Actually, they were best friends, but nothing beyond that. However, when Ben saw Laura walk up the aisle at the church something in him changed. He wa... becoming attracted to her sexually. At the reception he was given plenty of opportunities to show his feelings to her, but he chickened out every time. During the bridal dance he stood a good foot from her as they danced. He didn’t want to scare her off if his raging hard-on rubbed against her thigh as they danced. He was having a difficult time. Don't you ever do anything like a normal person?"He shrugged and I had to laugh again. I don't think he was brushing off my question; he genuinely didn't know the answer. I doubted he could pass even a multiple-choice test on what normal people do."We could have dinner out or order in, you know," I said. "We're not exactly impoverished." I know. I just wanted to be prepared." Obsessive," I said."Potayto, potahto." Let's call the whole thing off," I sang.Jeff just laughed.I helped him with the. I explained that I had to go out of town to take care of some family business. My advisor was very understanding. She accessed the summer schedule. I was pleased to see that I could easily make up the lost time.When I returned home, I was pleased to sense that Amelia was with Aunt Kayla. My ability to detect other people had grown stronger. When I concentrated at it, my range of detection was now almost a half-mile. I rarely used it like this, unless I wanted to bug Bill!I had also learned to. I willed it." You did not, woman of lies. You showed surprise when I first spoke." I thought you were asleep, Tiros of little trust." You are not Nemesis. I fear you not." Oh, it isn't supposed to work like this. Suppose I admit, for the sake of completion, to not being Nemesis. Can we finish this?" Tell me who you are then."The woman paused then, looking directly at Tiros for the first time. "My name is Acacia." Acacia, why do you pretend to be Nemesis?" I am her... stand in." A stand in? For.