David Dun: Unacceptable Risk

Anna waited for a moment, rapt. "Well, what did you do?"

"I guess I'll never know whether I gave him back to the FBI because he wanted a bullet in the head so badly or be cause I wanted to stay on the light side. Anyway, they kindly took him back, saying it probably wasn't a good idea to work through the CIA anyway. He's still getting amazing drugs for inspirational purposes and I guess he's singing away. He knows a lot of dirt. And he's a terrorist, so they can hold him forever it seems."

Anna didn't say anything for a while.

"I'm glad you gave him to the government…" She turned to the party, picking out the celebrated couples. "I guess in view of all this we should think about young love."

"Look at them now," Sam said, watching as they slow danced.

"I guess Grady and Michael are rebuilding his log house," Anna said. "She loves it… dirt and trees and sky and mountains and, of course, Michael. She says she'll be going to the Amazon part of the time."

Sam smiled. Anna gave him a look.

"You'd laugh too if you'd seen her in the Amazon."

Anna sipped her wine. "I think she loved you, Sam."

It came out of nowhere, but Sam showed no surprise.

"But now she loves Michael, and he's younger, and he's hot."

Anna laughed at that.

"At least Harry thinks I'm hot."

That got Anna laughing again.

Sam's mother, Spring, came over.

"Anna, I'd like to invite you to the Tilok festival of new beginnings. We bless the whole earth and try to start the good things over again. Being incognito, Sam hasn't gone in years. But he's going this year. I have great faith."

Sam thought about that. A lot was changing very fast. Maybe he should consult Benoit for butterfly lessons.

"I'll be there," Anna said. "I'm guessing Sam won't leave me unescorted. Will you, Sam?"

Sam nodded, then looked back to the party. Benoit Moreau and Georges Raval seemed to be having a kissathon, along with Michael and Grady. People were clapping and the band was cranking up.

"Did Sam tell you that he's going to start working with his cousin on a program for the Tilok teenagers?" Spring asked.

"No, I meant to tell her about that," he said.

"That's great," Anna smiled, obviously pleased.

Spring wandered off and they sat in silence for a while.

"You know," Sam began choosing his words carefully. "Maybe it was about the baby. But now it isn't. It's about you."

Anna reached out and took his hand. It was the first time in public. She looked over the top of her sunglasses the way she usually did. "Would you like to go get some smoked salmon? I made sure they would have it at the buffet."

"I believe I would. And let's make sure we eat it in front of everybody and start a lot of speculation."

Sam dropped his earpiece in the trash barrel.