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doing it for me. I can’t even imagine what Yoko is going through.”
    â€œCome on, let’s get this place cleaned up, and by that time Yoko should be home. Let’s agree that we both talk to her. Not that we’re ganging up on her, but she might pay more attention to what we’re going to say if we both say it.”
    â€œOkay. I’ll do the blue and red rooms. You do the yellow and green ones.” The colors of the rooms referred to the level of the class the agents were taking. The brown and black rooms had yet to be used because the students hadn’t progressed to that level of achievement.
    An hour later, with the smell of Clorox overpowering even with the AC going full blast to drive out the fumes, Jack and Bert stood outside the back door, under the overhang. Jack fired up a cigarette and waited for Bert to chastise him, and when he didn’t, Jack just tossed the cigarette into the soaking bushes.
    â€œI hate the smell of Clorox,” Bert mumbled.
    â€œYeah, it does stink,” Jack mumbled in return. He fired up another cigarette just to have something to do.
    â€œHow do you think she’ll take it? Her meaning Yoko.”
    â€œI know who you mean. Who the hell knows? She isn’t spending much time here, that’s for sure. Last night was our late night, and by the time we cleaned up at nine thirty, she still wasn’t here. Plant nurseries close at six as a rule, especially in the winter months. We are in the winter months.”
    â€œYeah. I noticed that, too.”
    â€œSo, things are going good with you and Kathryn?”
    â€œYeah, pretty good. We might even get married someday. She said that. Someday might never happen, but I’m hopeful. We had this . . . really, really good talk. I understand her better now than I ever did. I don’t push anymore. I even came to understand how she likes going on the road. And here is something even stranger that you might find hard to believe, but I now know and realize there is a part of her life that she will never really share with me. I’m okay with it now. Sometimes, Jack, you have to actually hear the words to make them penetrate. So, in summary, Kathryn and I are okay. Things good with you and Nikki?”
    â€œYeah, they are. Once Jellicoe was out of our lives, it was like someone waved a magic wand, and we got back to where we were before all that bullshit went down. The firm is doing great. Of course, she’s rarely home before nine or ten most weeknights. Weekends, and when she does manage to get home early, she makes dinner, and we just do what married couples do, hang out, get comfortable with each other. I only wish the press of work would ease up some. I’m looking forward to after Thanksgiving, when things usually get quieter until after New Year’s. I know this sounds corny, but I feel blessed. Do you ever feel that way, Bert?”
    â€œEvery damn day! I really like this life. Every so often I think about the FBI and how I loved being the director, but I do not miss the politics of it at all. I just keep telling myself that we’re the good guys, and now I believe it a hundred percent.”
    â€œWonder what happened to that deal the president presented to the girls in Vegas, at Kathryn’s birthday party? The girls were talking about it last weekend out at the farm,” Jack said.
    Bert barked a laugh. At least Jack thought it was a laugh. “Annie said the president was fine-tuning the offer, whatever that means. By the way, I hear Thanksgiving this year is going to be at Annie’s new house. Kathryn told me last night that it’s all done now except for some minor things. She called it a punch list. New furniture is being delivered, and they’re hanging drapes, all that kind of stuff. Twelve bedrooms in that farmhouse! Annie had the girls each pick a room, then decorate it so when we all stay overnight, it will be like home.”
    â€œThat’s