"Fish, Pat - Happy Last Birthday To You" - читать интересную книгу автора (Fish Patricia)

"It's Jeremy's birthday and I was wondering if you could make some of your famous stuffed-shrimp. I'll bring along a birthday cake, of course. We won't stay long. It's just that he has to go to Los Angeles for this convention and I hate him to be alone for his birthday. So I am flying out with him. And since you already live in California? We won't spend the night or anything. We already have reservations at the Sheraton. Do you mind terribly?"

My mind was screaming NO, a thousand times NO. I could not have that woman in my house, with my husband and my children and my dog and my cat. I was finally away from her. Before I could get all this out, I heard my mother back on the line.

"It would be nice to do this for Roberta. Goodness, you two are sisters but you never see each other. And guess what? I'll be along too! It will be so nice to visit my grandchildren again. I haven't seen them since they were, what....two and three?"

So I guess I was going to have a birthday dinner for my brother-in-law, murderess sister and mother. Roberta told me she and Jeremy were to be married before the trip so that, technically, Jeremy would be my brother-in-law and the birthday dinner would be a most acceptable social event.

Jeremy was a sweet man. He could speak, but his speech was difficult to understand in that manner of those who had never heard spoken words. Instead, Jeremy had what appeared to be a small computer with him at all times. He would quickly type his comments and the text of his thoughts would appear on the wall behind him. It was sort of a movie projector in reverse, Roberta explained.

I was amazed at the machine and the ease of use that allowed the mute to converse normally with those who could speak.

"It's called a Datacell transmitter," Jeremy informed us by using his machine.

"You have to be careful where you position yourself," Jeremy continued to type and we continued to read on the wall behind him. "You need to be sitting in front of some sort of wall. Color is no problem, because, as you can see, the text as projected can be changed to any color for contrast to the wall."

In fact, the last sentence of Jeremy's text changed from red to yellow to blue as he demonstrated the versatility of the machine.

"And Jeremy invented it. We will be showing it for the first time at the convention tomorrow." Roberta stood by Jeremy as he typed his part of the conversation. She looked for all the world as the proudest of wives. I glanced over to Chad but he paid me no mind.

I excused myself in mid-demonstration and went to finish the dinner.

"Roberta certainly seems happy to me," my husband said, startling me with his unexpected entry to the kitchen. I pulled the stuffed-shrimp from the oven and almost dropped them at the sound.

"Maybe you were right about the animals, Jan," Chad said as he put the rolls in the basket and filled his arms with bowls to be taken into the dining room. "But I'm not so sure about the people. I mean she seems so normal. I find it hard to believe she would murder her own child."

While Chad had met my mother on several occasions, this was his first chance to meet Roberta. I couldn't believe my ears that now my own husband was taken with the angelic Roberta. Since my hands were full with a baking dish of stuffed-shrimp, I nodded for Chad to lead the way to the dining room. I figured I would just get this evening over with, then have a long talk with the naive Chad.

Chad and I carried the dishes into the dining room then returned to the kitchen for more.

"Let me take that thing for you, Hon," I heard Roberta say to Jeremy as Chad and I left the room.

"Jan, the shrimp are delicious. As always," my mother said, as she put another fork full into her mouth.

"Mmmmmm," was all I heard from Roberta.

Jeremy, of course, said nothing. His datacell was sitting safely away from the stains. He was quite adept at reading lips, but I'm not at all sure how much he understood with our lips that chewed on fresh sourdough bread while speaking.

I did go to great pains to make the meal special. Since I didn't think Roberta would pull any strange tricks while on her trip, I decided to go all out and host a celebration for my sister and her husband as if they were perfectly normal people. All diners had some shrimp, spinach salad, sourdough bread and a baked potato. Conversation was sparse during the dining, both in deference to Jeremy who couldn't participate and due to chewing activity.

It was Chad who first pushed himself back from the table. I prayed that he wouldn't belch.

Roberta quickly followed suit. "That was delicious Jan. Absolutely delicious." She turned to face Jeremy. "How was it, hon?"

Jeremy responded by nodding his head affirmatively.

Mom finished her last bite of potato and added her meal appreciation. I accepted all compliments and began to clear the table.

"About time for that birthday cake," I said to Roberta. "By the way, in case I haven't said it yet, happy birthday, Jeremy." I said my greeting to Jeremy, enunciating my words clearly so that he could read my lip-wish. Jeremy nodded his understanding. His forehead glistened with sweat.