The Forever Man (50 page)

“No,” said Jim. “If anyone sees things to suit herself, it's you. You're so determined to justify the shell you built up around you that you'll cut off your nose to spite your face.”

“Yes,” said Mary, “that's the way you'd work it, wouldn't you? You'd blame it on me, instead of yourself. Well, it doesn't matter. I've told you what I set out to tell you. I won't work with you. I don't want to see you again, and I don't want you to try to see me.”

“You don't want me to try to see you—” Jim began to walk toward her and Mollen moved to get in the way. But while the will to stop Jim physically if necessary was there in the general, there was also the knowledge of the twenty years between them that left no doubt that if Jim really intended to force his way in to face Mary, the other man could not stop him. And he did so intend—both he and Mollen knew it.

Mary saw Mollen moving to intercept Jim and knew it, too.

“All right,” she said. “If you won't be warned, you'll have to find out the hard way. Out in the ship you told me you'd put together an image of my face in your mind. Let him come, Louis—was this the face, Jim?”

Mollen stood aside and Jim reached her, just as she rose and turned. He looked down into her face, and there it was, with the same blue eyes, the same reddish blond hair, the straight lines at the side of the face coming in to the small, square jaw—just as it had been ever since he had walked into Mollen's office and seen her there for the first time in ship-wear coveralls.

He frowned, letting out his breath in one great gush of relief.

“Thank God!” he said. “I thought something terrible must have happened to your body while we were gone—not that that would make any difference now that I know you mind to mind. But what're you talking about? You look the same way you always have; even if I never really did get around to seeing it properly until I had to put that picture of you back together in my mind, out between the stars. You're still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.”

She stared up at him. She stared for a long, long moment. Then, slowly, her mouth crinkled at the corners, and the crinkles spread their way out into a wide smile that made her look, Jim thought, even more lovely. She threw back her head and began to laugh; and Jim found himself laughing with her. They laughed together until, at last, still gazing into each other's eyes, they gradually sobered.

“I am now,” she said.

She put her arm through his, still smiling.

"Forgive me, Louis," she said. She turned, still arm in arm with Jim, and they went out together.