Chapter 18

Jason pulled a chair out from the kitchen table and plopped down. “Heck, Mom, I don’t even know where to begin.”

“You can begin by sitting up straight. I’ve seen damp washcloths with better posture.”

“Ah, Mom,” he protested. “Give me a break,” but he sat up straight and put both feet on the floor. How old was he again?

Mom nodded her approval. “Much better. Now, how did all this start?”

“Stephanie’s mom called the other day and told me what really happened...”

Telling the tale took longer than he expected. Watching Mom’s reactions made him realize how far he’d gone over the line. The penalties for breaking and entering and illegally copying proprietary data were nothing to scoff at. Not only had he put himself at risk, but he’d put Stephanie’s safety at risk. If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. For her part, Mom listened without making comments until he finished. “ ... and Stephanie ran home.” The story sounded crazy.

The way Mom shook her head showed she thought it crazy as well. “With everything you knew about this Roger person. Why didn’t you call us for help?”

“Why would I? Dad’s a jerk. You saw how he was tonight.”

Mom bristled; she and dad always had each other’s back. “Your father doesn’t react well to surprises. It’s not his best trait. If you’d have called me, I could have brought him up to speed and possibly avoided all the drama. Jason, I swear you and your father are so darned stubborn, I’m surprised the earth doesn’t slow down because of your unwillingness to change.”

Jason chuckled. “Dad says it runs in the family.”

“You don’t even know the whole story. Your great-grandfather—well, that’s a story for your father to tell, but that man defined the word stubborn.”

Time to get the conversation back on track. “Mom, Grainer beat Stephanie. There are scars across her back. In the basement of his mansion, there’s a real dungeon, with whips and stuff.”

“Ugh,” Mom grimaced. “that’s terrible. I don’t understand Stephanie’s father. How could a man sell his daughter to a monster? And what about Natalie? Why would she put up with it?

“As I understand it, Natalie and her four daughters can’t disobey their owners. It’s part of their “Loyalty Gene.””

Mom shook her head again. “I studied genetics in college and never heard of a loyalty gene. No, there’s more to this. Look, I’m proud of you stepping up and doing the right thing. No matter how stupidly you went about it.”

“Hey, if it’s stupid, but it works, it isn’t stupid.”

“No, once something’s stupid, it stays stupid.” Mom glared straight into his eyes, but Jason refused to yield. A few heartbeats later, she sighed. “How is Stephanie?”

“Steph has memory issues. When I got there, she didn’t recognize me. I had to trick her with the necklace you helped me pick out for her. After she put it on, Stephanie said it felt like I poured someone else’s memories into her.”

“Oh, dear, she’ll need therapy. I’ll talk to your father and see if we can get her some help.”

“Hey, Mom, Dad threw us out, remember?”

“Don’t be a smart-aleck. Your father didn’t mean it. Go to bed. You look exhausted.”

“I’ll wait up for Stephanie.”

“Alfred can wake you if anything changes. Go. To. Bed.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Natalie perched on Stephanie’s old twin bed and listened while her daughter verified everything Jason had said. Before winding down, Steffi added that everything was all her fault. She had no right to ruin Jason’s life, and he’d be better off without her.

Blah, blah, blah. All the stress from the last twenty-four hours had turned Natalie’s tough-as-nails daughter into a drama queen.

The drama wouldn’t last. The bond would see to it. The itch would drive Stephanie back into Jason’s bed. If she managed to hold out longer, and Roger found her first, Stephanie would get what she needed from him. Once that man recovered his play toy, he’d make damned sure she never ran away again.

Natalie traced a finger over a faint ridge of scar tissue on Stephanie’s upper arm. Yet another thing she hadn’t anticipated. Her youngest daughter had always been so brave, “No, Mom, it’s about us.” She’d gotten Stephanie into this mess; she would get her out. It was time to get involved.

Or so she thought. Speaking with Jason had been easy. Yevgeny’s command for him had been to, “Stay away from that little punk next door.” Well, the little punk was no longer little or a punk. But every time she tried to call the little punk’s mother, Yevgeny’s compulsion against seeking help proved more potent than she expected. After several minutes of mental acrobatics, Natalie realized that no matter how the conversation might begin, she couldn’t do it if her intention were to speak the truth. Each time she tried, her lips clamped shut, and her thoughts scattered like birds.

Natalie did what she always did when faced with a problem, she made a pot of tea. The familiar ritual helped to settle her mind. While the longleaf tea steeped, Natalie considered what she knew about compulsions.

OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, was the MacDaddy of all human compulsive disorders. The takeaway for her was how some humans self-medicated with alcohol to lessen the compulsive drive. Could she self-medicate as well?

She pushed aside her tea and reached for the peach schnapps. Where was her glass? To hell with it. Natalie pulled the stopper and drank straight from the bottle.

After several deep swallows, Natalie put her genie mind to work. Best damned brain Pavlo could afford. After several attempts, she ran through an imaginary conversation without Yevgeny’s order forcing her to stop. The mental gymnastics, coupled with the alcohol buzz, left Natalie lightheaded. She glanced towards the com panel. “Alfred?” she called.

“Yes, Miss Natalie?”

“Make yourself useful and get Jason’s mother on the phone, and Alfred, make it a video call.”

Shirley Thomas sat at the table in the small suite she and Robert shared during their treatment. Outside on the deck, Robbie sat staring off into the evening sky. From the stubborn set of his shoulders, his sense of legal propriety warred with his love for their son. Not for the first time tonight, she thought about helping him sort out the mess. But he’d called Stephanie an animated sex toy, and for that, the man could stew for a good while longer.

The resort AI broke into her reverie. “Mrs. Thomas, I have an incoming call holding for you from Natalie, Stephanie’s mother.”

“Put her through, please.” A moment later, the woodsy outdoor print hanging to her left blinked, and she finally met Stephanie’s mother, face to face.

The reason for never having the time to meet in person became clear. “Well, this is a surprise. You ... are Stephanie’s mother?”

Natalie chuckled. “I’m her mother. Please call me Natalie.”

“I will if you’ll call me Shirley. Jason said Stephanie was a genie, so you must be one as well. How is it you and your daughter are twins?”

“Pavlo, the man who paid for my design, wanted our daughters to inherit all of my traits. It’s in my design document.”

“So, when Stephanie and Jason have children...”

Natalie finished the sentence. “They’ll look like me and inherit the rest of the package.”

“That’s a lot to take in.”

“To be honest, I hadn’t thought past getting Stephanie free. My daughters and I aren’t very fertile under the best of conditions. Our grandchildren may never be an issue.”

“How many daughters do you have, and where are they?”

“I have three by Pavlo. Tamara, Katya, and Alissa. They may still be in Ukraine. After Yevgeny, you know him as Gene, stole me from Pavlo, there was only Stephanie.” Natalie lifted a glass jug and took a gulp.

“Are you all right, Natalie?”

“Not really. My owner fixed it so I can’t ask for help. The only way around it is to get drunk.”

“Hold on, I’ll get a beer and join you.” A small refrigerator stood at the end of the counter. Shirley grabbed one of Robbie’s beers and hurried back. She had so many questions, but this one was the most important. “How’s Stephanie?”

“She’s a wreck. The last twenty-four hours have been difficult for her.”

“I can’t imagine what it must have been like. Jason told me about the scars.”

“Her owner turned out to be a sadist. The physical and psychological abuse, combined with her addiction, took a toll.”

“I want to know everything about this addiction, but first, Natalie, why did you wait so long to ask for help? Robbie and I would have done something.”

“You and your family might have been hurt. The people behind the genie trade are ruthless. Besides, your husband isn’t sympathetic to us.”

“Robbie isn’t unsympathetic; he’s a lawyer. The law is his career, but his family always comes first. I bet Robbie already regrets his reaction. Later, I’ll push him towards the right decision.”

“What is the right decision?”

“That’s what we’re discussing, isn’t it?” Shirley finished her beer and ran to get a second. “You know,” she said on her return, “I used to think Stephanie would be the best daughter-in-law I could wish for.”

“And now?”

“I admit the genie thing has me concerned.” Shirley held up her hand to forestall any reply. “Only because I don’t know the details. It’s clear you and Steph are a good bit more than the genies we see on the Tri-D.”

“I’ll tell you everything.” Natalie sipped some more of her peach liquor and sat back. She wouldn’t skip or smooth over any details. “About fifty-five years ago, Pavlo visited Moscow’s Institute of Molecular Genetics and commissioned my design. He brought a list of characteristics that defined his perfect woman.” Natalie pointed at her features in turn. “Dark red hair, peridot eyes, an hourglass figure, and athletic ability. There’s a good bit more. You see, above everything else, Pavlo demanded perfect loyalty...”

By the time Natalie finished, Shirley was in tears. It had been impossible to hold back her emotions. “I’m so sorry, Natalie, but you and your daughters deserve a better life. The loyalty bond you mentioned rings a bell. When Robert and I met in college, I studied genetics. There was a controversial paper from a Russian researcher about the development of a similar phenotype. It was supposed to improve the subject’s pair-bonding ability.”

“Was it written by Nikolai Vavilov?”

Shirley’s jaw dropped. “Yes, how did you know?”

“Nikolai designed me. In some respects, he is my father.”

“My class thought the paper was theoretical. None of us imagined the researcher followed through with it. How effective is it?”

“It’s similar in effect to an opiate addiction, but if I suffer withdrawal long enough, it’s fatal.”

Shocked, Shirley exclaimed, “Are you sure?”

“I have not put it to the test,” Natalie smiled to lessen any unintended sting, “but it was a key part of my design. Nikolai succeeded in everything else. Why not that as well?”

“And your youthful appearance?”

“Pavlo believed his perfect woman should remain young forever. I don’t know my life expectancy, but I haven’t aged past seventeen or so. I never get sick, and if hurt, my daughters and I heal fast.

Shaking her head, Shirley said. “What happened to Pavlo?”

“Still in Kyiv, I suppose. The bastard had better have kept our daughters safe.” She’d already explained the deal struck by Yevgeny to keep her babies safe.

“There may be a way to find out. I’ll ask Robbie. He knows all that shady lawyer stuff.”

“If you think he’ll help.”

“Let me take care of Robert. He’ll come around if he knows what’s good for him.

Upstairs in his bathroom, Jason finished brushing his teeth.

“Jason?” Alfred interrupted, “I have an update on Operation Vendetta.”

After drying his mouth, Jason asked, “Is this the ‘Fuck Roger Grainer’s life’ plan?”

“It is. Besides the funds in domestic banks and various stock market accounts, I’ve identified twelve different offshore accounts and several real estate properties. One such property is a cozy private island off Antigua in the Caribbean.”

“A private Caribbean island? Holy smokes.”

“After Mr. Grainer retires for the night, his phone will begin the file transfers. By morning, Roger will appear to have downloaded enough “material” to attract an immediate federal level response. Phase two will begin when the authorities take him into custody. The money and securities will be in your accounts within twenty-four hours. Transferring the real estate might take a week or more. Property transfers must be handled by local lawyers.”

Jason couldn’t rinse his mouth fast enough. “Did you say, ‘My accounts?’”

“To minimize your tax liability and to keep the transfers anonymous, we’ve established numbered accounts for you in Europe and Asia.”

“H-how much money?”

“It’s difficult to be exact because transferring this much money threatens to affect the value of local currencies. Several hundred billion dollars is a good approximation.”

“S-several h-hundred b-billion dollars,” Jason stuttered while attempting to understand the amount. It was a good thing he leaned against the sink. “I think the island is a bit much.”

“Oh, I don’t know. You and Miss Stephanie could work on your no-tan-line tans. There is an additional issue requiring your attention. Saved to Mr. Grainer’s phone are a large number of media files. These files document the his abuse of genetically engineered life forms.”

“Don’t tell me—”

“Many of the files include Miss Stephanie. In fact, her videos and photographs account for sixty-eight percent of the—”

Jason raised his hand in a “Stop” gesture. “I get it. What are my options? Can you wipe these files without interfering with Vendetta?”

“I can wipe the files and defragment the storage. However, a forensic examiner will notice the changes.”

“The examiner will assume Roger wanted to make more space for the downloads. Is there anything else?”

“Mr. Grainer’s daddy dom kink has a certain ... synergy with the material to be downloaded. I suspect the authorities will use this when they compile their case.

The glass door behind Robert Thomas cycled open and closed. Moments later, his wife leaned over and gave him an upside-down kiss. “I take it,” he said, “you’ve decided how much of an asshole I am?”

“Don’t be vulgar.” She stepped around to the railing and looked off to the distant Appalachian Mountains. “Besides, that’s never been a question.”

“So, you’ve said.” While he and Shirl presented a unified face to the world, they sometimes disagreed in private.

“Robbie, you’re wrong about Stephanie. She’s no more an animated sex toy than I am.” Shirley glared back over her shoulder.

Several quips came to mind and were dismissed just as fast. “I may have gone too far with that,” he admitted.

“It was a terribly hurtful thing to say. The poor girl has been through hell, and our son’s a hero for rescuing her.”

“There’s no telling how many laws he broke.”

“Stephanie’s ‘owner’ has a dungeon. He whipped her. She has scars, both physical and mental, and all you did was set back her healing.”

Leave it to his wife to use an emotionally charged statement. “Shirl, I loved Stephanie too. But she’s not—”

“What?” Shirley interrupted. “Not human?”

This wasn’t a winnable argument. It didn’t help that Robert already regretted his earlier outburst. “Stephanie is as human as you or I.”

Shirl’s eyes danced with confusion. “Then, what’s the problem?”

“She’s not legally a human. There is a law against humans marrying genies.”

“That is a detail, and I know a good lawyer.”

Robert crossed his arms. “I’m retired.”

“Not if your son needs you.”

“What makes Stephanie and her family so special?”

“Come inside, and I’ll show you.”

“Said the spider to the fly.”

“Robert, if you come inside and look at all the information, I’ll do that little thing you like so much.”

Robert’s interest picked up, and he joined his wife at the railing. “You mean that thing you save for my birthday?”

“Uh-huh, but tomorrow, you have to call Stephanie and apologize.”

He took his wife’s hand and turned towards the door. “Let’s get to it.

“Miss Stephanie?”

“Huh?” Stephanie woke and sat up. The blue AI presence light glowed from underneath the room’s video display. “Alfred?” The few hours of sleep had helped. She felt better, more together.

“Jason requests you open your bedroom window.”

“My window? It’s got an alarm.”

“Never fear, Miss Stephanie, I control the alarm system. The mechanical latch and window mechanism are beyond my control, I’m afraid.”

“All right,” Stephanie slid out of bed and smoothed her borrowed nightie. Mom’s nightwear had always seemed so glamorous. Now, compared to the crazy costumes Roger had made her wear, this chemise seemed tame. The night table blocked the way, but she moved it to the side and opened the window

Outside, Jason stood on what must have been the top of a ladder. “What are you doing out there?” she hissed. Even in the dark, the heat in Jason’s gaze caused her knees to weaken. But Jason’s presence also reminded Stephanie of one last obligation. Ten years ago, she and her mother had set out to deceive the boy next door. Stephanie owed Jason the truth.

“We need to talk,” he whispered. “Can I come in?”

It felt like that scene in the ancient movie Animal House. A little angel competed with an equally minuscule devil for her attention. The little devil wanted Jason inside, right now. It didn’t specify where inside, but Stephanie thought she knew the spot. The angel, who looked a lot like her twelve-year-old self, didn’t want any part of this “bad daddy.”

Caught between two equally insistent but opposing factions, Stephanie chose a third path. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. If you come in, we’re not going to do any talking.”

“Well,” Jason glanced back towards the entrance to the cul-de-sac. “If the police drive past, I’ll probably get arrested.”

“Huh,” Stephanie huffed. “Fine. But you’re not coming into my bedroom. Put your ladder away, and I’ll meet you on the back porch.” Instead of waiting for Jason to agree, she closed and locked the window.

Several minutes passed, and sitting here on the top porch step, Stephanie wished she’d worn a robe. This sleeping chemise was comfy and all, but it didn’t provide much coverage, and both she and her boyfriend needed to concentrate. Jason ran through the gate and stopped a few feet away. The cool night air brought a whiff of his sweat mingled with the residue of his body wash. He smelled like a snack.

“Steph, are you all right?” he asked.

His body posture screamed how unsettled he felt, and Stephanie patted the step next to her. “Sit. I’m better than I’ve been in a long time.”

“Then why are you so ... distant? The last couple of days, we couldn’t have been closer. Now...” he settled into place and shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

“I haven’t been myself for a long time.”

Jason started to interrupt, but Stephanie interrupted his interruption. “Just wait. I’ll explain.”

He took a deep breath and, to his credit, visibly tried to relax.

“Two days ago, when you tricked me into wearing this necklace,” she ran a finger along the delicate chain, “I was in full-blown Roger’s girl mode. The flood of memories and your presence changed things. It almost brought me back, but not all at once, and big chunks weren’t there yet. Then, the next morning, you seduced me and started a hormone overload.” She saw how he wanted to interrupt, but a touch of her hand settled him down. Stephanie continued telling her story, “I admit, I wasn’t playing hard to get, but you did everything you could to stack the deck.”

Jason couldn’t wait and blurted out his defense. “Steph, short of giving you orders, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

“And that’s why we’re talking instead of screwing. I need to confess. Ten years ago, Mom and I set you up.

Ten years ago:

He was outside again, that oh-so unremarkable boy, who happened to live next door. Stephanie first noticed him few days ago. Now, she checked for him every chance she got.

A hand dropped on her shoulder, and she almost jumped out of her skin.

Mom said, “What are you staring at?”

“Nothing.” Stephanie squeaked, “It’s just a nice day outside.” She tried angling her body to block her mother’s view.

“Um-hmm,” Mom said as she shouldered her way to the window. “Oh ... it’s a boy.” Mom used the same tone as if she’d found a moldy raspberry. “Studying the enemy?” Mom quipped.

Stephanie hoped Mom hadn’t noticed how intently she’d’ studied the enemy. “I’ve never seen one this close.” The boy walked in circles through his yard. Here and there, he’d bend over and pick up a rock or a branch fallen from the tree overhead. His unruly brown hair made Stephanie want to try and comb it into shape. He’d look so much better...

“What do you suppose he’s doing?” Mom queried.

“I think he’s going to mow their lawn.” This proved to be correct. After cleaning the yard, he shuffled into his detached garage and emerged, directing a lawnmower.

Mom was already bored with the boy’s antics and pointed towards the dishwasher. “It won’t empty itself.”

“Yes, Mom.” Outside, the mower whined to life.

The near-constant drone of the lawnmower kept the boy on her mind, and Stephanie settled into the familiar routine of her daily chores.

At supper that same day, Mom expressed the beginnings of an idea. “You know, I was thinking about your boyfriend.”

“M-my what?” Stephanie sputtered.

“Your little friend, the boy next door.”

Still embarrassed from her mother catching on earlier, Stephanie’s temper flared. “He’s not my boyfriend, he’s just...” and there she stopped. She wasn’t sure what he was. How did Mom always read her mind?

“Sorry, sweetie, I shouldn’t tease you. It’s time for another real talk.”

Real talk was Mom’s term for a frank discussion of Stephanie’s future. That future would be upon them all too soon. Once Stephanie’s biological clock signaled her physical maturity, Gene would auction her off to the highest bidder.

“Okay,” Stephanie murmured. This wasn’t her favorite topic.

Of course, Mom started off with the survival strategy Stephanie hated the most. “I still think you should run away.” Then Mom’s twisted sense of humor kicked in. “Maybe that boy next door would hide you in his bed?”

“Mom, you know what Gene would do to you.” Stephanie ignored the sudden butterflies her mother’s suggested hiding spot caused.

“Well, I knew you’d object, so I thought of an alternative. It’s a long shot, but if it works, you’ll be free, and Yevgeny won’t know what happened.”

Mom’s plans could be doozies. They tended to involve recent events, and that meant—

“That boy is the key to everything.” Then Mom explained, and it got crazy.

“When Yevgeny bonded me by force, it proved a loophole existed in our genetic design. We’re going to exploit the flaw and bond you, just a little, to that boy.”

“But Mom, he’s cute and all, but I don’t know if I want to have sex with him.” That wasn’t exactly true, but the less her mother knew of that, the better.

“That’s good because you’re not allowed to have sex. If you did, it might push you too far over the edge. You don’t want to go through what I did.”

The story of what Mom went through was chilling enough. Gene chained her to a bed and repeatedly raped her. It took weeks before Mom’s loyalty gene changed.

Mom continued to explain her idea. “All you’re going to do is have some human-type entertainment. Just like in the movies. Lots of hugging and kissing and maybe even some snuggling. It’ll be fun. Along the way, you’ll send a trickle of oxytocin to those receptors. Then someday in the future, that boy can knock on your door and take you away with him.”

Stephanie shook her head in a mixture of awe and disbelief. “Why would he want to come and get me?”

“Because you’ll make him fall in love with you.”

“How would I do that?”

All her mother did was raise a knowing eyebrow.

Not for the first time today, Stephanie felt her face flush. “You don’t mean—”

“Certainly not what you’re thinking, little miss.” Mom shook her finger to show she was in charge. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t work your wiles on him. By the time he’s hooked, you’ll have a little addiction.”

“Mom,” Stephanie wailed, “I’m only sixteen, I don’t have wiles.”

“What did I teach you about men, Hmmm? Tell me what you remember?”

They’d gone over this so many times. Stephanie recited the list while counting each rule on her fingers. “Swing your hips to catch their attention. Laugh when they tell jokes. Touch them to show you care. Defer to their needs and listen to their stories. Make the man feel as though he is the center of your world. And never, ever complain.”

Mom nodded her approval. “There’s lots more. Let him be your champion. Lead him on before, regretfully, telling him no. Always, always, always leave him wanting more. But, before everything else, stay in control! Your biology will work against you.”

“And someday he’ll come looking for me?”

“When it’s the right time, I’ll call and tell him a tale of woe. He’ll charge to the rescue, and you won’t be a slave anymore.”

Present Day:

Stephanie waited while Jason sorted through her confession. It had to be a shock. The wind picked up and rattled the leaves. It had that incoming thunderstorm sound.

Next to her, Jason chaffed his palms against his thighs. He sighed and said, “How are you doing with your addiction? Do you need a ... what do you call it, anyway?”

Surprised because she hadn’t expected this particular question, it took a second to think of a reply, “Mom likes to use old junkie slang. So, we call it a ‘fix.’ Calling it a ‘hit’ sounds like something Roger would do.”

Jason didn’t comment, and Stephanie rushed to fill the silence. “But no, I don’t need a fix.” Then, to try and lighten the mood, she added, “You’ve done a masterful job at keeping me satisfied.”

“Okay,” he stood. “In that case, I’ll wait until you get back inside and lock up.”

“Oh, you’re upset,” she stood as well. The few inches of distance between them might as well have been miles.

“Hurt might be a better word. Don’t worry, I’m not going to stop loving you, no matter the reason. You did too good of a job reeling me in.”

Ouch. “Jay, no matter how it started, once I got to know you, I fell in love with you for real.”

“I know, and it’s okay. You were under a lot of stress. Heck, even knowing the little bits you’ve shared, I have no idea how you held it together.”

“Are you gonna be okay?”

“Sure. Look, it might take me a day or two to sort all this out. Unlike you and your mom,” Jason smiled, “I’m only human.”

Double ouch. “Is there anything I can do for you? Maybe something to help you fall asleep?”

“Hmm, it’s tempting, but no. Tonight, I need to think myself to sleep. Goodnight, Stephanie.”

There wasn’t anything to add. Stephanie nodded and stepped back inside. Wasn’t a confession supposed to make you feel better?

Jason hadn’t been inside a minute before Alfred relayed a message. “Your mother said your father is going to call. You are to accept your father’s apology graciously.”

“Dad needs to apologize to Stephanie first.”

“Your mother anticipated your concern and said she has dealt with it.”

“Whoa, I guess Mom laid down the law.”

“As a cyber entity, I find it fascinating how your family is led by its women, even though the greater society is patriarchal.”

“Mom says that’s because our family is smarter.”

“Ah, that clears up everything.”

“Hi, Dad.”

“Son, I’m sorry. My words...” Dad shook his head. “I hurt Stephanie when she was the most vulnerable.”

“Thanks, Dad, but you need to apologize to her.”

“I know, and I’ll make it up to her, I promise. Have you spoken with her?”

“Yeah, we sat on her back porch, and she told me a story.”

“Oh, what kind of story?”

One I’d rather not tell you. “It was how before we met, Natalie caught her watching me cut the grass.”

“I wish I’d known what was going on over there.”

“Me too. Dad, that asshole who had her, he had a fucking dungeon. He whipped her.”

“We’ll talk about it when I get back. I want you to tell me everything. Tomorrow morning, I’ll call Stephanie and apologize. If you two want to get married, I’ll do what I can to help.”