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unguarded with his thoughts in her presence, and her brief flash of resentment closed the channel faster than usual, leaving her confused.
                  Linda considered warning him about her telepathy, but she wasn’t sure she trusted this new John. She contented herself by saying, “Your memory isn’t back,” as a statement rather than a question.
                  “I recognized you from a picture. Mary said you were going to finish your exams.”
                  “I did. I’m not sure how well I did on the last one, but I’m through. Do you want me to drive?”
                  He hesitated briefly and then nodded. After she adjusted the seat, left the airport, and drove onto I-195, he asked her, “Why do I usually have you drive?”
                  “At first, it was to give me practice. That was genuine. Later, you said you didn’t like driving . . .” She paused as she moved into the correct lane to get onto I-95. “I don’t drive very much, and I really do need the practice.” There was a period of silence.
                  “You were going to say?” He wasn’t looking at the road, but at her.
                  “You want to watch people when you talk to them,” she said wryly. “Like you’re doing now.”
                  “Is it intrusive?”
                  “No. Not for most people. They like that you’re paying attention to them. You pay attention to everyone, except Mary.”
                  “Why didn’t I pay attention to Mary?” he asked with surprise.
                  Linda smiled with real pleasure, because it was unusual for John to ask her for information. “You never told me, and I never asked.”
                  “But you know?”
                  “I think so.” Actually, she knew the answer, because John didn’t always guard his thoughts. “You didn’t want to break up my father’s marriage.” John was an attractive man, but somehow he avoided attracting Mary. He also avoided attracting Linda, which Linda realized was an interesting feat. She loved him as a parent, but didn’t love him as a man. It wasn’t until she went away to college that she realized she never developed a crush on John, which was surprising, considering she went through adolescence with him living in the same house.
                  She paused long enough for him to respond, and when he didn’t, she continued. “You disappeared into the background for her. You were Dad’s friend, but never in competition with Mary. You were a parent to Tom and me, in spite of the lack of age difference.”
                  “You’re twenty-two and I’m thirty-four,” he said with a bit of uncertainty.
                  “That’s what they say.”
                  “You don’t believe it?”
                  “No. I think you’re older, maybe much older. I know it doesn’t make sense, because you could go to graduate school and no one would think you were a returning student.” He was surprised by this observation, and Linda wondered if her statement was silly. John always seemed so mature, as if he belonged in her father’s generation. 
                  “Perhaps I wanted to portray an image with you as well.” He was clearly not certain.
                  “Of course you did. You’re always acting, but this is something deeper. I don’t know what it is.” When he didn’t jump in after she paused, she continued, “Acting is an exaggeration. It wasn’t really acting; you were forcing yourself to be a certain way, not pretending to be that way. I’m glad to see you still have the same mannerisms. You know when to be silent to get people to say more.” Acting was definitely an exaggeration, because she never heard him think he should pretend to be something he