"Everything will seem better in the morning," he said, readjusting his lips and eyes into a serious pose.
"I don't think I will be able to sleep at all," answered Kathy in an uncontrollable burst of sincerity.
"You can borrow my shoulder. It was pretty effective on the plane."
"I fell asleep on your shoulder?"
"For about a quarter of an hour," Jesse said casually.
"I don't remember," she almost whispered.
The doorbell rang. In a few seconds someone answered it and the loud happy barks of a dog were heard coming from downstairs.
"I've got an idea," Jesse told Kathy with the widest smile she had hitherto seen on his face. "Come with me, please."
He opened the door, walked along the corridor and descended the staircase. Kathy followed, not before she made sure she wasn't seen coming out of Jesse's bedroom. Things were sufficiently complicated already.
There was a man in the hall, about Jesse's age, holding the chain of an excited brown cocker.
Frances Martin's daughter, Geneva, who had answered the door, was patting its head.
"Hi, Jesse! Sorry for coming so late. I left the office just an hour ago," said the man.
"No worries. Thank you so much for taking care of Mac, Tom. Come here, boy!" Jesse greeted the joyful animal.
Kathy watched the scene a few steps away. She felt a strange vibration. A pleasant one. Like she was being witness to the beginning of something good, and for that reason would keep this image fresh in her mind always.
"Tom, you know Geneva."
"Yes, we met the other day. How are you?"
The young woman answered with a glowing smile.
"Great."
Jesse then turned looking for Kathy.
"I want you to meet Katherine Schneider," he told his friend, taking Kathy's hand to invite her forward.
"Oh, Kathy!" exclaimed Tom, as if that name had rung a bell. He shook hands with her. "Delighted to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too," she answered, a little annoyed by the ascertained fact that in the last few days she always seemed to be missing something.
Tom left straight away. It was getting late and he had to be at work early the next morning. Jesse told Geneva and Kathy that he was worried about his friend - lively and vigorous as he was, working to excess was beginning to affect his health, though he would never admit it. He worked as a publicist and took his career very seriously. Not only that - he was always ready for a tennis match, to pick somebody at the airport, to work extra hours… He just couldn't say "no". Jesse had met him two years after he had begun to work for Mrs. Sloan. And this last year and a half that Jesse had his dog, Mac, Tom had offered to take care of him every time his owner had to travel.