The Nuclear Catastrophe (a fiction novel of survival) (45 page)

“
We won
’
t sell for his price, I
’
ll tell you that right now.
”
Her words had poured out flat and hard.

“
Then I assure you that I
’
m not about to keep making payments on that house, Paula. Frankly, I don
’
t give a damn if the bank repossesses it or not.
”
His voice was quiet as he spoke.

She became subdued when she realized he really just didn
’
t care about the house.
“
I don
’
t want to let it go for nothing. We did put a lot of improvements into it, and we ought to try to get something out of it, Frank.
”

“
Look, Paula,
”
he said with decisiveness,
“
I
’
ve done everything possible. The trouble is that nobody wants to live there. Hell, we
’
re not by ourselves, you know. Nearly everybody has their place up for sale, but there simply are not interested buyers. And it
’
s much worse in L.A.
”

“
The furniture—what did you do with it?
”
she asked.

Frank removed his all-weather coat, and loosened his tie.
“
I hauled what was left to Billy Joe
’
s. Before I got back to San Mirado, someone had broken into the house and thoroughly ransacked it. They stole practically everything that was worth stealing.
”

“
Oh Frank. No! What kind of bastards would do that, anyway?
”

“
Greedy ones, Paula. Practically every house that had been abandoned by the owners was gutted. I ran into Cooter Avondale, from down the block, remember? He said that thieves had taken every stick of his furniture, right down to and including the carpet. Can you beat that?
”
he said, shaking his head.

“
Did you hear anything about Flo while you were there?
”

“
Uh uh. But then I wasn
’
t there to pay calls on the neighbors.
”

“
I often wondered what they did. Flo and I were having coffee that morning when it happened,
”
she said wistfully.
“
She was a nice gal.  I tried getting in touch with her but she hasn't responded to my texts or emails.
”

Peering around the door, the receptionist smiled pleasantly to the four and remarked,
“
I
’
m terribly sorry that the Senator has been detained. However, he sent a message saying that he
’
d be here within the next few minutes. I
’
ll be at my desk if there
’
s anything I can do for you.
”
Another show of pearl-white teeth, and she disappeared.

“
Frank, when will it be normal, do you suppose?
”

“
What? San Mirado?
”

“
The whole region—San Mirado, the coast, everything.
”

“
I don
’
t have any idea, Paula. There used to be some large dairies in the county, but those animals have all died or been put to death. Their milk was contaminated, anyway. But, it was a strange scary feeling that I got from just traveling through there the other day. Everything was so different. It was almost spooky.
”

A tall, stunning woman walked silently across the padded floor and took a seat in the one remaining spot.  She sat equidistant from the others and the center of the room.

The buzz of voices halted momentarily, then resumed as the talkers ignored the newcomer.

Sara didn
’
t object to being excluded from conversation. There were monumental decisions that had been made in the darkness of the night, and once made, she could now relax to some degree and await the outcome. She recalled the discussion with her physician.

Harry had been the family physician for years. He had cared for her sister
’
s children, watching over them from fetuses into the rowdy youngsters they were today. He had treated every illness of their family that was within his realm of practice. And when the time came, he personally chose the specialists that were to be called in. Thus, she had the greatest confidence in his ability, and had willingly consulted him immediately after the service for Ben.

Because of her confidence and her faith in him, he had been surprised and slightly annoyed when she had adamantly refused the fetal x-rays.
“
Sara....dear,
”
he had said,
“
you are only borrowing trouble. I have already given you my assurances that it is highly unlikely any malformations will develop after the third month of pregnancy.
”

But she had sat on the edge of the examining table, tucked the loose-fitting white gown tightly around her, and shook her head,
“
I don
’
t care, Harry. I simply don
’
t want any more radiation—not even during an x-ray filming of the baby.
”

He had persisted,
“
Sara, an x-ray delivers only a minute amount of radiation. It cannot possibly harm you.
”

She had been obstinate.
“
No.
”

Being close to the family allowed him the privilege of saying what he thought. His features softened, and he asked with kindness,
“
Is it a fear for what the film might reveal, Sara? Is that it?
”

She didn
’
t respond to his questions, but stared forlornly at the floor.

“
Sara, with your past history of being unable to carry a child to full term, we must pay close attention or you may end up losing this one. Now, I know you want this baby, and I want to help you. But dear, we must know where we stand. I can understand your fear of radiation. However, I think we can be optimistic in believing that your exposure has not harmed the developing child.
”

She had faced him as he leaned against the cabinet, his arms folded.
“
Then if you are so certain the baby is normal, why insist on x-raying it?
”

“
It
’
s standard procedure,
”
he answered.
“
It
’
s just part of keeping tabs on both the mother and child during the pregnancy.
”

“
No, Harry. I won
’
t have it,
”
she said with finality. She suspected the physician was entertaining some doubts about the wisdom of her having this child. But when she tried to trap him into admitting to it, he steadfastly denied any doubts and encouraged her to continue carrying the child. Regardless of her personal fears, she did want Ben
’
s baby, but she would not permit exposure to more radiation.

Harry had shrugged,
“
Well, the pelvic measurements still must be done. I think while we are preparing for those, we should also withdraw a sample of amniotic fluid.
”

She looked up at his mention of the amniotic sample.
“
What does that mean?
”
she asked.

“
I
’
ll insert a needle into the amnion, the sac containing the baby, and remove some of the fluids. It
’
s a simple technique, Sara. Absolutely painless.
”

“
Arid what will it prove, Harry?
”

“
Oh, a variety of things. Not the least of which is the general health of the fetus.
”
He expected her to agree readily.

“
No,
”
she said.
“
I don
’
t want that, either.
”

For the second time that morning the physician had been surprised by her lack of cooperation.
“
You are using that same bull-headed determination to thwart my skills that other pregnant women use. Because you are with a child, this makes you a special person, my dear, and as such, you now know more than the physician,
”
he said tartly.

His accusation was neither harsh nor cruel, but she knew he was tremendously irritated. Sara sighed, then answered,
“
I
’
m sorry, but, well....I desperately want this child, Harry, and I don
’
t want to take unnecessary chances with it. No needle, no x-ray.
”
She gave him a weak smile, begging for understanding.

He had finally agreed to do it her way.

Returning from her reverie, Sara glanced to either side and noticed that no one was paying the slightest attention to her. Deftly she removed the gold compact from her purse and flicked it open. She studied the lines that seemed to have become permanently etched in her face. It was a more mature reflection that she saw now. A little wiser beyond her years. But the cheek bones had remained good. It was a nice thin face that would soon become fat if she stuck with that diet the doctor had given her. She touched the puff to the tip of her nose and over her chin. The chin was pointed. Or was it? A vision of the old hag she had seen in a movie flashed through her mind. Once more she glanced at the others, and discovering that she was not being observed, she quickly patted the blond wig before straightening it a fraction of an inch.

“
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, I
’
m Senator McCauley. My sincere apologies for being tardy.
”
Senator Orin McCauley had bounded into the room and come to rest in their midst before they had time to know he was there.

As the Senator graciously introduced each person, Frank Waring looked around the room, seeing Cecil Yeager for the first time. Cecil avoided Frank
’
s look of recognition. Funny, thought Frank, you
’
d think he
’
d want to be friendly. Still, maybe he didn
’
t want to be reminded either.

Althea just barely nodded to Paula Waring. Maybe later she would ask Mrs. Waring about Kimberly she thought... now the Senator had everyone
’
s attention.

The Senator was unusually short in stature, no more than five and a half feet tall. In a generation of teenage amazons, his own sons were well over six feet in height, tributes to nutritious food, exercise, vitamins, and their long-limbed mother. Being dwarfed by most of the people he encountered only reinforced the little man
’
s aggressiveness, however. Tenacity, a nimble athletic body, and a sharp, probing mind had gained him a reputation as a fighter on the hand-ball court and a wily opponent in the halls of justice. A successful career in corporate law had provided the impetus for an equally remarkable career in politics. Now functioning as a United States Senator, he had been assigned the mission of spearheading the investigative search into the causes and consequences of the destruction of White Water Nuclear Power Plant.

“
I want to thank you for agreeing to come here,
”
the senator said.
“
You are not the only group to meet with us, there are others; but, you have been requested for very specific reasons. Mrs. Harrington, quite obviously, is here because Mr. Harrington was a supervisor working at White Water at the moment of the explosion. We would hope that through her association, she will be able to add pertinent information about the nuclear facility. Others of you will no doubt shed light and share your insights on other aspects of the accident.
”

He looked deeply into each face, anxious to put them at ease and acclimate them to the next few days, to what they should expect. Continuing,
“
This series of meetings with you will be informal. Your depositions, your statements, will become a part of a formal hearing that will follow later. You may be interested in knowing that the press is barred from these meetings, but your testimonies may be issued upon completion of our discussions. Do any of you have any questions?
”

“
Senator McCauley,
”
asked Cecil,
“
exactly what is to be the scope of your investigation, or do I have the right to inquire?
”