“But I do want to talk,” Kim said. “I’ve been wanting to talk, particularly since Friday when I went into Boston to see a therapist I’d seen years ago.”
“I applaud your initiative,” Edward said.
“It made me think a lot about how we’ve been relating to one another,” Kim said. She looked down at her hands. “It made me wonder if perhaps living together right at the moment is not the best thing for either of us.”
Edward put down his beer and took her hands. “I understand how you must feel,” he said. “And your feelings are appropriate in light of my most recent behavior. But I can see my mistakes, and I think I can make it up to you.”
Kim started to say something, but Edward interrupted her.
“All I ask is to allow the status quo to remain for a few weeks with me staying here in my room and you in yours,” he said. “If you feel we shouldn’t be staying together at the end of this trial period, I’ll move up to the castle with the others.”
Kim contemplated what Edward had said. He had impressed her with his remorse and his insight. His offer seemed reasonable.
“All right,” she said finally.
“Wonderful!” Edward said. He reached out and gave her a long hug.
Kim held herself back a little. It was hard for her to change emotional directions so quickly.
“Let’s celebrate,” Edward said. “Let’s go out to dinner-just you and me.”
“I know you can’t take the time,” Kim said. “But I appreciate the offer.”
“Nonsense!” Edward said. “I’m taking the time! Let’s go back to that dive we went to on one of our first trips up here. Remember the scrod?”
Kim nodded. Edward drained his beer.
As they drove from the compound and Kim glanced at the castle, she thought about the researchers and commented about how exuberant they had seemed.
“They couldn’t be any happier,” Edward said. “Things are going well at the lab, and now they won’t have to commute.”
“Did you start taking Ultra?” Kim asked.
“We sure did,” Edward said. “We all started Tuesday.”
Kim contemplated telling Edward about Kinnard’s thoughts on the subject but hesitated because she knew that Edward would be upset that she’d spoken to anybody about their project.
“We’ve already learned something interesting,” Edward said. “The tissue level of Ultra can’t be critical because all of us are experiencing equally positive results even though we’re on widely different dosages.”
“Could the euphoria you and the others are enjoying have anything to do with the drug?” Kim asked.
“I’m sure it does,” Edward said. “Indirectly if not directly. Within twenty-four hours of our first dose all of us felt relaxed, focused, confident, and even-” Edward struggled for a word. Finally he said: “Content. All of which is a far cry from the anxiety, fatigue, and contentiousness we’d been experiencing before Ultra.”
“What about side effects?”
“The only side effect that we’ve all had was some initial dryness of the mouth,” Edward said. “Two of the others reported some mild constipation. I was the only one who had some difficulty with near vision, but it only lasted for twenty-four hours and I’d been experiencing the problem prior to taking Ultra, particularly when I got tired.”
“Maybe you should stop taking the drug now that you’ve learned as much as you have,” Kim suggested.
“I don’t think so,” Edward said. “Not when we are getting such positive results. In fact, I brought some for you in case you want to try it.”
Edward reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a vial of capsules. He extended it toward Kim. She shrank back.
“No, thank you,” she said.
“For God’s sake, at least take the container.”
Reluctantly Kim allowed Edward to drop the vial into her hands.
“Just think about it,” Edward said. “Remember that discussion we had a long time ago about not feeling socially connected? Well, you won’t feel that way with Ultra. I’ve been on it less than a week, and it’s allowed the real me to emerge; the person that I’ve wanted to be. I think you should try it. What do you have to lose?”