Mentally reaching out, he carefully brushed the attacking cells aside and took hold of the ugly black thing. He could 'feel' it changing shape immedia...tely, as it tried to escape from him, but he focused and kept hold of it."Commander? Is that you?" he heard Elise ask."Of course it's me! I'm sorry it took me so long to come, but let me try to get rid of this thing for you now," he replied.Ben was thinking frantically for some idea of how he could safely dispose of the virus. He tried to imagine. "And I am sure she hates my guts." I can't for the life of me understand why," I said. "But at least I love you!"She just looked at me, and then answered the first part of my statement. "She blames having me at 16 for the life she got. And for losing her figure, as she puts it." Well, you didn't choose to be born, did you?" I asked. "I'm mighty glad you were though." That finally got me a weak smile. "And what's the deal with her figure?" I found a picture of her in sophomore year," Fran said.. "She's cute Tom." Silvia said sarcastically. "A bit young for you though don't you think?"And suddenly I understood Cindy's motive behind the outfit and the character she'd adopted. She posed a direct challenge in a way to Silvia's more mature sexuality, and that as I knew, was a challenge that Silvia loved to engage in."The game's afoot." I found myself saying quietly to myself, taking another one of Frank's lines, but it seemed quite appropriate at the moment."Keeps me young at heart." I said. You have been very nice to me, and you have taken such good care of me. I have never told you this before but let me say it now, I am really in love with you. I will do anything for you.”I reciprocated with “I love you too” and gently kissed her forehead. I felt satisfied at that point. We quickly finished dinner, and in the meantime, I had planned a surprise thaali for her. I got our initials H and R engraved in the thaali and kept it ready for the marriage on Friday.Thursday came, we did our.