Dream thief

18

… THE SUN SHIELDS WERE nearly closed when Spence stepped into the garden. The slanting bands of golden light falling through the trees resembled a kind of tropical aurora which flushed everything with heightened color. This was Spence's favorite time to come here-just before the shields closed and the garden received its nocturnal rest.

He hurried along to the center of the garden and the benches on the greensward. As he had hoped, the benches were empty; not another soul was to be seen anywhere. He settled himself on the last bench to wait. The only thing missing is mosquitoes, thought Spence as he listened to the racking squawks of one of Central Park's half-dozen macaws.

He closed his eyes and breathed the humid air deep into his lungs, tilting his head back to rest on the bench. He was still in this attitude, eyes closed, head thrown back, when Ari found him.

"I know I haven't kept you waiting that long!" she said. "How dare you pretend to sleep."

Spence's head snapped upright as his eyes flew open. He jumped to his feet. "I didn't hear you come up." He looked at her and stood uncertainly, gazing intently at her fair face, even lovelier in the soft golden light of the garden. He tried to read her feelings in her eyes, but could not.

"Ari," he said, after an awkward moment, "thanks for coming. After what I did you had every right to refuse, and I wouldn't have blamed you."

She did not make the moment easier for him, but stood there looking at him implacably.

"I am sorry. I… I treated you terribly." His eyes sought hers and his voice became hushed. "I've never asked another person to forgive me, but I'm asking you now. Please, forgive me."

The smile that transformed her face came like the dawn to his long, dark night of despair. All the way to the garden he had tortured himself with six kinds of fear and doubt as to the outcome of their meeting. Her voice over the ComCen speaker had been icily polite, giving away nothing that he could use to bolster his sinking ego. But her smile banished all his dark thoughts.

"Oh, Spence, I've been so worried about you. Furious, too, mind you. But more worried than mad."

"I acted like an ass. Running out of the cafe that way-I don't know what I was thinking of. I'm sorry…"

"You're forgiven. Now, what is so urgent and secret?"

He drew her to the bench and sat her down. He looked around him as if he expected spies to be lurking in the shrubbery. She could see that his face was flushed with excitement. His slightly wild-eyed look was creeping over him again. She bit her lip. "What is it, Spencer?" 'I have proof that I'm not going crazy."