Ray went to the bank and was well received by Lee Quigg, who immediately passed the news on to Blodgett after the visit. Ray was told the loan would be taken under consideration, although Quigg looked rather grave when Ray admitted his only assets were $2800 in his savings account.

"What about your folks?" Lee questioned, "Haven't any of 'em got some property or something they could put up for you?"

"The only property my folks have already has a mortgage on it," Ray admitted. "Everybody's not rich like your family, you know."

"Well, I want you to know that I'm going to do the best I can for you, Ray," Quigg said, shaking hands. "I'll be in touch with you." He ushered Ray to the door of his luxurious office as if he were the bank's most valued depositor and the gesture made the young pharmacist feel somewhat better about his prospects… not knowing, of course, that his wife's assets namely, her appealing young body-were going to be the deciding factor.

And so they waited to hear from the bank, with both Ray and Sally growing more edgy every day. John Blodgett was disappointed that he had not heard from the young Mrs. Denham, maybe she was going to be tougher than he had figured. God damn, he did hate to lose a bet!

Lee Quigg was pestering him about it every day. "I have to tell him something soon, John. What do you want me to do?" It looked like a little push was needed to get things moving in the right direction again and so he instructed his brother-in-law to stall just a few more days and in the meantime to invite the Denhams to the party that was being given at the Country Club on Saturday night. Although they were not leaving for Florida for at least another month, the party was in the nature of a going away affair for John and Lauralee. Accordingly, Lee telephoned Ray at the drug store and gave him the invitation and Ray took it to be a good sign that he and his wife were being included.