- What do you think, Jim: Isn't it about time she woke up? I don't want to be late for my first class! - The tall, thin woman with the lovely smile gently touched the shoulder of the man in the chair with the newspaper in his hands. Turning the page nonchalantly, he calmly dropped over his shoulder:

- Jonah, dear, a grown-up and responsible person like our daughter would never do something she would regret. And no one forced her to study. You see, she wanted to experience the drive to the fullest. Do you think she wants to look paler than her friends?

Joanna indulgently raised her eyebrows and ruffled her husband's hair with a slight movement:

- I've seen some of them. No inner staples, just the wind in their heads and a tendency to burn through life. I'm not really worried about Kate; well, not at all, but we're talking about trust. More serious than some of her friends, Katie takes everything to its logical conclusion.

As she brushed the thin, silky strands out of her face, Joanna moved to the stove. While the bacon sizzled leisurely in the frying pan, the woman set the coffee pot on the fire.

- Please visit her, dear," Joanna was whisking the omelet mixture while I finished the breakfast.

- And we'll have, as always, a choice of three courses? - Jim's narrow face lit up with an open, dreamy smile. Putting the paper aside, he springily rose to give his wife a ringing kiss on her velvet cheek. The smell of fried bacon roused his appetite, and Jim, who was bleeding profusely, squinted at the appetizingly puffing waffle iron.

- All right, I'll go for a walk.

Jim turned around and walked casually out into the hall. Slowly he climbed the stairs to the second floor, turned right to the brown panelled door at the end of the small corridor. He knocked softly on the doorjamb, but when he heard no answer, he turned the handle cautiously.

The door swung open silently, and Jim found himself in a modestly furnished but cozy room. Sunlight flooded the room, and bright rays reflected in the mirrored bookcase doors, played in the crystal of the chandelier, and cast mischievous rays on the golden-beige wallpaper and the light-brown carpet between the front door and the desk. Flowers on the walls in wicker caddies were enveloped in an amber haze, so that even the austere stained-oak furniture had a dim, dapper gloss. A sudden draught caused the cream-colored curtains to flutter gently and lower their edges, barely moving.

Covering his eyes with the palm of his hand, Jim took the first step. The soft nap of the carpet reached his ankles, and his feet just sank into it. A high-backed wooden bed stood in the corner farthest from the entrance, and the man made his way toward it. The only one of all the furniture, the bed was still in the shade, carefully preserving the serene maiden's peace.

With a sparkling smile, Jim quietly approached his daughter. Immersed in a healthy and serene sleep, Kate buried her face in the pillow, lying perfectly still, and Jim involuntarily admired his daughter. Kate breathed easily and smoothly, like a man who had not been plagued by insomnia. The featherless blanket over her naked, supple back had fluttered a little, and now her luxuriant brown hair was spreading disorderly over her bare shoulders, scattering over the pillow and lay in elegant half rings on the dazzling white sheet in tiny floral swirls.

"How cute she is from sleep! I don't even want to wake her up!" - Jim crumpled a little more and, sighing with unconcealed regret, gently shook Kate's frail shoulder.

- He who sleeps a long time will never get further than his own doorstep!

Kate moved gently, mumbling something unintelligible in her sleep. She turned slowly toward her father, lifting her head and still unable to open her eyelids, but the glare of the sun flickered onto her face. It was so powerful and so big, as if it were trying to break through her eyelashes, and Kate crinkled unhappily. She turned back against the wall, to which Jim only grinned good-naturedly. Crouching down as low as he could, he said loudly enough:

- Katie! Even if I get sick, I'll eat everything your mom made! The waffles and bacon are already coated in a delicious, crispy crust, and the stack of pancakes is growing by the minute! You wouldn't happen to want to get in on this, would you?

- I'm up, Daddy," Kate yawned longingly, "I wish I could finish my nap.

Beckett curled into a fetal position, covered her head with a blanket, to which Jim only smiled. Then he turned and walked silently out.

Kate lay a little longer, but realizing that sleep was gone, she rolled over onto her back and opened her eyes, stretching sweetly.

- What strange things I had dreamed! I'd say a dream in hand! But should I expect anything in reality? - she frowned, contemplating the blindingly white ceiling, and with a sigh of sadness ran her hands over her face. - Papa, Papa, we had so much fun there!

She threw back the blanket, easily jumped to the floor, and tiptoed to the window. Her gaze fell upon the massive clock that occupied an entire corner of the table. Its ivory case, in the finest silver inlay, was striking in its refinement of carving and elegance of decoration. Seeing the delicate black hands indicate half past ten impassively, Kate scolded herself.

"Damn, my first class! I almost overslept it!"

Hurrying and cursing, Beckett pulled on her light pants, slipped her tank top right over her naked body, and, grabbing a rubber band from her desk, rushed out of the room.

She ran downstairs, tapping her feet, twisting her hair into a tight bun, and ducked through the kitchen door, where the air was saturated with the tantalizing aromas of fried meat and freshly baked waffles. My father was already seated at the table, lazily cutting bits of bacon and slowly putting them into his mouth. He was doing it with such relish that a mad cacophony swirled in Kate's stomach like an orchestra of hungry frogs. And this "torture" was impossible to endure. Grabbing the handle of the coffee pot with a rag, Kate poured the drink into cups and, returning it to its place in the center of the table, sat down in her favorite chair.

- Eat, my dear, and get your strength back as soon as possible! - Joanna set a large plate of bacon and scrambled eggs in front of her, and added some crispy waffles and a couple of pancakes.

- Mom, is there any syrup? - With difficulty shoving the naughty pastry down her throat, Kate looked pleadingly at her mother. - It's torture to eat pancakes without syrup!

Joanna only grinned in response. When a jar of maple syrup appeared in front of Kate, she nodded her head appreciatively and hurriedly worked her jaws.

- Aren't you late yet? - The father looked at his daughter critically over his glasses. - Otherwise you risk a scandal!

- Mmm, I must be," Kate muttered, swallowing her omelet hastily. She took a sip from her cup, and said, "I can take any hardship!

- And your future instructor? Do you even know what he is? What if he's punctual or incredibly strict?

Kate thought for a minute, then shook her head in the negative.

- I don't know if it's true or not, but Mandy told me the instructor was way older, and that the prettiest girls were assigned to "dudes" like him. To avoid problems of a known kind.

- Strange and incomprehensible formation of your training groups," Joanna folded her arms across her chest, watching her daughter carefully: she had already sat down in her seat, to the right of her husband. - And isn't there a nice-looking guy in the school's arsenal who's nice to talk to, rather than some old squanderer?

- I'll treat everyone equally, and I think I'll manage anyway. And if anything, I'll be on my guard! And let them try to deviate from the educational process! - Kate raised her eyebrows in a determined manner. - It's not like I'm on a date; I have other plans.

She wiped her greasy, shiny lips with a napkin and got out from behind the desk. She stroked her stomach contentedly, rolling her eyes dreamily.

- She tucked herself in. Mom, Dad, bye! - Kate exchanged light kisses with her parents. - Don't wait until dinner time. I need to make sure I have my previous skills.

- Good luck to you! - Jim admonished her. - Keep your hands on the wheel and don't get distracted!

- I can do it, I know I can do it! Isn't it? - Clenched her fist belligerently, Kate looked questioningly at her mother.

- Of course, my dear, you're such a clever girl! - Joanna smiled affectionately, and Kate almost ran out of the kitchen. Joanna looked after her, and then turned to her husband with a smile:

- I can't tell you how proud I am of my little girl. And I've told you more than once how strong and determined she is!

- How could it be otherwise, since Kate imitates you in everything? And she really can do anything! - Jim finished his coffee and put the cup away. "Honey, what are we doing today? Do you need my help, by any chance?

He watched his wife carefully, and so he noticed the shadow that flashed across her face. Joanna modestly lowered her eyes, looking at her plate, slowly picked up a piece of omelet on her fork, and said, slightly stretching the words:

- Don't, dear, I can do it myself, because this new case is very interesting and confusing. It seems that the person going through it is completely innocent.