Page 338 of Edge of Eternity (The Century 3)

"Good evening, Mr. Wharton," Dave said. "I'm sorry to intrude, but I'd really like to speak to you."

When he got over his surprise, Wharton seemed pleased. "Come on in," he said. "Meet the family."

Wharton ushered Dave into the dining room. The family appeared to be finishing dinner. Wharton had a pretty wife in her thirties, a daughter of about sixteen, and a spotty son a couple of years younger. "We have a surprise visitor," Wharton said. "This is Mr. Dave Williams, of Plum Nellie."

Mrs. Wharton put a small white hand to her mouth and said: "Oh my golly gosh."

Dave shook hands with her, then turned to the youngsters. "You must be Caroline and Edward."

Wharton looked pleased that Dave had remembered his children's names.

The kids were awestruck to get a surprise visit from a real pop star they had seen on TV. Edward could hardly speak. Caroline pulled back her shoulders, making her breasts stick out, and gave Dave a look that he had seen before in a thousand teenage girls. It said: You can do anything you like to me.

Dave pretended not to notice.

Mr. Wharton said: "Sit down, Dave, please. Join us."

Mrs. Wharton said: "Would you like some dessert? We're having strawberry shortcake."

"Yes, please," Dave said. "I'm living in a hotel--some home cooking would be a real treat."

"Oh, you poor thing," she said, and she went off to the kitchen.

"Have you come from Los Angeles today?" Wharton asked.

"Yes."

"Not just to call on me, I'm sure."

"Actually, yes. I want to talk to you one more time about tonight's show."

"Okay," Wharton said dubiously.

Mrs. Wharton returned with the dessert on a platter and began to serve.

Dave wanted the children on his side. He said to them: "In the show that your dad and I made, there's a part where Percy Marquand does a duet with my sister, Evie Williams."

Edward said: "I saw their movie--it was a blast!"

"At the end of the song, Evie kisses Percy on the cheek." Dave paused.

Caroline said: "So? Big deal!"

Mrs. Wharton raised a flirtatious eyebrow as she passed Dave a large wedge of strawberry shortcake.

Dave went on: "Mr. Wharton and I talked about whether this would offend our audience--something neither of us wants to do. We decided to leave out the kiss."

Wharton said: "I think it was a wise choice."

Dave said: "I've come here to see you today, Mr. Wharton, because I believe that, since we made that decision, the situation has changed."

"You're talking about the assassination of Martin Luther King."

"Dr. King was killed, but America is still bleeding." That sentence came into Dave's head from nowhere, the way song lyrics sometimes did.

Wharton shook his head, and his mouth set in a stubborn line. Dave's optimism lost its fizz. Wharton said ponderously: "I have more than a thousand employees--many of them Negroes, by the way. If sales of Foam plummet because we offended viewers, some of those people will lose their jobs. I can't risk that."

"We would both be taking a risk," Dave said. "My own popularity is also at stake. But I want to do something to help this country heal."

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