The Problem with Dreams

Chapter 31 - Abernathy Projects

            The first week of September came quickly on the heels of the Abernathy family's Labor Day barbeque. Alan and Cindy's visit passed pleasantly, followed by an unexpected business trip for Susan, this time to Chicago instead of the Bay Area.

"Tell me again," Greg requested as he sat with her while Susan packed on Monday evening for a flight early enough to be considered a red-eye out the next morning. "Why are you going to Chicago?"

"For an investigator meeting," Susan explained. "It's what we do at the beginning of a new clinical study. It's the same sort of meeting I was going to Australia to attend when I met you."

Greg nodded. "I see. It's part of your business."

"Yes," Susan agreed. "I won't be gone long ... in fact you probably won't notice the difference between this trip and one of my usual trips to the Bay Area. It's rare these meetings last more than one or two days, and I'll be home on Thursday, early enough for our Hebrew lesson."

"I remember you telling me before, just after the crash, how short those trips generally were," Greg assured her. "But if you recall, your last such trip lasted considerably longer."

Susan sighed. "This time I should be home just before supper time on Thursday. The meeting ends at noon and I'm going to the airport immediately from the hotel where we're holding the meeting afterwards for a three pm flight out. So, with the time change working in my favor, I'll be back relatively early local time. I shouldn't be gone all that long," she insisted.

Greg shrugged noncommittally.

"At least I'm not flying over the ocean this time. Chances are I'll actually get there and home again without a problem," Susan offered.

"I know, but I've just begun to realize ... this is what Michael and your boys were going through while you were gone," Greg shared. "While you were there ... with me."

"Not exactly," Susan said. "Things were different then ... but on the other hand, I suppose they were. Zack was seven ... just like Jessie is now."

Greg nodded. "We'll adapt, I promise. It's new for me, but I will."

"I never doubted it," Susan said as she bent to kiss his cheek. "And I'll be here for Friday, with plenty of time I can take off to meet with Mr. Sato."

"I look forward to it," Greg assured her as Susan closed her case and readied herself for bed, going to check on the children before actually turning in. It was going to be a short night and Greg found himself encouraging her to do so as quickly as possible.

c

Greg found Susan was right. They hardly did notice the difference while she was away, aside from her extremely early trip to the airport. Her arrival home felt no different from those sorts of trips they'd grown used to. The week went very quickly for them all, and before they knew it, it was Friday again, the day of Susan's meeting with Lee Sato on the grounds of their future garden.

Greg and Susan went to the new house together. Susan spent the whole day with Mr. Sato while Greg spent the day following up on his usual inspection of the areas of the house still under construction. The inspection of the independent guest rooms was scheduled for the following Monday and they were informed the rooms would be turned over to them immediately afterwards, which meant they would have full access to them by the end of the third week in September, more than a month earlier than they expected they could make use of the rest of the house.

"That's good news, isn't it?" Susan asked when Greg told her about it at the end of the day.

"It definitely is. That means we can begin making arrangements for furnishing those rooms. I only have one reservation about that, Susan," Greg said.