The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

again, kissed him hard, gasping a little, letting him know that he was the one,
that her world centered on him as his centered on her. But still his back and
shoulders were tense and knotted. What was the matter?
Her hands moved again, running over his chest, pulling playfully on the black
hairs. That always set him off . . . especially as her hands followed the hairy
trail down to . . .
What?
'Jack, what's wrong?' It seemed forever before she heard him speak.
'I don't know.' Jack rolled over, away from his wife, onto his back, and his
eyes stared at the ceiling.
'Tired?'
'I guess that's it.' Jack slurred the words. 'Sorry, honey.'
Damn damn damn! but before she could think to say something else, his eyes
closed.
It's the hours he's working, and all that drinking. But it wasn't fair! This was
the day, this was the moment, and –
You're being selfish.
Cathy rose from the bed and collected her peignoir from the floor. She hung it
up neatly before getting another that was fit to sleep in and heading into the
bathroom.
He's a man, not a machine. He's tired. He's been working too goddamned hard.
Everyone has a bad day.
Sometimes he wants it and you're not in the mood, and sometimes that makes him a
little mad, and it's not his fault and it's not your fault. You have a wonderful
marriage, but not a perfect one. Jack's as good a man as you have ever known,
but he is not perfect either.
But I wanted . . .
I want another baby, and the timing is so right, right now!
Cathy's eyes filled with tears of disappointment. She knew she was being unfair.
But she was still disappointed. And a little angry.
***
'Well, Commodore, I can't knock the service.'
'Hell, Ron, you expect me to have an old shipmate pick up a rental?'
'As a matter of fact, yes.'
Mancuso snorted. His driver tossed the bags into the trunk of the Navy Plymouth
while he and Jones let themselves into the back.
'How's the family?'
'Great, thank you, Commodore
'You can call me Bart now, Dr Jones. Besides, I just screened for Admiral.'
'All right!' Dr Ron Jones observed. 'Bart. I like that. Just don't call me Indy.
Let's see, the family. Kim's back in school for her doctorate. The kids are all
in school – day-care, whatever – and I'm turning into a damned businessman.'
'Entrepreneur, I believe, is the correct term,' Mancuso observed.
'Okay, be technical. Yeah, I own a big piece of the company. But I still get my
hands dirty. I got a business guy to do the accounting bullshit. I still like to
do real work. Last month I was down at AUTEC on the Tennessee checking out a new
system.' Jones looked at the driver. 'Okay to talk here?'