Null-A Three (30 page)

Gosseyn was straightening. “Well, son,” he said, “your mother and I have a few things to talk about; so you and I will get together later.”

“Oh, boy, you bet.”

He stood, then, watching the boy race off; and then, he turned, walked over, and stood in front of the woman.

“Naturally,” he said, “I am aware that you have received another offer.”

“Yes?” She was staring off to one side.

“You have your own interests to pursue,” he continued. “A woman doesn’t have to remain a mother-oriented individual all her life.”

He waited, then, not looking directly at her. There was a pause; then: “I have been listening to your conversations with Enin, and—”

Another pause. “Yes?” said Gosseyn.

“They make a certain amount of sense,” said the woman. “Your philosophy—” she hesitated—“General Semantics. I can see that, because of what you’ve taught him, Enin has become a more stable, normal person. As for myself—” Another pause, then: “I finally looked myself over as a woman in relation to the royal environment, with its numerous individuals vying for power and position, and others very honest and sincere, and protective; and I can see that in such an environment what you evaluated when I first proposed to you, was correct.”

She was still staring off to one side. Then: “There is now another aspect we can take into account. Many of the top leaders are aware of the role you played in bringing us back here. They respect you.”

She smiled suddenly, as if her own reasoning had brought a sudden inner release. “So I think conditions have changed. What do you think?”

He said simply, “I hope you realize that I’m the only father he’ll ever accept.”

With that, without a word, the silken, beautiful female being stood up, and, without a word, came over and, exactly as a mother should, whether trained in General Semantics or not, put her arms around him. The kiss he gave her was accepted in a way that telegraphed adequate acceptance.

When she drew back, she said, “I think we’d better go into my bedroom and close and lock the door. I don’t think we should wait until the marriage ceremony.” It was a triumph of one level of reality over another—

Gosseyn deduced, as he followed her across that beautiful room into a fantastical elegant bedroom.

He directed his thought at his alter ego: “Mr. Gosseyn Two, turn your attention somewhere else!”

The reply, on one level of reality, came from a distance of two million light-years. But, in relation to the reality to which his extra-brain related, was as close as the inside of his head.

The meaning was: “You both have all my best wishes . . . brother!”