Chapter 18

           Theconferencewaspostponedtotheafternoon,thenquicklyre-postponedtothefollowingmorning,whichgaveCaxtonanextratwenty-fourhoursofbadlyneededrecuperation,achancetohearindetailabouthismissingweek,achanceto"growcloser"withtheManfromMars–forMikegrokkedatoncethatJillandBenwere"waterbrothers,"consultedJillaboutit,andsolemnlyofferedwatertoBen.

           BenhadbeenadequatelybriefedbyJill.Heaccepteditjustassolemnlyandwithoutmentalreservations?aftersoulsearchinginwhichhedecidedthathisowndestinywas,intruth,interwovenwiththatoftheManfromMars–throughhisowninitiativebeforeheevermetMike.

           Benhadhadtochasedown,inthecranniesofhissoul,oneuneasyfeelingbeforehewasabletodothis.Heatlastdecidedthatitwassimplejealousy,and,beingsuch,hadtobecauterized.HehaddiscoveredthathefeltirkedattheclosenessbetweenMikeandJill.Hisownbachelorpersona,helearned,hadbeenchangedbyaweekofundeadoblivion;hefoundthathewantedtobemarried,andtoJill.Heproposedtoheragain,withoutatraceofjokingaboutit,assoonashegotheralone.

           Jillhadlookedaway."Please,Ben."

           "Whynot?I’msolvent,I’vegotafairlygoodjob,I’mingoodhealth–orIwillbe,assoonasIgettheircondemned‘truth’drugswashedoutofmysystem?andsinceIhaven’t,quite,Ifeelanoverpoweringcompulsiontotellthetruthrightnow.Iloveyou.Iwantyoutomarrymeandletmerubyourpoortiredfeet.