Free Eros Descending: Book 3 of Tales of the Velvet Comet by Mike Resnick Page B

from Grace.”
    “All of them are wrong,” said Simon stubbornly.
    “True. But not all of them are evil. Jesus could differentiate between a Magdalene and the Pharisees; I think it's about time you learned to do the same. When your mother wears makeup every day, or Robert eats steak and sings songs when he is not in the company of aliens, that will be ample time to condemn their souls to everlasting perdition.”
    “And if you don't stop Mother now, then the day will come when she paints her face every morning.”
    “I sincerely doubt it,” said Gold. “And if she does, then she will have made her choice and will have to suffer the consequences.”
    “Sin isn't quantitative or qualitative,” protested Simon. “It either exists or it doesn't—and if it does, then it must be condemned.” He began pacing back and forth. “I'm only quoting you , Father. This is what you've taught me all my life. This has been at the heart of every sermon you've ever given!”
    “I know,” said Gold.
    “Then why are we having this disagreement?”
    “Because God only created one perfect man, and I have a certain amount of compassion for those imperfect creatures that I happen to love.”
    “You love Robert?” said Simon sardonically. “Next you'll be telling me you love Fiona Bradley.”
    “No, I don't love Robert,” said Gold. “I hardly know him. But I love Christina, and he makes her happy. And I love Jeremy, and he helped to make Jeremy.”
    Simon shook his head. “By the same token, you have to love Robert's mother and father, since they created him. Or, to take a more interesting hypothesis, what if Robert has a mistress? If she makes him happy, then he in turn will be better disposed to make Jeremy happy. Should you love his mistress?”
    “Of course not. Each of us has to draw the line somewhere. I've drawn mine.”
    “And I mine,” said Simon stubbornly.
    Gold shook his head. “You've drawn a tight little circle that only has room for one person in it: Simon Gold. And I have a feeling you'll be harder on him than on anyone else when he finally falls from Grace.”
    “He doesn't have to fall,” replied Simon. “ You didn't.”
    “I do every day,” said Gold. “The only difference between me and Fiona Bradley is that I regret it.”
    “There's another: you succeed in overcoming your weaknesses.”
    “Not always,” said Gold wryly. “In the heat of the moment I even made a bet on the horserace.”
    “So you told me,” said Simon. “I think that supports my argument about the Velvet Comet . If even Thomas Gold could fall prey to its siren song, then no moral man should ever set foot aboard it.”
    “Perhaps you're right,” said Gold after some consideration.
    “We'll discuss it further after dinner.” He got to his feet. “In the meantime, I think it's time you made peace with your mother and sister. I'm getting hungry.”
    “All right,” said Simon. He paused. “I really didn't mean to make her angry, you know.”
    “I know,” said Gold. He put his arm around his son's shoulders and had begun walking to the dining room when the house computer announced that there was someone without the lock combination at the front door. He began retracing his steps, only to find that Christina had gotten there ahead of him.
    “Who is it?” asked Gold after a moment, when nobody had entered the apartment.
    Christina turned to him with a puzzled expression.
    “She wouldn't leave her name. She just placed this in my hand and told me to make sure you got it.” She held up a small, flat package.
    Gold walked over and took the package from her, examining it for writing or coding and finding none.
    “What do you suppose it is?” she asked, curious.
    “Unless I miss my guess, it's the reason twenty-seven Jesus Pures were incarcerated on Delvania,” answered Gold.
    Her face reflected her interest. “Really?”
    “I can't imagine what else it could be,” replied Gold. “You're sure she didn't say anything