She studied my face for several seconds, then she said, “it’s all right, Donald. It’s breaking up. I thought perhaps it was going to. You don’t need to beat around the bush. When do we leave?”
I said, “I’ve got to catch a plane to Las Vegas. I should be back by morning.”
“Want me to drive you to the airport?”
“Louie can do it.”
“I’d rather.”
“All right,” I said.
She walked into her bedroom, chin up, shoulders jaunty.
Louie came out and asked, “What is it?”
I said, “Louie, I want you to listen to me. This is perhaps one of the most important things you ever tackled in your life.”
“What?”