then she went into Winifred's arms and giggled against her shoulder. "Winnie, did you turn your back? Didn't you peek a little? I hope."

"I turned my back. But I had a full view in the mirror. Whew! Whew!"

"Whew twice. So that's that's what it feels like. Honey, I don't feel nearly so virginal now." what it feels like. Honey, I don't feel nearly so virginal now."

"Is he good? It looked like it."

"I don't know. I have no way to judge. Dear darling Jake kisses me; you've seen him-but just 'uncle' sort of pecks. And you kiss me-and yours yours aren't pecks. But you're a girl and smaller than I am. Doctor is the first man who has really kissed me . . . and it made me feel so little and helpless that I darn near dragged him down onto the mat. You've never kissed him?" aren't pecks. But you're a girl and smaller than I am. Doctor is the first man who has really kissed me . . . and it made me feel so little and helpless that I darn near dragged him down onto the mat. You've never kissed him?"

"Him? Joan honey, if I told any of the nurses about this, I would not be believed. Dr. Garcia doesn't even pat bottoms; he just growls." Joan honey, if I told any of the nurses about this, I would not be believed. Dr. Garcia doesn't even pat bottoms; he just growls."

"He patted my bottom. I think he did. Things were fuzzy right then."

"I know know he did. I saw it and didn't believe it. Joan? You wouldn't have made me skin down. Would you?" he did. I saw it and didn't believe it. Joan? You wouldn't have made me skin down. Would you?"

"Why not? I was."

"Yes, but you're a patient. I'm a nurse, I'm supposed to be a robot and a chaperon."

"Only we know you're not. Don't we?"

"Well . . . anyhow I can't do that one; it's much too hard."

"I told him to come back in two weeks and you'd be able to. Shall I remind him?"

"Oh, Joan! You're teasing me again." The redhead added thoughtfully, "Do you really think I could, by myself, in only two more weeks?"

"I know you can. But not in clothes, not even tights. So if you are going to blush and go chicken, I had better not remind dear Doctor."

"Uh . . . that did look like quite a kiss. But Paul wouldn't like it."

"Wouldn't like what? Your demonstrating precision body control to a doctor? Or kissing a doctor? Or what the kiss might lead to? And how is Paul to know if you don't tell him?" (Boss, you are corrupting the youth of the land.) (Egg feathers, Eunice. Either Paul won't marry her . . . or he's married and can't. Either way he's got no business monopolizing her. As you pointed out, s.e.x is not a sport, it's for being happy.) "Uh . . . Doctor wouldn't kiss me, anyway. He doesn't even know I'm female."

"Never believe it. You are and he's not stupid. He'll kiss you if I suggest that it's the applause expected for a perfect performance. You've got two weeks to make up your mind, and right now I've got to go see dear Jake."

13.

"-having business before this Honorable Court draw nigh!"-"May it please the Court, while Pet.i.tioners are ready to proceed, may they respectfully invite to the Court's attention that no proper foundation has been laid. This matter relates to the competency of Johann Sebastian Bach Smith, grandfather of the four Pet.i.tioners . . . and Counsel is not aware that he is in court."

"Order! There will be order in the court- There will be order in the court-at once. Or the room will be cleared. Counsel, are you suggesting that Miss Smith-this young lady at whom I am pointing-is not Johann Sebastian Bach Smith?"

"Counsel suggests nothing, Your Honor. I merely note that we have nothing in the record to show that the person at whom the Court pointed is Johann Sebastian Bach Smith-and that the question of competency cannot be considered until proof of ident.i.ty is indubitably established."

"Is Counsel attempting to instruct this Court in the law?"

"Oh, not at all!"

"It sounded like that. May I remind Counsel that this Court sits today in equity, not in law-and that the procedures are what the Court says they are."

"Most certainly, Your Honor. I regret if I inadvertently sounded otherwise."

"You were one-sixteenth of an inch from contempt, and don't let it happen again."

"Yes, Your Honor."

". . . . . . .as I am sick and tired of the behavior of about fifty percent of the spectators and at least ninety percent of the press, I order the Bailiff to clear the room. Use a platoon, Evelyn, and clear these cattle out of the chutes promptly-and if that fancy video equipment is damaged in the process, we won't worry about it.

"Counsels, Pet.i.tioners, Guardian, and Ward-putative ward, let the record show-will adjourn to my chambers while we get this silly ha.s.sle cleared up."

"Jake, this is fun! If I'm not me me, then I'm flat broke and footloose. You'll have to marry me-to keep me off Welfare."

"Johann, shut up that drivel. This is serious."

"Jake, I refuse to see doom. If I'm not me, then I'm dead and it would be worth being broke to hear my will read and see the faces of my loving descendants when they discover that they wind up with trivial incomes that aren't even taxfree. Jake, every rich man wants to hear his will read-and I may get the chance."

"Hmm. Under the theory they seem to be following, Eunice is ent.i.tled to hear your will read-remember that paragraph about 'all persons not specifically named who are in my personal and private employ at the time of my demise-' "

"Can't say that I do, but if you put it in, it's there."

"It's there. If you're not Johann, then you have to be Eunice. It's an 'either-or' " (Nope! It's both both.) (Eunice, this is going to be fun?) (I think so, too, Boss.) The part of his chambers selected by Judge McCampbell was a comfortable lounge. Once in it he looked around.

"Mmm . . . Jake, Ned, Miss Smith, Alec, Mrs. Seward, Mrs. Frabish, you're Mrs. Crampton, aren't you?-Mrs. Lopez. Parkinson, how the devil did you get in here?"

"Amicus curiae, Your Honor."

"You're no friend of this Court and you don't belong here."

"But-"