. ?”“I have a Ph.D. in English literature,” Carol confessed. “And I’ll get another this June, I guess.”“In what?”“The history of sci...nce,” Carol said, blushing.Penny just rolled her eyes. “How about Bill?” she asked.“Oh, he has a Ph.D. in economics and is getting one in military strategy. Then Jenny Clark has a couple, too.”“Good grief!” Penny exclaimed. “There are — what? — about ten doctorates among the five of you?”Carol just nodded once.“Sheesh, Henry, can you imagine? Talk about the blind. Maelee had just about worked herself into a mental wreck by the time we arrived.Her dad’s wife – the girls’ mom – didn’t travel with them. She had even changed their plans from spending a few days with Maelee in Masonville during Christmas break, to the Sunday meeting in Austin. She did give in and agree to let them come to Masonville during our spring break, beginning Friday March 20th through Sunday March 29th.At first, the meeting of Maelee and her dad was sort of awkward. She had not seen. ”“What is that?” Leland asked.“Water quality is part of the problem,” Dr. Donaldson answered.Leland asked, “In what way?”“The distribution of appropriate nutrients in ocean waters is bad,” Dr. Donaldson answered. He knew that bad wasn’t exactly a scientific term, but it described the situation remarkably well. “There are several maps of the distribution in the report.”“So we go with the fertilizer approach,” Leland said.“The idea of fertilizing the ocean to improve fish stock was interesting. He said, “Go talk to him and see if he’ll work for you.”“Thanks,” Melinda said leaving as soon as the word was out of her mouth.Dale chuckled once she was gone. Turning back to his work, he said, “She won’t be thanking me when she gets back.”Melinda turned the corner of the brightly lit hallway and came to a stop. The hallway was so brightly lit that it almost hurt the eyes. The walls were a sterile bright white with a single door at the end of the hallway on the left side. The floor was white.