was　I　gone；　anyway？〃　I

tried　to　count　the　hours　in　my　head。

〃Just　three　days。〃　His　eyes　tightened；　but　he　smiled　more　naturally　this　time。

〃Actually；　I　was　hoping　you

might　have　a　good　explanation。　I've　got　nothing。〃

I　groaned。　〃Fabulous。〃

〃Well；　maybe　Alice　will　e　up　with　something；〃　he　offered；　trying　to　fort

me。

And　I　was　forted。　Who　cared　what　I　had　to　deal　with　later？　Every　second

that　he　was　here—so

close；　his　flawless　face　glowing　in　the　dim　light　from　the　numbers　on　my　alarm

clock—was　precious　and

not　to　be　wasted。

〃So；〃　I　began；　picking　the　least　important—though　still　vitally　interesting—

question　to　start　with。　I　was

safely　delivered　home；　and　he　might　decide　to　leave　at　any　moment。　I　had　to

keep　him　talking。　Besides；

this　temporary　heaven　wasn't　entirely　plete　without　the　sound　of　his　voice。

〃What　have　you　been

doing；　up　until　three　days　ago？〃

His　face　turned　wary　in　an　instant。　〃Nothing　terribly　exciting。〃

〃Of　course　not；〃　I　mumbled。

〃Why　are　you　making　that　face？〃

〃Well〃　I　pursed　my　lips；　considering。　〃If　you　were；　after　all；　just　a　dream；

that's　exactly　the　kind　of　thing

you　would　say。　My　imagination　must　be　used　up。〃

He　sighed。　〃If　I　tell　you；　will　you　finally　believe　that　you're　not　having　a

nightmare？〃

〃Nightmare！〃　I　repeated　scornfully。　He　waited　for　my　answer。　〃Maybe；〃　I　said

after　a　second　of　thought。

〃If　you　tell　me。〃

〃I　was　hunting。〃

〃Is　that　the　best　you　can　do？〃　I　criticized。　〃That　definitely　doesn't　prove

I'm　awake。〃

He　hesitated；　and　then　spoke　slowly；　choosing　his　words　with　care。　〃I　wasn't

hunting