The Stars Shine Down

Lara turned to Philip. "Thank you for this, darling. It’s the nicest birthday I’ve ever had." She suddenly remembered. "I have to fly back to Reno tonight!"

Philip looked at her and grinned. "I’ve never been to Reno…"

Half an hour later they were in the limousine on their way to the airport. Lara was holding Philip’s hand, and thinking, I haven’t lost everything after all. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to him. Nothing else matters. The only important thing is being with him and taking care of him. I don’t need anything else.

"Lara…?"

She was looking out the window. "Stop, Max!"

The limousine braked to a quick stop.

Philip looked at her, puzzled. They had stopped in front of a huge empty lot, covered with weeds. Lara was staring at it.

"Lara…"

"Look, Philip! Look!"

He turned his head. "What?"

"Don’t you see it?"

"See what?"

"Oh, it’s beautiful! A shopping mall over there, in the far corner! In the middle we’ll put up luxury apartment houses. There’s room enough for four buildings. You see it now, don’t you?"

He was staring at Lara, mesmerized.

She turned to him, her voice charged with excitement. "Now, here’s my plan…"