She felt David wiping her tears.
“David, how come you never talk about us? Am I only a friend with benefits?”
David: Dad, she wants to know about our relationship.
Martin: David, I’m disconnecting now. Tell her what you want for you two. This is one of life’s BIG tests. There is a right answer and a wrong answer. Choose. Don’t call me again unless Phyl’s in physical pain. If you’re in pain, then you deserved it. Good night.
David turned away from Phyllis, “It’s not you, it’s … it’s me.”
Phyllis got out of bed, knelt in front of the kneeling David. Their knees touched and she put her hands lightly on either side of his face. With the lightest pressure, she made him face her, look into her eyes. “What about you?”
David looked down, avoided her eyes. Phyllis put some pressure on his face, directing it towards her again. “David Smith-Klein, what about you?”
“I’m, I’m a monster, a hideous monster. There will be a day when people will be coming after me with pitchforks and torches. I’m a Frankenstein monster, hiding in an Italian suit.”
Phyllis again applied gentle pressure to David’s face, holding it with her palms, “David, I think you know. No, I’ll amend that. I know, you know, I love you.” David’s frown became a weak smile. He looked up at Phyllis, and she could feel a small nod through her fingertips. “But David, you are a flaming asshole at times. Dumber than shit. An emotional imbecile. And I’m saying that affectionately, but a fact is a fact.
“You, a monster? You single handedly turned virtually every American’s lives around and made it easier. Our country’s, no, the world’s economy is rocketing forward with almost free industrial energy. You are producing cars that save lives, are cheaper and have no pollution. You’ve positioned cell phone satellites around the globe, and you’ve donated electricity for heating and modern comforts into the middle of a Peruvian village in the Andes and all over the rest of the world. You a monster? Anyone, no everyone, who knows your work, knows you are no monster. No, I take that back. There probably are some imbeciles, even more retarded than you, who will have stupid prejudices that they can’t overcome. Or there will be the envious buggy whip manufacturers who will be out of work. You’ll always be different, but a monster. Never. The worst that I can say about you is that you hold yourself so seriously that you never fully allow yourself to be a real human. You don’t lie, you don’t cheat, you don’t even realize that you’re a, what’s the Yiddish word, oh yes, a real Mensch, a real Man. A saint maybe, a monster never.”
Phyllis paused, “Hmmm, have the Catholics ever canonized a Jewish saint?”
David smiled, “A number, in the early days. But I think some got in through nepotism.”
David was now crying and they embraced. “Will you marry me?”
Her small voice said “yes.” They clung together.
***
At the breakfast table, holding hands, they announced the news. Martin was beaming, “I was thinking I needed to hold a shotgun on you two. It’s about time. I was really, really trying not to interfere. Corey told me that it would come in time. But it was beginning to seem like
Corey was looking up at the ceiling with a mischievous look on her face. She finally said, “I’m glad you two came to your senses. You two were so right for each other. And you’re so obviously in love. Congratulations. Now the obvious questions: When? Where? How?”
***
Phyllis called her father, “Papa, David proposed. I accepted.”
“Debbie, are you’re sure. He didn’t make you pregnant did he? I’ll kill him if he did.”
“Papa, of course not. It’s the 21st century, for-god’s-sake.” In a lowered voice, Phyllis said “Papa, I love him, and he loves me. He proposed to me last night, and I proposed to him.”
“He can take care of you?”
Phyllis loudly laughed and said, “Papa, you can’t be serious. David, not being able to support me? He can buy me a new Rolls Royce every day of my life, it I asked. You should know better than that.”
Murray said, “But you still live like college students on a budget.”
“With him we don’t need to compete with anyone. We have everything we need, each other
.”
“He seemed like a real tough guy to me. Does he treat you right? He doesn’t hit you or nothing?”
“Papa, when he needs to be tough with tough guys he can be iron, no, like a diamond. But with me, he’s never even raised his voice. He’s the first man that ever stood back and let me flourish. Did you know I was the one who dealt with the Europeans with C H Electricity? He was there, standing back and beaming at me. He’s a good man, papa. He’s having me deal directly with the Nobel Laureates, which is like herding cockroaches on a hot skillet.
“Papa, we haven’t set a date yet, but we’d like you to give me away.”
“Does that mean I have to hire a hall?”
Phyllis laughed, “No papa, we can handle that. However, could you find a priest? David’s dad is Jewish and we’re going to have a rabbi too.”
“Debbie, you’re going to make me a very proud dad.”
***
A week later Janet and Corey cornered Phyllis, each grabbed her arm, and dragged her into Corey’s room. Janet closed the door, then locked it.
Janet faced away from Phyllis, so Phyllis couldn’t see her beet red face and said, “I’m not sure you know this, but this building has many rooms, but
Phyllis looked nervously around, “Was ‘what’ as good as it sounded?”
Janet turned around, looked skyward, and had a silly grin.
Phyllis’ entire body flushed, she then had an ear-to-ear grin, and she paused for a moment then said, “YES.”
Corey looked at Phyllis, “The enhancement?”
“Yes-s-s.”
Janet said, “Without trying to embarrass you or anything, what was it like?”
“I can’t read David’s mind, and he can’t read mine, but if we want, he can see what I see, move my muscles, feel what I feel.” Phyllis’ grin got even larger.
“He was able to feel everything which I felt. I was able to feel everything he felt. When he touched me, I felt where his fingers touched my skin. I also felt what he felt. I felt his body tremble, and he felt mine. It was unbelievable. You know before, don’t get me wrong, I always enjoyed sex. But now, we felt each other feeling each other. I can’t describe it any better. We had a feedback loop, like having a microphone too near the speakers. Before it was like going to a good Mexican restaurant. Tasty, satisfying, fulfilling. Now, now it’s like a ten course five star feast, except without the calories.”
Janet walked up to Phyllis, “You actually look better after the operation than before. Is it the sex?”
Phyllis laughed, “I don’t think so. Did you ever wonder why David is so buff, so slim? In this calorie laden household?”
Corey shrugged, “I thought he had a teenager’s metabolism.”
Phyllis said, “Maybe that’s part of it. He’s still 19, but at college there were many, many guys that didn’t have his metabolism. Did you know that every night David actually exercises … in his sleep! He goes to sleep and tells his brain to remain asleep and he does four hours of exercise, while he dreams. He has me doing isometric exercises now up to two hours a night. I wake up and really need a shower in the morning. I was actually a bit stiff the first morning, but he reduced my load. I feel better now than ever.”
Corey looked at Janet, “Okay, okay, we’re dying to know. What’s up with ‘Row, Row, Row, your Boat’?”
Phyllis again turned red, laughed and explained David’s teaching technique.
“Why did he want to do that?”
Phyllis regained her composure, “You know how athletes or musicians spend months training their muscles to do things automatically. They call it muscle memory, but i
t takes months of repetitions. The computer can do that now in seconds, if I let it. David had me doing some Tai Chi forms. I felt awkward doing them. Then he set up a switch in my brain. I turn it on and I do a twenty-minute form. He then sped it up, and it became a martial arts choreography. I was doing moves that would make Bruce Lee proud. This morning we actually started doing move and counter-move in Karate.”
Corey looked at Phyllis, “Phil, can I ask a big favor?”
Phyllis met her gaze.
“Do you think you could hold off your wedding a bit? Martin and I would like to make it a double wedding. And I want our hair to grow in a bit.”
Janet also turned red, “Mine too and Sidney’s.”
Phyllis looked at the other two women, “You mean you want the operation too?”
They nodded. The three women hugged one another.
Janet then looked at the other two women, “Would you mind if Sid and I renewed our vows too. It seems like we’re all being reborn. I really don’t want to water down your wedding or anything. Only if it’s ok with David and Martin.” Janet grinned, “Sid I’ll handle.”
They hugged each other tighter.
***
The six remained at Cap Haitien for another three weeks. They took turns having the operation. The anesthesiologist became a wealthy man. David had the latest version of the organic computer installed into his body as well. It was the first time he went swimming without a shirt. He lost a pound of hair.
***
Fasil Al-Ibsen walked quietly in the hushed courtyard of his benefactor, Ashrif bin Laden. The floor had very expensive mosaic tiling and the walls were frequently accented with the muted splash of fountains. Rich Persian rugs in blues and greens muffled his footsteps. Carved arched walls, with ivory inlay, separated each intersection. Fasil was approaching the final door, flanked by two bodyguards. Another fountain was bubbling on the wall opposite the door. As he walked, his gaze spasmodically shifted to the ceiling and doors. He was ready to jump aside at the slightest unusual noise.
At the last few steps, Fasil purposefully increased his pace and strode to the door, as it was opened for him. The guards knew him well.
“My brother, you are here on time, as usual. Are you sleeping any better?”
Fasil made a half-bow. Ashrif was leaning back in his large chair. His back was to a glass wall, with a pool and trees in an enclosed courtyard. From experience, Fasil knew that the glass was actually three inch thick bomb-proof Lucite. It did little to allay his constant fear. He scanned the ceiling. “No, my uncle. If anything it is worse. I get up five times each night. Listening. Listening. Listening. I cannot sleep.” Fasil looked at the wall behind him.
The older man nodded to a bowl of figs, as he ate one. “Enjoy my little brother, it comes from our own fields. Have you lost more weight?”
Fasil took only one as he nibbled. He weakly nodded and shrugged.
“Did moving the bedroom to the basement help?”
Fasil tried to change the subject, “I think I need to take my mind off of things. I am ready to work harder than ever.”
“Perhaps then, I can help you exact revenge against the Westerner’s insult.” Ashrif took another fig, and held it in his fingertips. “Would you like to be the sword of vengeance against that Martin Klein?”
“Oh yes, my master.”
“I’m going to New York City next month. Would you like to join me there? We have the location of some gasoline trucks, which I know where the keys are kept. We also have the assistance of someone quite skilled in remote control. Are you interested?”
“Tell me more my uncle.”
YEAR 19.8 MINE IS BIGGER
Phyllis’ dad recommended a jeweler, which David arranged to visit the house. David brought him to the kitchen table where Phyllis sat. “Mr. Mancini, I’d like you to meet my fiancé, Phyllis Marks.” David wore a sweatshirt which said ‘Mine IS Bigger.’
Mr. Mancini was a very slim, slightly balding man with dark straight hair, combed back; he had an attaché case by his side. “I’m pleased to meet you. I usually don’t make house calls, but I was asked by a business acquaintance to visit you, as a special favor.”
David looked and smiled, “I’m sure this will be well worth your time. I have a diamond, a special diamond. I’d like you to cut it down to make an engagement ring for my fiancé. In lieu of your regular commission, you and your staff can keep whatever fragments you don’t use.”
David noticed that Mr. Mancini’s shallow smile was accompanied by an increase in his jaw tension. Mancini said, “I’m sorry. That’s something we don’t do. I’m afraid we’re going to be wasting our times.” He started to stand.
David looked at the man, “You’re free to go. But would you at least like to glance at the diamond?”
Mancini, sat down and pulled out a loupe from his case. David reached into his pocket and pulled out a cubic diamond three quarters of an inch wide per side.
Mancini’s jaw dropped, it must be even larger than the Hope diamond. “Is this glass, zirconium?”
David dropped the diamond onto the table. The jeweler winced. “Nope, it is a flawless, and colorless diamond. The shape is a bit unusual though, so you may have to cut a bit off the sides.” David made snipping motions around his hair. Phyllis laughed.
Mancini realized that the fragments that would come off would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps a million, maybe more. Mancini removed the loupe and closely examined the diamond. It actually was a flawless, and colorless, diamond. The only unusual characteristic was the phrase “I love you Phyllis, David,” microscopically etched along one side.
“I assume, you’ll be able to throw in an appropriate setting? And recommend a cut?”
“Oh, yes, Mr. Klein, certainly. I brought our portfolio.”
“And since you’re here anyway, my Dad is getting remarried, could you have the diamond’s twin made up for Dad’s fiancé?” David casually tossed a second diamond onto the table. It bounced before coming to rest in front of the jeweler. Mancini winced again.
“No trouble at all Mr. Klein, no trouble at all. Ah Mr. Klein, these don’t look like natural diamonds.”
David shook his head no, “The friend, who recommended you, said that you were the soul of discretion. All I’ll say is that these are not stolen goods or are in any other way disreputable. You might be able to guess where they came from by their unusual shape. No other questions though.”
“Of course not, sir, of course not sir.”
David: I stored into the diamond, in every language ever written by man, ‘I love you, Phyllis’ about 50,000,000,000,000 times. But Mancini will probably cut about a third of it off.”
David saw an image of a pouting Phyllis.
Phyllis: Does this mean you won’t love me that much anymore?”
Phyllis saw an image of herself being slapped on the back of her head, a stupid slap, with a loud ‘ooof’ escaping her lips.
Phyllis’ sudden forward head jerk and slight grunt caused Mancini to look again at them. He quietly asked, “Does your father know what you’re doing?”
The room grew suddenly deadly silent. Both David and Phyllis stopped and stared at Mancini. In ice-cold words David said, “Yes, my father is completely aware of this complete proceeding. Between you and me, these are MY stones.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” David noticed a microscopic roll of Mancini’s eye and a miniscule shake of his head.
***
Based on David’s knowledge of Phyllis, he created a mannequin of his wife, accurate to within 0.001 inches, using a 3D printer. Antigravity reflectors were placed around and above the waist. Rather than draping fabric onto it, he painted a layer of fabric onto the top half. Certain areas had multiple coatings, hiding and enhancing her natural form. From the waist to its toes, a very thin scaffold of painted cloth was placed. The painting continued. The bra strap was barely a micron thick and translucent, like the sleeves and train, diaphanous. A water solub
le paint was sprayed on last.
***
David purchased a seven-acre lot not too far from the Purchase, New York airport. This was within a two-hour drive from Manhattan. He had a one story domed white building erected. The building had over two dozen small, completely white rooms, dressing rooms, as well as a cooking area. The lot also contained ample parking. The most unusual feature about the lot was a completely circular area fifteen feet from the building. The area had been the location of a large novel industrial process a month previous. A large vat of Lucite was heated to well beyond its melting point. At that point, the molten mass was levitated ten feet into the air with a large pipe inserted into its center. Like a human glassblower, superheated air was forced into the molten plastic, creating a 150-foot diameter bubble. The molten mass was rotated in the air as the temperature was very slowly lowered. The wall of the bubble became two inches thick. After some time, the bubble was allowed to rest onto a specially built 150 feet wide base, made of metal and Teflon. The forced air was slowly allowed to cool over many days. Thus, a completely clear hemisphere was created. After cooling, an oblong door was cut into its side.
The Infinite when it was Two Digits Old Page 33
