my own ancestors； ones I might have a chance to meet。 You。 Brian。 Brian's parents in Cincinnati。 And I figured out that Brian must have met you because he had attended Rolla； then found you on a Missouri list of eligibles…not the Ohio list…that the Foundation gave him。 That's certainly something I didn't learn from you or Brian or Ira； and your children probably don't know it。 Well； perhaps Nancy does； she's fflle4 out her own questionnaire。 Hasn't she？〃
〃Why； yes； months ago。 Then it is true； Theodore。 Or should I call you 'Lazarus'？〃
〃Call me anything~you like； darling。 But I still haven't proved anything。 Just that I have had access to the Foundation's files…which might have been last year； not in the future。 We're still looking for proof。 Mmm 。 。 I know a proof for a few months from now…but I must make you believe me tonight。 So you will have no more tears on your pillow。 And I don't know how。〃
He caressed her thighs； tpuched her curls。 〃Here inside you is proof that won't show up in time。 This last baby Brian put into your sweet belly… He's a boy； dearest ancestress； and you and Brian will name him 'Theodore Ira'…whi~h~ flatters me enormously。 When I read his name in the records； I didn't
… know that he was my namesake；…as I hadn't picked my assumed name then。〃
She squeezed his hand with her thighs and sighed。 〃I want to believe you。 But suppose Brian wants to name him Joseph？ Or Josephine？〃
〃'Josephine' is not a name for a boy。 Darling； Brian will name his war baby for the other two stars on your service flag； this war means a lot to him。 He'll probably suggest it himself
…I don't know。 I just know that 'Theodore Ira' is the name you will register with the… Foundation。 My other ancestors… Adele Johnson； of course； your mother and Ira's wife。 Lives in St。 Louis。 Left him around the time you got married but didn't divorce him…which probably irked him； I don't think Ira is a man to be celibate simply because his wife leaves but won't turn him loose。〃
〃He's not； dear。 I'm certain Father has a…well； a ？istress； and goes to see her some nights when he is supposed to be at that 'chess club'…and it's not a chess club； it's a pool hail。 I go along with the pretense because he calls it that in …front of the children。〃
〃He does play chess there。〃
〃Father plays a fine game of billiards； too。 Go ahead； darling…Lazarus。 I'm willing to believe。 Maybe we'll find some… thing。〃
〃Well； I don't think I'll look up your mother； I don't think I would get along with a woman who thinks sex is something to 'put up with。'〃 …
〃I got along with Mother only by lying to her。 Father reared me far more than she did。 I was his favorite。 He let it show； which is why I'm careful not to let it show with Woodrow。 Go on； Theodore。 Lazarus。〃
〃That's all of my ancestors you are related to。 Except one。 Our stowaway。 Maureen； I'm descended from you and Brian through Wodie。〃
She gasped。 〃Really？ Oh； I hope it's true！〃
〃True as taxes； beloved。 And it may have saved his life。 I've never been closer to infanticide than I was when we
found him in the back seat。〃…
She giggled。 〃Darling； I felt the same way。 But I won't； let anger show in my voice even if I'm about to switch a child。〃
〃I hope I didn't show anger。 But I felt it。 Beloved； I was so hard I ached…until we found Woodrow。 Honey love； I was rarin' to go I〃
…〃And I was just as ready！ Oh； Theodore…Lazarus…it's sc
… sweet to be open with you。 Uh 。 ； yes； you're …quite harr now。〃 …
〃Easy there！…~…don't make me climb the curb。 I have… beei ever since we left the house except when I forced it down But the one Woodie ruined was bigger and better。〃
〃Size isn't important； Theodore…Lazarus； a woman must fi any size。 Father told me that long ago and taught me exercise for it…and I never told Brian； I let him think that was simply how I am…and accepted his pliments smugly。 I stil exercise regularly…because my birth canal has been stretcher again and again and again by babies' skulls and if I didn' exercise those muscles I would be； in Father's salty language 'loose as a goose。' And I do so want to stay desirable to Briat ~many years as；possible。〃 …
〃And to the iceman and the milkman and the postman… and the boy who drives the grocery wagon。〃 …
…〃Tease。 I'd like to stay young there till I die。〃
〃You will； you eighteen…year…old prospective grandmother Let's get our minds off sex and back to time travel； I'm stil looking for a proof。 So that you will know why I am cerrai7 that Brian came back okay。 But to stop your worry it must b~ something that happens soon and certainly before Woodie'~ birthday。〃
〃Why Woodrow's birthday？〃
〃Didn't I get that far？ This war ends on Woodie's nex birthday； the eleventh of November。〃 He added； 〃I'm certair of that； it's a key date in history。 But I'm racking my brair for some event between now and then…as soon as possible to stop your worries。 But…oh； shucks； dear； I made a sill） mistake。 I meant to arrive after this war is over。 But I gav my …puter one critical figure wit … an error in it…just
… little one； but it made me arrive three years too soon。 Not hei fault； she accepts any data I give her； and she's as accurate puter… as …ever conned a ship。 Not a fatal error； either； I'n~ not lost in time；… my ship will pick me up in 1926 exactly ter Earth …years after she dropped me。 But that's why I didn'i study the history of the next few months； I expected to skif this war。 I'm not studying wars； histories are full of wars。 I'n studying how people live。〃 …
〃Theodore 。 I'm confused。〃
〃I'm sorry； darling。 Time… travel is confusing。〃
〃You speak of a puter； and I'm not sure what yos
mean 。 。 and you said 'she' conns…whatever that means…a ship that will pick you up 。 。 in 1926？ And I don't understand any of it〃
Lazarus sighed。 〃That's why I never intended to tell anyone。 But I had to tell you…so that you could stop worrying。 My ship is a spaceship…like Jules Verne； only more so。 A starship； I live on a pla a long way off。 But it is a tim鐂hip； too； she travels in both space and time and it's too plicated to explain。 The puter is the ship's brain…a machine； a very plex machine。 My ship… is named ~ and the machine； the puter； that conns it…runs it…steers it…is called Dora； 1oo； that's the name she answers to when I speak to her。 She's a very intelligent machine and can talk； Oh； there is a crew； two of my sisters…so of course they… are descended from you； too； and they look like you。 A crew is necessary… can't let a ship go running around by itself…except automatic freighters on precalculated runs…but Dora does the hard work； and Laz and Lor…Lapis Lazuli Long and Lorelei Lee Long…tell Dora what to …do and let her do it。〃 He squeezed Mrs。 Smith's thigh and grinned。 〃If that air blast had kept your skirts up two seconds longer； I would know more about how closely they resemble you…as they usually run around naked。 They look like you in the face。 Bodies； t