and to set a little aside for college. He became much more focused on school, too. Academically, he hit a new level after the divorce. I’m proud of Alton for everything he did for us—and himself—during those years.”
“I can see how that would cause his personality to lean to the serious side,” said Mallory, “especially since he grew up in an academic environment. Studying and contemplation seem second nature to him.”
“Yes, but it wasn’t just the home environment that molded his serious nature,” began Gail, “He faced other trials. Did Alton tell you about his senior-year sweetheart?”
“Mom—,” said Alton again, this time with a pleading note in his voice.
“But we don’t need to go into that now,” said Gail, much to Alton’s relief.
Buster, Alton’s Labrador, sauntered into the dining room, wagging his tail at each person in turn and inspecting the floor for scraps.
“Look what I taught him to do,” said Mallory. She walked Buster through “shake,” “lie down,” and “roll over.”
“How in the heck did you get him to do that?” asked Alton. “I’ve been trying to get him to sit up for over a year, and he hasn’t done it once.”
“Perhaps he just needed a woman’s touch,” replied Mallory with a smirk.
Alton scratched his noggin in perplexity. In the past, he had observed Buster cock his head to the side when confounded, and he had to resist the urge to do so himself.
“I suppose you’ll have to show me your technique,” he said at last with a crooked smile. “You’ve clearly figured out something I haven’t.”
CHAPTER 18
As the breakfast crowd began to break up, Alton’s cell phone sprang to life. He stepped onto the front porch to improve the call’s reception.
“Hello?” he said.
“Alton. I am Fahima. How are you?”
“Hi, Fahima. I’m great,” replied Alton, instantly struck by a vague sense of guilt. “Hey, I have a confession. I haven’t called David yet about your inheritance. I left a message for Professor Riley the evening before last, but he hasn’t called me back yet. As we agreed, I was waiting to get the professor’s opinion on your chances of getting a visa before I called David.”
“Do not worry, Alton,” said Fahima. “I now have visa.”
“What?” exclaimed Alton. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, no,” replied Fahima, laughing. “Is true. I am so happy. I will soon be with my David.”
“Fahima,” stammered Alton. “I’m speechless—truly. I’m so happy for you and David. After waiting all this time…” He broke off in a kind of reverie. Shaking his head, he continued, “How did this happen?”
“In my country, a person with money does not wait—as long as they are willing to share some of it with others.”
“And what did David say when you told him?” asked Alton, scarcely able to imagine his boisterous friend’s seismic reaction.
“David does not know,” said Fahima. “He works today for two or three more hours. I will call him when he is finished working. He will be very excited, I think.”
“That’s the understatement of the year,” said Alton, chuckling. As the euphoria of the initial surprise began to fade, a notion passed through his mind. “Say, Fahima, can I run an idea by you?”
“Yes. What are you thinking?” she asked.
Alton took a few minutes to explain his brainstorm. “What do you think?”
“I think is good plan,” confirmed Fahima. “Will you call me and let me know if it will work?”
“Absolutely. Will you be up for a few more hours?”
“Yes—you can call whenever you are ready,” said Fahima, clearly excited over the prospect of her impending reunion with David.
“Okay. Let me do some checking on my end and I’ll call you back in an hour or two, okay?”
“Okay—bye bye.”
Alton immediately placed a phone call and conversed for nearly ten minutes. After completing the conversation, he sought out Mallory, who had remained in the
“I can see how that would cause his personality to lean to the serious side,” said Mallory, “especially since he grew up in an academic environment. Studying and contemplation seem second nature to him.”
“Yes, but it wasn’t just the home environment that molded his serious nature,” began Gail, “He faced other trials. Did Alton tell you about his senior-year sweetheart?”
“Mom—,” said Alton again, this time with a pleading note in his voice.
“But we don’t need to go into that now,” said Gail, much to Alton’s relief.
Buster, Alton’s Labrador, sauntered into the dining room, wagging his tail at each person in turn and inspecting the floor for scraps.
“Look what I taught him to do,” said Mallory. She walked Buster through “shake,” “lie down,” and “roll over.”
“How in the heck did you get him to do that?” asked Alton. “I’ve been trying to get him to sit up for over a year, and he hasn’t done it once.”
“Perhaps he just needed a woman’s touch,” replied Mallory with a smirk.
Alton scratched his noggin in perplexity. In the past, he had observed Buster cock his head to the side when confounded, and he had to resist the urge to do so himself.
“I suppose you’ll have to show me your technique,” he said at last with a crooked smile. “You’ve clearly figured out something I haven’t.”
CHAPTER 18
As the breakfast crowd began to break up, Alton’s cell phone sprang to life. He stepped onto the front porch to improve the call’s reception.
“Hello?” he said.
“Alton. I am Fahima. How are you?”
“Hi, Fahima. I’m great,” replied Alton, instantly struck by a vague sense of guilt. “Hey, I have a confession. I haven’t called David yet about your inheritance. I left a message for Professor Riley the evening before last, but he hasn’t called me back yet. As we agreed, I was waiting to get the professor’s opinion on your chances of getting a visa before I called David.”
“Do not worry, Alton,” said Fahima. “I now have visa.”
“What?” exclaimed Alton. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, no,” replied Fahima, laughing. “Is true. I am so happy. I will soon be with my David.”
“Fahima,” stammered Alton. “I’m speechless—truly. I’m so happy for you and David. After waiting all this time…” He broke off in a kind of reverie. Shaking his head, he continued, “How did this happen?”
“In my country, a person with money does not wait—as long as they are willing to share some of it with others.”
“And what did David say when you told him?” asked Alton, scarcely able to imagine his boisterous friend’s seismic reaction.
“David does not know,” said Fahima. “He works today for two or three more hours. I will call him when he is finished working. He will be very excited, I think.”
“That’s the understatement of the year,” said Alton, chuckling. As the euphoria of the initial surprise began to fade, a notion passed through his mind. “Say, Fahima, can I run an idea by you?”
“Yes. What are you thinking?” she asked.
Alton took a few minutes to explain his brainstorm. “What do you think?”
“I think is good plan,” confirmed Fahima. “Will you call me and let me know if it will work?”
“Absolutely. Will you be up for a few more hours?”
“Yes—you can call whenever you are ready,” said Fahima, clearly excited over the prospect of her impending reunion with David.
“Okay. Let me do some checking on my end and I’ll call you back in an hour or two, okay?”
“Okay—bye bye.”
Alton immediately placed a phone call and conversed for nearly ten minutes. After completing the conversation, he sought out Mallory, who had remained in the
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