The Perfect Affair
smoke.
    Jacqueline trudged forward, smoke and flames impeding her desire to rush toward the hand. “I see you!”
    She was almost there.
    So close she could almost touch her, could almost grab the hand that reached out in desperation.
    She grabbed the hand, which grew larger as a contorted face came into view.
    “Mom? No!”
    She was instantly, harshly pulled into the flames, her mother’s brash, maniacal laugh surrounding her.
     
    Jacqueline awoke with a start, gasping for breath, covered in sweat.
    The nightmare had returned.

CHAPTER 5
    T he ringing iPhone alarm woke Randall from a deep sleep. Six a.m. had come way too soon. He went one round with the snooze button, rolled out of bed and hit the shower, shifting the water temperature from hot to cold to help wake him up, and then donned a suit. After quickly checking his e-mails and making the required phone calls, he grabbed what he’d need for the morning activities and left the room.
    Stepping off the elevator, he entered the quiet chaos of over one thousand medical- and science-minded professionals descending upon a space. Small groups of two to six individuals stood clustered in conversation, or sat sipping coffee and comparing career notes. Randall nodded this way and waved another, knowing many of the faces dotting the lobby on this sunny Tuesday morning. He spoke, but did not stop to chat. The welcome breakfast was about to begin and as one of the featured guests, he needed to be in the banquet hall at least fifteen minutes in advance.
    He made it there with five minutes to spare and immediately spotted his best friend standing on the speaker platform.
    “James!”
    A nice-looking man, well dressed in a navy pin-striped suit, stark white shirt, and a winning smile, turned around. “Well, if it isn’t the brainy biologist.” He stepped forward, hand outstretched. “How are you, Randall? Look like life’s treating you well.”
    “Can’t complain, doctor,” he answered, returning the handshake. “Can’t complain at all. How are you doing?”
    “Good, man. Real good.”
    “The wife?”
    “Debbie is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. She’s made me believe in love again.”
    “She must be handling her business! You sound like a whipped brother if I ever heard one.”
    “The sex is great, no doubt. But believe it or not, that isn’t the best thing I love about her. It’s her compassion, her generous nature, the way that she not only cares about me but takes care of me and the family. I wish I’d given these traits more consideration the first time around. Divorce is an ugly business. I want me and Debbie to last a lifetime.”
    Randall placed a hand on his friend’s arm, touched by his words. “If you want it, then it will happen,” he responded. “You know I’m pulling for you both, and wishing you the best.”
    Their conversation was interrupted as other panelists mounted the dais and the room quickly filled with conference attendees. James and Randall took their seats at the head table and soon were enveloped in tasty dishes, welcoming speeches, and an outline for the trends-and-technology-filled week ahead. Those on the panel were there to offer a brief description of their workshop and to contribute to the discussion of the conference theme: Old Science in a New World. He’d always been confident in front of a crowd, so when it was Randall’s turn to speak, he stood, approached the podium, and delivered his prepared spiel flawlessly. The audience listened with rapt attention, and all of the women and several men noted that he looked as good as he spoke.
    “Good morning, my fellow professionals. My name is Dr. Randall Atwater. As most of you know, I recently received an award for my research on the use of plant stem cells to heal human diseases.” He waited while the spontaneous applause that broke out at this announcement died down. “I appreciate that,” he said with a grin way too sexy for this time of morning and this
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