Chapter 16

I slept really well that night, and would have liked to continue in the morning, but the alarm clock was insistent.

So slightly bleary-eyed I got to work pretty much on time. Again, Ted and Art had beaten me in and were huddling, working on their common problem.

Coffee in hand, I checked my experiment and took readings. So far, everything was progressing, without the failures that had marked my first attempt. I’d let it run for another week, then collate the results.

I went over to where Art and Ted were sitting and listened to their conversation. They were discussing a tweak to the molecular structure that might further improve the adhesion. When they paused to take a breath I said I’d given some thought to their problem and I might have the beginnings of an idea.

“I think the biological aspects of withdrawal are far too complex and interconnected to deal with from a chemical approach. Not enough is known about how the brain processes withdrawal and its physical agonies, so I don’t think there’s anything we can do about that.

“Cravings may be a different issue. If a treatment also suppressed cravings, then the addict has a fighting chance of beating the addiction. So if I remember correctly, opiate cravings trigger a response in the ventral tegmental area of the brain that results in the release of dopamine elsewhere in the brain, which is where the drug rush comes from, the high.

“If there were a way to suppress the specific response from the opioid in the VTA, the rush wouldn’t happen. No high, no desire to use the drug. We know that opioids activate the μ receptors which triggers the body’s reward systems, so maybe we look for something which temporarily blocks the μ receptors. Obviously, it’s more complicated than that, for example we know the brain develops a learned behavior that causes the desire for the drug and the high that follows, but one step at a time.

“So I’m thinking it might be fruitful to look into what’s been done with chemicals that interact with the VTA and μ receptors. Maybe there’s something there that can be modified, or which suggests an approach.”

They looked at each other, and Art nodded. “Yeah, that’s interesting, Sam, and worth following up on. I’ll look at the literature, see what’s been published. Let’s talk again.”

We continued on our individual projects for the rest of the morning, then the others proposed lunch in the cafeteria for a change. So we went as a group and found a table big enough for the seven of us. I got a sandwich and lemonade, and we talked about ideas for pushing Art and Ted’s project forward.

Halfway through the meal, Liz came in with that woman from Accounting whose name I still hadn’t remembered, saw me and waved with a bright smile. That got me looks from almost everyone at the table, and I could just see the unasked questions. I put on my best innocent face. Because, after all, I had nothing to feel guilty about.

On the way back to the lab from lunch, Ted Markey caught up with me. “Sam, I wanted to thank you for your comments. I think they’ll prove really useful.”

“Thanks, Ted. I think you guys are onto something really important here.”

“I hope it pans out. Did I ever mention that we were putting in a new patio behind the house? I know I talked about it with Frank.”

“No, I don’t think it ever came up.”

“Well, we just finished it and we’re having our first patio party this weekend, on Saturday. We’re having a few neighbors over, some people from the lab, some of my wife’s co-workers. Nothing fancy, burgers, hot dogs, beer, like that. If you’re not doing anything, why don’t you come? No need to bring anything, we’ll take care of all the food and beer.”

“Thanks, Ted. I should bring something. What kind of gift do you bring to a patio warming party? A new lawn chair? A tiki torch?”

“Just bring yourself, Sam. Anytime after seven’s good.”

I thanked him and said I’d try to be there. I usually wasn’t much for these kinds of parties, but truth was that I didn’t get out enough in social situations and I was trying to turn over a new leaf. As good a place to start as any, I thought.

I wrote a couple of brief reports and put in a request for a new supply of reagents that were running low. My internal alarm went off around two and I started thinking “snack”, which looked oddly like Liz Conway in my mind. That must be the sugar deprivation playing tricks on me.

I had written up my comments on her most recent submission after I’d thought about them for a couple of days, and had the package in my desk drawer.

In the cafeteria I got the old standby, coffee and a piece of apple pie and a scoop of ice cream. It would be worth the disapproving look. And sure enough, after a few minutes, she wandered in, got tea and a cookie, and sat down.

I think I had seen this particular business suit before, perhaps with a different blouse, but it still made me catch my breath. Just short enough to flash gorgeous legs and tight enough in back to let us know that we’d never see what was under there.

I saw one eye assess my snack and dismiss it, but she didn’t say anything. I sipped my coffee and asked, “Did Schwartz make the run for fun in the sun with his hon?”

She snickered. I’d never heard her do it before. She was always too professional and businesslike to snicker.

“You know, you can be a bit cruel when you set your mind to it. He isn’t a bad guy, just a little set in his ways.”

“His ways were set in 1957 and probably haven’t changed since. You’ve got to admit that was clever.”

“It wasn’t bad, for off the top of your head.”

“I feel faint from this excess of praise. Stop, or I shall have to summon the headwaiter and ask for smelling salts.”

She smirked at me.

“I’ll bet he comes back without a tan. Before I forget,” I said, reaching for the envelope, “here’s your latest stuff back, and if I could, let me go over a couple of things with you.

“I think the second chapter is much improved. It reads easier and you get deeper into the characters, setting them up for whatever’s going to happen later. And I liked what you started doing in the third chapter you gave me. I can almost see where you’re going with that, but I’m guessing you have a twist or two in mind.

“But here’s a couple of questions that came up while I was thinking about those things.”

I asked her why she had included a particular descriptive passage in the third chapter. It didn’t seem to fit with anything that had happened to her characters, and I wondered if she was setting something up for later. And I had a question about one character’s background, which seemed somehow out of place.

She made notes on the back of one of the pages, then set her pen down. “I’m going to have to think about that,” she said. “Those things flowed out of me, and I didn’t give much thought as to why I put them there. Sometimes they work themselves out as I develop the story, other times they wind up being superfluous, unnecessary, and I just forget to remove them. That’s why God created editors, to save authors from themselves.”

“I’ve gotten this far into it -- actually even further, ‘cause I’ve written more that you haven’t seen yet -- and I can see the story working itself out in my mind. Sometimes it gets a little ... turned around when I try to set it on paper, and I don’t always see that while it’s happening. That’s why I like having you look at it, because you often see the things I don’t. And you work cheaper than editors. So, thanks again, Sam.”

“Happy to do it, if I get the chance to see how the story turns out. It’s getting interesting and involved, Liz. I like what I’ve seen.”

And I thought I detected just the faintest blush on her cheek, but it could have been a reflection from the window.

“I’m really grateful, so the thanks are sincere. Any plans for the weekend?”

“Nothing special. Ted Markey invited me to inspect his new patio on Saturday, so that’s the highlight so far.”

“I secretly knew you scientists led fascinating lives, but my friends wouldn’t believe me. They’ll be so envious.”

This is the first time she’s sparred verbally with me. It showed a new side of her personality. I tossed a barb back at her.

“Envy is such an unbecoming trait, Liz. I had thought better of you.”

“You can’t blame us. None of us have patios, and we’re consumed with jealousy. You can tell me about it on Monday. Bring pictures so you can prove to me that you’ve actually been on one. Gotta go. Enjoy your pie and ice cream soup.”

She walked off with her cup and I looked down and saw that my ice cream had melted completely. I had been looking forward to that.

The remainder of the day was unremarkable, as was dinner -- microwave lasagna. I was cleaning up when the phone rang.

“Sara! This is a surprise. How was your trip to see your family?”

She told me a little about that, and that she’d even taken an extra day because she was having such a good time. But eventually she had to get back to work, and had had to spend some extra time catching up, which was why she’d been incommunicado.

“So I came home late from work a day or two back and I ran into Carol in the hall, and she immediately started in on repeating the threesome, and if you weren’t available, then maybe just me and her, since we were neighbors and all and it was so convenient.”

“I think you nailed it the first time you told me about her, Sara, she has no boundaries, it’s all about immediate gratification.”

“Yeah, exactly. Anyway, it took a little dancing to get her to understand that I was still trying to come to terms with what I felt and I didn’t want to leap into anything too soon. She looked like she was going to try to talk me out of it, but eventually she bit her tongue and just said that we’ll stay in touch.

“I’m not sure if that was enough for her to get the message, but at least it solved my immediate problem. But, Sam? Here’s the thing I didn’t say to her. I did in fact think about it. Extensively. There were some strange moments during that encounter that I had a little difficulty processing, but what I finally decided was, I liked it. In fact, I liked it a lot.”

She was quiet then, allowing me a chance to add my thoughts.

“You weren’t sure, the last time we spoke. You said you were a little uncomfortable with it, if I remember correctly.”

“What I think I said was that there were aspects of my interaction with Carol that made me uncomfortable, and also the way that she interacted with you. So my discomfort was more to do with her than with threesomes. I also said that I’d probably enjoy it a lot more if the other person was someone I cared more about.

“So here’s why I called. No, that’s not right, I called because I like you and wanted to stay in touch, but I also had to tell you how my thinking had evolved. See, I have this friend, we were actually classmates in college, and I’ve always liked her, and ... damn, why is this so difficult? We’re adults.

“So Nancy and I, we’re not, like, lesbians or anything, but we had a few hookups in college that were really nice, intense, really, but she had a boyfriend and so did I. I’m still pretty close to her but we haven’t hooked up since.

“When I got back from my trip, we met for drinks to catch up, and maybe there was one too many drinks because I started telling her about the ... threesome, and she kept wanting the details, till I had to tell her almost everything.

“And when I was done, and I was suddenly feeling this rush of guilt, like, how could I have been so stupid to tell her all that? And she looks at me and I thought she was going to start in on me for being the town slut, and instead she says, ‘How come you didn’t ask me?’

“I’ll skip some stuff here, but the bottom line is that she still thinks about our hookups, even though she’s into guys, too, and she said she wished she could have been the third side in that triangle.”

I hadn’t seen that one coming. I had a suspicion where it was headed, but I couldn’t bring it up.

“And she hadn’t given you any reason to believe she was into that kind of thing, Sara?”

“No! Even in college it was always one-on-one, even if it was girl-girl or girl-guy. For both of us. She never said anything, then or since, that would have led me to believe she was into that. I mean, until the other night.”

“So? What then?”

“Well, it took another drink, for both of us, but what came up was that she’d been thinking about ways to ‘get out of her rut’, as she put it. I don’t think she was aware of the pun.”

I had to smile at that.

“When she’d gotten enough alcohol, she finally looked at me and said, I want to try that, with you and some guy. I told her that it was still weird enough for me that I didn’t think I could just try it with any guy, but maybe this guy I like, who was in the first threesome, might want to try again.”

And then silence. She was out of words, having gone past the point of no return. She wasn’t sure how I was going to react. I might tell her I couldn’t be with a woman who was so easy. Or any number of other scenarios. She had put forth the proposition and was waiting for my response.

“I think I might need to check my health insurance, make sure I’m covered for exhaustion and extreme debilitation. I think about that night, too, Sara, and how intense it was. I don’t think I could do this regularly, just from a stamina point of view, but I’ll admit the thought of doing a threesome again with you gets me breathing fast.

“But I think you have the right approach. This works only if the parties involved actually like each other, are attracted to one another. So the unknown here is what I think of Nancy, am I attracted to her as well. And the only way to know that is to meet her, like I did Carol.