She’d worried about it for days, then finally decided to call him to see if he’d be receptive to talking, while still keeping her identify and situation anonymous.
Jonathan had decided he’d never hear back from Sharon Weiss and that was fine. Although he felt there was a tender and touching story there, he’d leave it alone.
It was Saturday morning, Amy had spent the night again and times were good, as far as their relationship was going. She was making breakfast, and as Jonathan entered the room, the phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Smyth, this is Sharon Weiss.” He motioned to Amy to get her attention.
“Yes, of course, Sharon, I sent you a letter a while back. Thank you for calling.” Amy ran into the room, trying to listen in on the conversation.
“Yes you did, and I’m sorry to have taken so long to get back to you, but this is a very big decision for me.”
Jonathan and Amy sat down on the couch together, Amy still trying to eavesdrop.
“Believe me, Sharon, I appreciate your situation and I want you to know, I would do nothing to jeopardize your… secret.”
“Well, that’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. I would be willing to discuss…my circumstance, but only under the condition of anonymity. If you can’t or won’t do that, or if you exposed me either by accident or intentionally, I would deny we ever talked and disavow any knowledge of what you wrote.
“I don’t mean to be harsh, but I have a lot at stake here and, I will not expose my daughter to the kind of scrutiny this would bring. If you will agree to my terms, then and only then, will I be willing to sit down and talk to you.”
“Fair enough. I will agree to any and all terms you set forth and if I can’t agree to something for some reason, I’ll tell you and we’ll drop it.”
They talked on for a while, agreeing to meet in Joplin in a week’s time. Another trip, another story. There was a part of him anxious to go and find out more about this, what seemed to be, a never-ending story. But there was also a part of him hoping this would be the end.
Maybe with Zane, soon to be encase in concrete and, his research hopefully coming to an end, he could wrap it up, then sit down and start writing the book.