“Ben, Ben, my Benny Ben!” Katie, in stone-washed blue jeans and tank top, hopped from the sofa and leapt towards Ben as he opened the front door. She hugged him, her right ear squished against his chest, and said, “I made a reservation for us at Norma’s. We need, need, neeeeed to celebrate.”
Ben dropped his briefcase on the floor. “Celebrate?”
“Yes! We live in a sweet reality! The program is finally initiated!”
“Ha-ha, any reason is a good reason to party.” He smiled and kissed her on the head. “OK, but it’s gotta be early—I have a business meeting at 9 p.m. and can’t be late.”
“YES! Yes, my Benny boo, just let me change real quick!”
Katie rushed into the bedroom; Ben was tempted to follow but stopped himself. Worries about the meeting coming up bored like a silent power-drill twirling in his mind.
When they were kids, John and Ben had their own small gang. One time, they’d ridden their bicycles with John’s brother and another friend to the cactus field, and John had told Ben he could be the gang leader if he could get the fruits with his bare hands. Ben remembered how he had pulled out a thou- sand thorns afterwards and how thrilled he had been to be the gang leader that entire ride home. He was never angry with John for suggesting this, only at his own foolishness. John was probably surprised when Ben took that idea seriously. Ben, remembering that day on occasion, hoped he had since learned the lesson not to follow other people’s ideas blindly. He remembered that ride today, although it was a whole different situation; this was a grown man’s game with uncertain consequences. Everything Ben had heard about the Action was terrifying to him. Ben was not a man of war or a revolutionary or a die-hard. He was sensitive and peaceful and, if anything, believed in the power of words over the power of the sword. For fun, he would eat ice cream in the sun or travel far for concerts and art shows. He seldom laughed his heart out viciously. The only thing he would do aggressively is eat Gummi Bears ...
Katie was a very happy and energetic young woman. Her long chestnut hair was silky and always shone. And her green eyes sparkled ... you couldn’t help but believe them. She was always in a good mood, at least around Ben, and considered herself an artist. Katie was very attractive to Ben. She had a sexy smile and wore clothing styles that emphasized her slimness and her curves, though her face wasn’t a model’s face. In Ben’s mind, she was always bouncy and energetic. She’d met Ben two years ago and fell madly in love immediately. She thought no man could refuse her—and she was most likely right.
Katie wore a short skirt, and Ben, holding the wheel with one hand, couldn’t avoid touching her legs. “So how were things at work?” Katie grab
