Lauren found photos taken at the gala dinners of previous symposiums. She didn't know how to dress as she had never participated in anything like this before. She was surprised to see women dressed in elegant evening dresses and men in elegant suits. There would be a lot of scientists at such a big symposium. Lauren expected something different.
The content of the symposium attracted her attention more than the gala dinner. After all, she was also a student of Space Sciences, and many of the geniuses who made a name in the field would be there. It was not possible for a student to attend such a large gala dinner.
She would be consoled by attending the gala dinner as the wife of another genius. She wondered how many people she would see at the dinner, whose articles and work she admired. Would there be a chance to chat? Trying to suppress her excitement, she thought she should start preparations for the gala dinner.
She would choose what she would wear from home so that it would not be a waste of time. She wanted to use the virtual simulation market, but choosing elaborate clothes in limited time was risky. Choosing a few dress models and to go and buy it from the store.
Margaret had made an appointment with an artist who would come to the house that day for hair and makeup. It was the first time Lauren had heard that hairdressers could come home if people wanted to. Of course, the prices were also higher than normal stores. It was no exaggeration that she had not heard of such a service before she married Brendon.
…
Brendon, who will not be able to attend the symposium except for his speech on the third day of the symposium, still wanted to see a few presentations and the introduction of interesting products developed by other companies. For this, he wanted to lighten his schedule during the symposium days by working hard for a few more days.
The small diskette-size files piled up on his desk were the files of the participants in the internal project competition of the Public Relations department. There were more participants this year than last year, twelve in total. It would take some time to examine them one by one.
While looking at floppy disks, he remembered an article which he read that floppy disks were produced when computers first came out, and then they were removed from circulation due to size and memory problems. Today, however, floppy disks have become the perfect folders that high-end desktop computers accept and open in 45 milliseconds.
He inserted one of the floppy disks into the table-mounted drive and stared at the virtual screen in front of him. Then his secretary, Adam, entered. He was looking for something.
Brendon didn't pay much attention to him. Looking at the data on the floppy disk that opened, he realized that this was not one of the projects. Adam had found what he was looking for right in front of Brendon.
"Mr. Walker, I was going to file your personal bills for six months. But they brought the floppy disk to you for me," Adam said.
Brendon glanced at the screen once more. Since it was automatically adjusted, house, market and fuel expenses were listed in a certain order and speed. Just as Brendon was pulling out the floppy to give it to Adam, he saw the health insurance bills on the screen, the list flowing at reading speed. He stopped the screen.
There was not even a month between Lauren's last two doctor's visits. Then it occurred to him that after Lauren's health values had improved, her doctor had recommended a routine check-up every two months. She was going to have a health problem that she applied for early. He studied the details with the thought that he might get something off the bill.
Adam was looking at what he was checking. As Brendon descended a little further, he saw the tests that had been done on Lauren during her last exam. After all, they were billed too. He didn't understand any of them, but an examination caught his eye that hadn't been done to him before.
This test was previously done not to Lauren, but to Michelin's mother and heralded that Michelin would be born. Having seen the name of the test once in his life, Brendon himself was surprised by his visual memory.
Overcome by surprise that Lauren might have taken a pregnancy test, she closed the diskette and handed it to Adam. Adam waited a while for Brendon to say something to him, and when there was no sound, he asked permission and left.
Brendon leaned back in his chair and put a hand to his chin. Lauren went to the hospital with a problem, and her doctor thought it was a sign of pregnancy. Then she had taken the test without her consent.
But what if Lauren had the test done because she was wondering if she was really pregnant, he thought for a moment. He felt deep anger. Then he took a breath and calmed down. Doubtful about Lauren's loyalty, causing him to resent himself. Lauren was not a woman to cheat. Even if she cheated, she wasn't stupid enough to have unprotected sex or to stick her test in my eyes. It would be nice if he stopped these thoughts before the rat of suspicion began to gnaw at his logic.
He turned on his telecomputer and called the doctor's office on his personal phone. He introduced himself and learned from her secretary if she was available for a phone call with the doctor. Doctor Frieda was available for the interview.
"Hello, Doctor Frieda. I'm sorry to call you so untimely," he said. Frieda greeted her patient's husband cordially and stated that it was okay.
After Brendon asked her how she was, pretending to be someone who hadn't seen the bills and respected personal privacy, he stated that he was worried about his wife and wanted to talk about it.
According to the made-up scenario, Lauren had been looking very tired and distracted lately. Well that wasn't a lie. Concerned about this, Brendon suggested that she could see her doctor, and Lauren, on her husband's recommendation, had her consulted. Lauren had told her husband that her exam results were normal, but Lauren was a discreet woman who didn't want to worry people. Brendon was still not comfortable, and he had called Lauren's doctor to see what he could do for Lauren's well-being.
As he said this, he thought, "I am a great liar." Was he worried about Lauren? Yes, she would reply, but it was more important now that she knew the purpose of that pregnancy test. Part of him hated himself for his selfishness, but part of him was glad to be possessed by the rat of suspicion and the reptile of jealousy. If he was jealous, it meant that he didn't embrace her as an elder, but as her husband.
The doctor first thanked Brendon on behalf of her patient for his concern and thoughts, and said that Lauren was simply physically and mentally exhausted. "I suggest you remind her to rest." He also stated that her immune system is stable. Brendon said he was particularly happy about this.
"That's not a lie either," he thought because he was really glad that she was recovering fast and that she hadn't left him alone for long. "I will follow your advice. Thank you again, Brendon said and hung up the phone. The rat of suspicion in his brain had stopped gnawing now, but the reptile of jealousy fidgeted in its place.