“That’s crazy! I think Ms. Jennifer Hernandez might be in a tiny bit over her head and a touch paranoid because of it.”

“I couldn’t agree more, which is one of the reasons you and I hopefully will be heading over there tonight.”

“Come again?” Jack asked. He thought he’d heard but wasn’t sure.

“First thing tomorrow morning I’m going to head into Calvin’s office. What I’m hoping is that this emergency will justify him giving us a week or so off together. If he gives the green light, I’ll go directly over to the organization that handles Indian visas, then I’ll pay for our tickets, which I have already reserved online. Then I’ll—”

“Wait a sec!” Jack said. He sat up and drew the blankets around his waist. The eyes were wide open now. “Hold your horses. Have you already committed us to this journey halfway around the world?”

“If you mean have I told Jennifer we’re going to make every effort to come, then the answer is yes. I told her we had to get clearance from Calvin.”

“Because a grieving young girl has become paranoid under stress is hardly justification to fly umpteen thousand miles to hold her hand.”

“Giving Jennifer our support is not the only reason we are going,” Laurie responded, her ire rising.

“Run by me another reason!”

“I told you!” Laurie spat. “Maria Hernandez was like a mother to me for twelve years. Her passing is a true loss.”

“If it’s that much of a loss, how come you haven’t seen her since God knows when?”

Laurie saw red and for a second didn’t say anything. Jack’s comment made the growing confrontation much worse, as it effectively fanned Laurie’s guilt. It was true she hadn’t visited or even talked with Maria for a very long time. She’d thought about it and meant to do it but hadn’t.

“I’m on a deadline about my research paper,” Jack said. “And we have a neighborhood b-ball game on Saturday that I’ve been anticipating for weeks. Hell, I helped arrange it.”

“Shut up about the stupid basketball,” Laurie roared. She gritted her teeth and snarled at Jack. Like a volcano, all the resentment bubbling below the surface about the stress of infertility treatment emerged like a pyroclastic explosion. She also hated the fact that he continued to play basketball, which she thought was a dangerous game.