“Say hello to Miriam, who is a good friend and a professor at UCSF,” said Leroy.
She strolled in and put her motorcycle helmet down on the hall table next to Mr. Claus’s prize Cymbidium orchid.
Miriam put her bag down and unzipped her one-piece leather riding suit and stepped out of her boots. She wriggled out of it and stepped out wearing paint-stained jeans and an old t-shirt.
“You caught me in a bit of DIY,” she said.
Normally she wouldn’t be caught dead in jeans, but an emergency for Leroy meant that time was of the essence.
“Thanks, Miriam,” said Leroy and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.
Miriam turned her head and met Leroy’s lips with her own.
“Alright, lovebirds, let’s have a look at the package,” said Mrs. Claus.
Miriam smiled and picked up her bag.
“What’s in the bag?” asked Liz.
“Some special tests we are working on,” answered Miriam.
“So you work with viruses- or what?” asked Liz.
“In a way. I focus more on biological warfare and how to detect and combat it.”
“Oh,” said Liz.
“I have some stuff from the lab we are working on for looking at new strains of the corona virus,” said Miriam.
“Well let’s get going and see what we have in that package,” said Mr. Claus.
“It’s this way out on the back deck,” said Leroy.
He led her through the living and to the back sliding door.
She hurried past him, stopped and leaned in to him.
“Isn’t that?” asked Miriam.
“Yes, it is. But don’t mention it. He is trying to blend in here and for the most part is doing alright,” said Leroy.
“Yes, that’s true. Older men with long gray hair and a bushy beard are a definite Berkeley phenotype. I think they put hippie venom or something in the water,” said Miriam.
She stopped in the dining room before going out the door and put her bag down. She pulled out a white suit and began getting into it.
“See what I mean,” said Mr. Claus with a big smile.
“Not now,” said Leroy sternly
Miriam zipped herself in without help. She had obviously done this many times. She grabbed a few, small plastic items from her bag and headed toward the package on the table on the deck.
“Damn, that looks serious,” said William.
“And she’s quite a woman, huh?” said Mrs. Claus and patted Leroy on the back.
