"It's true. The hospital part. And it won't be an illness that does it this time. It'll be a couple of little babies."
"That's why you should be especially careful about yourself now, for the sake of those little ones."
"Look, I want these kids every bit as much as you do," she said. Then she hedged. "I'll think about it. It's awfully hard to let go of something you've worked this long and hard to build. Even for just a few weeks."
"I understand. Remember, I spent five years in the Smokies getting established as a nature photographer. Now you know how I felt giving it all up to go to Washington."
There was a momentary pause. The reason he had gone to Washington was to marry her. "Are you telling me you're sorry?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm telling you if I did that for you, you can do this for the twins."
Her voice mellowed. She had a disarming way of shifting gears when the truth began to crowd her. "You can be a terribly persuasive fellow, Mr. Hill. By the way, our friendly neighbors stopped by a little while ago."
"Will and Maggie?"
"Who else? He left you a piece of paper, said it had the name and address of somebody he told you about the other day. Something to do with 'hackers.'"
"Will thought I might like to read a book the guy's writing. I'm really not all that interested. Just stick it in the 'to do' pigeonhole on my desk and I'll look at it when I get back." He had an old rolltop desk in the den that he used to keep things he worked on at home.
"I know how you operate," she said. "You give something a glance and toss it on that desk. Then, when the dust gets thick enough, you'll pick it up again, give it another glance and can it."
Burke chuckled. "Never know when you're going to need something like that. It's usually the day after you throw it away. Just remember what I said about Marilee. And take it easy. I love you."
"I love you, too. And say hello to that blonde you're taking out to dinner."
He was still grinning when he headed out to the elevator. That was some lady he was married to. Then, thinking back, he realized she had never really agreed to bring Marilee in when he took off for Seoul.
It was a rather plain office in an older building on Sacramento Street. The room off the hallway housed a combination receptionist and secretary, a row of dull brown four-drawer filing cabinets, a few wicker chairs and a low, glass-topped table filled with magazines. He noted only two redeeming features. One was the art on the walls, a striking panel of Oriental calligraphy and bamboo branches, and a magnificent painting of a fierce-looking tiger. The other was the receptionist, a bright-faced Korean girl with sparkling dark eyes and full, sensitive lips.
"May I help you, sir?" she asked.
"I'm Burke Hill. I have an appointment with Dr. Vickers."
"Oh, yes. Let me tell him you're here." She stuck her head in the door beyond the filing cabinets and said something, then turned back to Burke. "Please come in. He'll see you now."
The office was similar to the one out front. The desk was not overly large, made of dark, polished wood, with a brass nameplate that said "Kim Vickers, PhD." Behind it to one side was a small table holding a personal computer and keyboard. The most striking feature was a low, six-panel screen embroidered with flowers and butterflies. Flanking the nameplate on the desk was a display of small Korean and American flags.
Vickers came out from behind the desk with hand outstretched and greeted Burke with enthusiasm. "Very happy to meet you, Mr. Hill. I hope you had a pleasant flight. I've always found the trip between the coasts awfully boring unless you have a good book to read."
"Nice meeting you, Dr. Vickers." Burke absorbed the vigorous pumping of his hand and quickly sized up the short man with the Oriental features and tousled brown hair. The name and look marked him unmistakably as part Korean, part American. He was dressed neatly in various shades of blue, slacks, shirt and tie. The expansive smile, along with the animated greeting, left Burke with the impression that he had just met the ideal Oriental game show host. "I recently returned from two weeks' vacation, so the flight out gave me a chance to catch up on some business reading."
"Please have a seat," Vickers said, motioning to a chair. "Would you like some coffee?"
"Yes, I believe I would. Just black, please."
"Che-sun," Vickers called to the girl out front, "would you please bring us some coffee." Then he sat behind his desk and brought his palms together in a prayer-like tent. "I was most happy to hear of your interest in the Korean-American Education Foundation. I believe you said you knew Mr. Wentworth. He has been a real help to us."
"Actually, he's a friend of the president of our agency. We're gearing up to represent a new association of American companies doing business in Korea. There's a good possibility the organization will want to contribute to your foundation."
Vickers' smile turned up a notch. "Excellent."
"What I'm here for is to gather some information so we can make an informed decision."
"As well you should. I'll be happy to do what I can." He rummaged around in a desk drawer and brought out an attractive folder printed in full color. "Here's a brochure that should answer most of your questions." Che-sun came in with the coffee on a lacquered wooden tray inlaid with mother-of-pearl. She handed Burke a cup and a paper plate containing what looked like small cookies in the shape of dough pockets.
"These are ttok," she said. "It's a Korean delicacy made of rice flour and filled with nuts and honey."
Burke took a bite and nodded his approval. "Delicious. Thanks a lot." He turned back to Dr. Vickers. "I'll save the brochure for later. If you don't mind, just give me a very basic view of what the foundation does."
Vickers pulled off his glasses and swung them slowly in his left hand, apparently gathering his thoughts. "Basically, we provide scholarships, for both undergraduate and graduate study, mostly for students who are, like myself, children of American fathers and Korean mothers. However, over the years, as more resources became available, we have expanded into providing some funds for youths who are full Koreans but desire to study in the United States."
"How long has the foundation been in business?"
"Our first students entered college in 1975. It will soon be twenty years."
"Are the students selected based on need?"
"Yes, primarily. We also consider their potential for academic success. That's particularly true in the case of graduate study."
"Do many of them go on to graduate school?"
Dr. Vickers shook his glasses for emphasis. "I'm happy to say they do. Quite a number of them. We're very proud of the success of the students we've helped."
"What about after graduation? Do most of them take jobs in Korea?"
He nibbled at an earpiece. "Very many do, of course. Possibly a majority find employment over here. Others will eventually go back. Many of them have told me they send money back to their families in Korea."
"Do you provide any assistance for them on locating employment?"
"We do quite a bit of counseling. I do that in my travels about the country. We don't have a placement service as such, nothing formal like that. But we do try to help where we can."
Burke returned his empty cup and paper plate to the tray, brushing the crumbs from his mouth with a napkin. "Those were really good. I'll be going to Seoul soon to help set up an office. I'm sure I'll be introduced to lots of Korean dishes then."
"Be prepared for a surfeit of rice," Vickers said with a chuckle. "When I was growing up, my mother had an electric rice cooker. The little red eye on the side of it, actually an 'on' light, stared at me all the time. I hope you enjoy your trip. Is it connected with the new association?"