"You're almost as broke as Ben," he told Howie. "Roll a five or a seven and you're history."

Martha turned to sleeping arrangements. We had yet to see the second floor bedrooms.

"This is the situation," our hostess stated. "There are three small rooms up stairs. None of them are five star accommodations but two are fairly comfortable. The third room is filled with my wizard mad scientist husband's electronic hub bub of messy experiments. There is a bed in there, along with stinky plants, vegetables, mushrooms, rocks and all kinds of crap. Plus his gizmos buzz all night."

"You're the only one who can hear the buzz," Quinn answered defensively.

Martha ignored him. "I tried to get him to turn the stuff off and clear it up but no go. The world will come to an end if he does."

Quinn stood, as if addressing a class of incoming freshmen. "It's a timed experiment and it has to run for a precise period. We're testing the growth reactions or rate of deterioration of various organics exposed to a variety of energy and magnetic sources. I can't shut down the experiment until six PM tomorrow night. That's the culmination of the thirty day trial."

"No problem," Howie said. "I'm the interloper and a single. I'll take the laboratory."

"That's not fair!" my gallant bride-to-be offered. "Roll the dice. Lowest count gets the single." The three guests exempted the hosts and rolled. Betsy was safe with a nine and I thought my four bought me cot until Howie's snake eyes saved me. He was history, in more ways than one. A roll of the dice changed the lives of all of us and hundreds of others forever. Sleeping arrangements were set. After shaking the dice again, for turns in the single bathroom, we climbed the stairs to our rooms.

"They're really nice people, all three," Betsy announced as she snuggled against me beneath an ancient quilt in a spacious double bed that took up most of our room.

"I'm pleased you got along with Martha well enough

"I feel sorry Howie, for getting stuck with the lab room, but in general he seems in good humor, considering his condition."

"I imagine it helps being around people," I answered. "I can't comprehend losing three years of life and a lifetime of memories. What vocational opportunities are available for an almost-priest who's been out of this world for a few years?"

Betsy agreed as she snuggled against me. "You were two points from sleeping alone big guy."

"Now that I'm not, what do you have in mind?"

"Stop talking and do your duty." I complied, with vigor. After all, it was the night of our official engagement.




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