-PART 28-
Walter filled the chalk board with formula and equations while Laura watched, she finally had to ask: "A fourteen year old grasps all this?"
"Yes," Walter replied stepping back to turn to her. "As I said, his intellect is keen; he will one day surpass my achievements easily. It is late, let's get some sleep." They went up the steps to the loft, showered and climbed into bed, though Walter laid awake for a long time.
As usual, Walter awoke before Laura and he laid there comfortably watching her sleep. In time, she too awoke, looked at him, smiled and stretched. "Good morning, my Walter. I will get dressed and go down to start the coffee."
He came down the stairs as Laura was sipping her coffee and standing before the chalk board looking at the problems. He smiled while pouring his coffee, then joined her in front of the board… "You can use your calculator if necessary. That isn't cheating these days."
She laughed and got it out of her purse. They were going over the problems as he explained the relations of the formula to the answers. "You do these so effortlessly. Will never cease to amaze me," she said to him when the door banged open.
"Walter!" Ralph yelled.
"Hey, buddy! It is good to see you." Before he could get anything more out, Ralph had dumped his backpack on the couch to give Walter a big hug. "I sure have missed you!" Ralph said smiling.
"As I did you" Walter said, smiling and returning the hug. With a hand on Ralph's shoulder, he turned him to introduce Laura. "Laura, this is Ralph, the young man that in time will excel in the sciences. Ralph, this is Laura, my wife."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. O'Brien." Ralph said holding his hand out to shake. She took his hand in a firm shake.
"Please, Laura is fine." She said. "Walter has told me a lot about you. Such high praise from Walter is impressive for one so young."
Ralph smiled, "That you are Walter's wife is impressive, as well. My congratulations to you both."
"Now that the introductions are done, shall we get to the board work, Ralph?" Walter asked. "Laura, you going to join in?"
"Oh no, I would not want to slow you two down, I am going to sit back and watch," she said as she curled up on the end of the couch. "Will be much more fascinating watching you two than getting the answers." And in short order she was fascinated. There was no way she could have kept up with them. Walter, when giving his seminars was so obviously light years ahead of the attendees, even the professors and post grads- she had seen that in all the seminars she had watched. Watching the interaction with Ralph was the closest she had seen Walter with an equal. What Ralph didn't see, with a bit of direction from Walter the concept was grasped by Ralph quickly. Walter had said Ralph's intellect was keen, and that was very evident. What was most interesting- Walter was genuinely enjoying himself. Walter has also said in time Ralph would surpass him- yet Walter was ensuring Ralph would. That kind of selflessness was a facet of Walter no one seems to have observed before and she wondered why. Not many people are happy to be overtaken, their place knocked down, stature diminished, yet Walter is helping his replacement to be ABLE to replace him, give others the foundation they can build on. Watching mostly Walter in this interaction, she thought that it would be even better if this selflessness of Walter's was passed on as well as his knowledge. She smiled at the thought that Walter was passing on his 'humanity' that humanity he had been told for so long by so many that he did not possess.
"What are you smiling at, Laura?" Walter asked. "The board work is done so time for some pizza. I was about to order a delivery, you have any preferences?"
"No, no preferences but one- no anchovies."
While Walter was on the phone, Ralph sat at the other end of the couch. "How are you liking LA? Can be hot and sticky, windy and dry, dusty and sandy. And there are a lot of class A nuts on the road when you get to driving."
"Well, I dare say it will be a while before I venture out driving- pretty hairy with what I have seen just riding along. Walter had a bit of a jolt while driving in my part of the world."
"Really? Walter used to street race, and according to a friend, he out raced Richard Elias on the track his first time out. What could possibly jolt Walter on the road?"
"Coming 'round a bend in the road to happen upon a horse and buggy trotting along taking an Amish family to market." Laura intimated with a smile.
"A horse and buggy… on the road…. with cars?" Ralph exclaimed. "Wow. That is crazy."
Walter joined them. "Pizza will be here shortly- no anchovies. Heard you mention the horse and buggy episode. That was a bit of an eye opener as you can imagine."
The pizza arrived and the conversation on driving, drivers and strange happening on the streets continued. A couple fast games of chess were played while Laura watched. They went on the roof and set up the telescope as the night was clear to see what was possible to see with the lights of LA. It was late when Ralph yawned and said good night and went to the Airstream to sack out. Laura and Walter retired to the loft.
Laying together, her head on his shoulder Laura commented, "I can see why you are so interested in Ralph. He is quite something for one so young. I think you had a lot to do with that."
"Yes, he has come a long way since I first met him." Walter chuckled. "Ralph knocked me down from fourth highest recorded IQ to fifth. He will make his mark in any field he decides to pursue."
"You know a lot of that is due to your mentoring him. A lot of people would not go out of their way to help the person that may replace them or diminish their position in the world." She kissed his chest. "You are a remarkable man, my Walter." She kissed his chest again. "Good night."
Sunday was spent doing maintenance on the Ferrari, during which there was much discussion on Ralph's college classes and what he should take the next semester. Later in the afternoon the on-going Proton Arnold competition until during a break a car was heard to pullup to the garage. Ralph grabbed his backpack off the couch and hurried to the door and shouted "Bye Walter, nice meeting you, Laura!" as he went out the door. Once it banged shut the silence set in. Laura watched Walter as he sat seemingly in deep thought. After a few moments, he frowned then looked to Laura, and stood up, "Time to close up." And he proceeded to open the garage door, pull the Ferrari to the front, closed the garage door, powered things down, put his laptop in its case while Laura washed up the few dishes and glasses that were used. When done, Walter locked up and set the security, and went out to the car. Walter opened the door for Laura, walked around to get in. He drove to the beach and suggested they take a walk. He stayed quiet until Laura she said she had heard the debris from Japan after the earthquake and tsunami made it to the west coast of America- did much wash up on LA beaches? He looked at her and quietly asked, "Do you really want a lecture on the tides and currents of the Pacific?"
"Walter, why would I ask if I didn't want the answer?" She laughed. "It is so much more entertaining and pleasant to listen to you than to read all about it. I do not suffer from 'information overload'."
He again looked at her with that intense stare she saw throughout the photo albums from childhood to the man walking next to her. From child to man, she thought, so very intense and she walked next to him listening to him explain tides, currents, temperature layers in the water, distances, and oceanic weather patterns involved in getting debris from Japan to the coast of America.
When they returned to the car, once again Walter opened the door for Laura, then walked around to get in for the drive home. The drive to the house was in silence. Periodically Walter glanced at Laura but she seemed in deep thought. He pulled into the garage with Rex at the ready, stub tail wagging waiting to bounce around when Walter got out of the car to open the door for Laura. She led the way into the kitchen and sat at the counter. Walter put his laptop on the counter then turned to set up the coffee for the morning. When done he turned to lean against the counter to look at Laura still in deep thought.
"Laura, I remember when you were showing me around Boston, you said I ask one question and you went on for half an hour, that I should signal you to stop or put my hand over your mouth. You are free to do the same. I have been told that a walk along the beach listening to a marine biology lecture is less than 'romantic', not optimal behavior for the person on the receiving end. I am sorry I got into lecture mode on the beach and lessened your enjoyment of the moment"
"Oh my, Walter. There is nothing you need to apologize for- I enjoyed listening to you as I enjoy spending time with you."
"You have been unusually quiet, obviously in thought over something that troubles you. What can I do to ease your mind?"
Sitting there, looking at Walter leaning against the counter, she held his gaze a moment. "Walter, can I ask you a serious, very personal question?"
"Of course. I have tried to impart my deepest thoughts to you. Ask me anything- but remember, I will not lie to you, not even to make you feel better. Think well before asking if you really want the truth."
"Walter." He locked eyes with her, gave her his undivided attention, that level, straight in the eye, piercing dark eyed gaze. "Do you have any children?" She asked.
His eyes widened slightly then frowned, "No."
"Why not?" she asked.
Clearly taken aback by the question he stammered "I…. I… I never had a woman interested in having a child. I never had a relationship that lasted long enough to even get to the point of discussing the subject."
"Have you ever thought of having a child?" She asked.
Walter lowered his gaze. "What man has not?" he asked quietly.
"Walter" She said, "Would it be OK with you if I quit taking birth control so in time I could become pregnant?"
His eyes snapped to hers. "You would want a child of mine, a child with me?" He asked incredulously.
She stood up and walked to him to put a hand on his chest. "My god, Walter, what have people done to you." She wrapped her arms around him, laying the side of her face against his chest over his heart. "I married you. I have kept from using the word because I know it hurts you, but I do love you, how can I NOT want your child?"