"You are anxious, aren't you?"

"Jealous?"

"A little, perhaps, but I always am, for a moment at least. But that doesn't last longer than it takes me to get into the rack with your friends."

"You had better hurry," she said looking at her drink.

Martin finished adjusting his tie and brushed back the grey at his temples with his hands. "I'm ready, with time to spare. I wonder how she's going to react when I tell her you have a migraine? And," he added as an afterthought, "Wherever you go tonight, stay on the other side of town, away from the club. If she saw you it might ruin everything."

"I don't think it will but I'll stay away from your little precious game. I should find entertainment somewhere tonight, like maybe at Peter's club. There's always more than enough excitement there."

"Well, don't let your excitement stay too long if you bring him home. I'll be back before three," he said as he left the room, hurrying so that he would be knocking on Janet's front door at exactly eight o'clock.

Janet had been ready for twenty minutes when she heard Martin rap at the door. She gulped the last of her Martini, the fourth since Martin and her husband had left, and walked rather unsteadily to the door.

Martin entered and walked her to the living room where her mink stole lay haphazardly across the back of the chair. She told him she would fix him a drink but wouldn't have one herself. He refused and picked up the mink.

As they walked out the door he told her that Darleen had a terrible migraine and wouldn't be with them. Janet thought it was strange that Darleen should get a headache on a night like this, especially after spending all afternoon getting ready. Nothing seems to be happening right today she thought with a slightly audible sigh. Well, I hope nothing else goes wrong.