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catheter. The guide wire glided without resistance for a foot or so, until it had reached the aorta, the central artery of the body.
    Then she was done. Ali stepped back as the C-shaped arms of the fluoroscope were brought forward and positioned above and below Jamie’s body, like the claw of a giant crab. The next job belonged to the lead-aproned radiologist, who, guided by the images from the fluoroscope, would inch the wire forward through the abdomen, chest, and neck, until it had reached the base of the brain itself.
    Because of the radiation emitted by the fluoroscope, the room was cleared while the radiologist worked. Only Ali and Dr. Helvelius remained, watching from a small island of safety behind a lead screen. Both clasped their gloved hands against the sterile fronts of their gowns, to avoid contamination.
    A shadow fell over Ali’s face as Helvelius inclined his head toward her. Behind his yellow paper mask, behind his surgical spectacles with the binocular loupes that made him look almost like a robot, she thought she detected a smile. “You know, it’s all I can do to keep from s-s-sweeping you into my arms this very minute,” he whispered.
    “Don’t be a fool, Richard.” Ali chuckled. “The camera’s running.”
    “Damn the camera! Let the whole world know! I l-love you and I don’t see why I should be ashamed of it.”
    “Your reputation—”
    “Means nothing to me. Not if it’s going to stand in our way. I want you, Ali. I want you to m-marry me. I don’t care about anything else.”
    She turned away abruptly and cast her gaze on the floor. “I’m not ready,” she said.
    “Is it because I’m old?”
    “No. No, don’t say that. It’s me. It’s.… it’s…” She paused and took a deep breath. “It’s Kevin.”
    “Kevin? You left him months ago. You sent him divorce papers.”
    “I know, I know. But he hasn’t filed any response with the court. In fact, he hasn’t spoken a word to me about it, which isn’t like him. When we have to talk about the SIPNI project, he acts like nothing’s happened. That frightens me.”
    “He already knows everything, Ali. C-c-can’t you see it in his eyes?”
    “I’m not sure what I see. I know he’s gone to a dark place, but he’s pulled a veil over it. I don’t want to hurt him. Don’t you understand? I don’t want to push him over the brink.”
    “So you still care for him.”
    “I never said I quit caring about him. I said I couldn’t bear to go on living with him.”
    “I don’t see why the two of you can’t just sit down and have it out.”
    “You know why, Richard.” She looked at him briefly, and then turned away. “I don’t handle confrontations well. I get sick inside just thinking about it. I guess, well, I’m a coward.”
    “No, you’re not a coward. Look, it’s not f-fair of me to pressure you. The fact is, Ali, I’ll take you any way I can have you. I’m living the happiest days of my l-l-life right now.”
    “You’re not jealous, then?”
    “Pure Kelly green.” Unable to embrace her with his sterile hands, Helvelius swung his leg behind her and gently pressed his shin against her calf. “My ex was never so understanding when we split up. God, how could K-Kevin not see what he’s throwing away!”
    “Don’t be jealous, Richard,” she said, taking pleasure in the warm touch of his leg. “I do want to be with you.”
    “Your rotten luck!” he said, his smile showing through his mask again. “I know I’m an old dog. Surgery has been my w-wife, my kids. It’s what I’ve lived for all these years. But now … now I want more. So much more. This b-baby … It could be like a second chance for me. For us . We could—”
    Ali suddenly stiffened and pulled her leg away. “Please don’t call it a baby,” she said. “That’s like giving it a name.”
    “Well, what is it, for God’s sake? Why are you intent on getting rid of it? When you were carrying Ramsey, you w-wanted a child more than