Chapter 8 continued

    “Is mother…?”
    “The doctor said she’s developed pneumonia. I’m going back tonight. I want you to keep your promise to take the first flight out in the morning.”
    “I will.”
    Elaine said good-bye to Maria and the others. Her leaving broke up the discussion.
    Michael asked Indira to attend his ecumenical conference. “We’ll meet this Saturday through Monday. Delegates may stay over Tuesday for Mardi Gras if they wish. The center will pick up your expenses, and you’ll be in good company. Paul promised me he will attend as a delegate. Also, Ben and Maria will attend part of the conference as observers while they are in town for Mardi Gras.”
    “Yes, Father Chen, I’d be delighted. I need only to arrange for another instructor to cover my one class on Monday.”
    “And our seminar on Tuesday—if you stay for Mardi Gras,” Jennifer added.
    Michael said, “You’re invited, too, Jennifer. You would have observer status since you’re a theology student. Of course, Professor Chowdury must approve.”
    Jennifer said, “Absolutely! I’d love to go.”
    Indira said, “Jennifer, our off-campus trip to Athens is at the end of next week. You can’t afford to miss more of your other classes.”
    “Not a problem. I’m caught up in all my classes.”
    Indira nodded her approval.
    Michael said, “I’ll make reservations for both of you.”
    Jennifer asked me to autograph her copy of my You Are God.
    “Looks like you’ve read this a hundred times,” I said.
    “Two hundred.”
    After I signed the book, she said, “I’ll see you in New Orleans, Paul. I’ve always wanted to go to Mardi Gras.”
    Margaret and Elizabeth said, “Yeah, right.”
    I said to them, “You two didn’t join in the discussion.”
    Margaret said, “Oh, we let Jennifer do the talking.”
    Elizabeth said, “Yeah, we just tagged along to keep Jen out of trouble.”
    I handed the signed book to Jennifer. “She needs a chaperon, does she?”
    “Well…” Margaret and Elizabeth said as they looked over Jennifer’s shoulder at the inscription I wrote.

Ben called a taxi for me. Michael and I dropped Preacher John at his apartment, then took Rob home. On the way to my hotel, I confided in Michael. “I’m in love with Maria.”
    “You fall in love, on average, with two smart, beautiful woman a year.”
    “She appreciates the risks I’ve taken. She has a power over me like no one ever has. She’s not impressed with what I’ve achieved because she knows I haven’t lived up to my potential.”
    “Give up this idea of telling a Final Story. I’m afraid that if you discover something, you’ll publish it no matter who gets hurt.”
    “She told me—without saying it, of course—that if I didn’t pursue the Final Story, I wouldn’t stand a chance with her. But I don’t believe in a Final Story anymore after what happened in Saint Matthew’s.”
    “Want my advice? Go back to your wife and children, and resume a normal writing career.”
    “I love Maria. I don’t expect you to understand.”
    Michael closed his fist. “I should bust your chops for that remark.”
    “Okay, okay, but I love her.”
    “Don’t do anything. See how it goes.”
    “She started to tell me not to delay my decision when Elaine interrupted us in the kitchen. I think the reason I couldn’t reach her over the weekend was that she went to San Francisco with Ben. I believe he’s about to propose to her. I have to decide now.”
    We rode the rest of the way to my hotel in silence. When I got out, Michael asked, “Well, what are you going to do?”
    “I’ll tell Maria first thing tomorrow morning that I will pursue the Final Story.”
    “Surprise, surprise.”

The next morning, I went to Maria’s office in the World Trade Center to tell her my decision. I brushed past her assistant and opened the door to Maria’s office.
    “I have a meeting about to start, Paul.”
    Maria’s assistant announced from the door, “Everyone is here for your ten o’clock. And I’m sorry about…” She gestured towards me.
    I said, “Give me two minutes.”
    “I can see you this afternoon.”
    “Maria, this can’t wait.”
    “It will have to, Paul.”
    “I’m going to pursue the Final Story. Give me one minute.”
    Maria went to the door, apologized to the people she was meeting, and turned to me. “Ben got the offer from Westmont and he asked me to marry him last night.”
    Even though I anticipated this, I was surprised. “Did you accept?”
    “I told him I would give him an answer today.”
    “You don’t want to move to the West Coast. Your business is here.”
    “I want to expand operations to the Pacific Rim.”
    “Are you going to accept?”
    “Paul, you don’t expect me to tell you before I tell Ben.”
    “Give me a chance to prove myself.”
    “You should have made your decision when we were in the kitchen last night.”
    “You don’t have to give Ben an answer right away.”
    Maria thought for a moment. “I’ll give you two weeks.”
    “Two weeks to do what no one has ever done?”
    “Ben has two weeks to accept the Westmont offer. He wants my answer before he decides. You have the same two weeks.”
    “What you’re asking is impossible.”
    Maria put her finger to my lips to silence my complaint. “Don’t you want to do the impossible for me, Paul?”
    I started to take her in my arms when her assistant announced from the door. “Mr. Genet’s sister is on the line.”
    “You may put the call through in here, Susan.”
    Elaine was in tears. “The doctor said mother won’t survive the pneumonia. She has a day or two. You must come now, Paul.”
    There was no negotiating this time. “I’ll take the next available flight.”
    “And bring Michael. Mother said she will only let Michael give her the last rites.”
    I put the phone down. “My mother’s dying. I have to go to San Francisco.”
    “I’m sorry, Paul. Is there anything I can do?”
    “I need to use your phone.” I called the Jesuit house and told them it was an emergency.”
    When Michael came to the phone, he said, “What is it, Paul? I’m in the middle of a meeting.”
    “Mother’s dying. She won’t accept the last rites from anyone but you.”
    “Paul, I have the conference in a couple of days.”
    “This means a lot to Elaine…and to me.”
    “It’s the week before Mardi Gras. I won’t be able to get a flight from San Francisco to New Orleans.”
    “You were her favorite, Michael, more of a son to her than I was.”
    “All right, Paul, but I have that meeting with the Father General tonight. I’ll take the first flight tomorrow morning.”
    I turned to Maria. “I have to have more than two weeks. Not only do I have to go to San Francisco now, but I’m committed to attend Michael’s ecumenical conference.”
    “I know this is a bad time for you, Paul, but I can’t extend the deadline. Maybe you can get some ideas from the theoretical physicists at Elaine’s center while you’re in San Francisco.”

Chapter 9