"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S NO TWO-BEDROOM SUITE?" BRIAN EXCLAIMS, LOOKING STRAIGHT UP AT THE FRONT DESK MANAGER. HE AND ESTHER HAD FINALLY STOPPED AT THE ROADSIDE INN, BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO TIRED TO TRAVEL ANYMORE THAT NIGHT.

THE MANAGER, A PLUMP, BALD GUY PROBABLY IN HIS LATE 40'S GLARES BACK AT THE TWO OF THEM IN FRUSTRATION.

"WHATTA YA THANK THIS IS?" HE BELLOWS. "THE "MARRIET"?"

"THAT'S MARRIOT." BRIAN CORRECTS HIS GRAMMAR.

"WHATEVER." THE OLD HICK SPITS. "NOW LISTEN, IF YA WANNA ROOM FOR THE NIGHT, TAKE IT. IF NOT, SKIDADDLE."

"WE'LL TAKE IT." BRIAN FINALLY GIVES IN.

"OH SURE, FIND TWO PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE U.S. IN 24 HOURS!

"BRENDA EXCLAIMS LOOKING AT HOWIE IN DISBELIEF. HE'D JUST TOLD HER AND NICK ABOUT THE NATIONWIDE SEARCH THEY WERE ABOUT TO GO ON IN HOPES OF LOCATING BRIAN AND ESTHER BEFORE ANYONE DISCOVERED THEM MISSING.

"NU-UH, NO WAY!" SHE PROTESTS. SHE SHAKES A FINGER AT HIM WHILE SQUINTING THROUGH HER BEADY EYES. "THIS IS ONE OF YOUR STUPID IDEAS ISN'T IT, HOWIE?!"

"WELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY BRIGHTER IDEAS, EINSTEIN?" HOWIE FIRES BACK. HIS RESPONSE LEAVES BRENDA COMPLETELY STUPEFIED. "AND CORRECTION, WE ACTUALLY HAVE 36 HOURS TO FIND THEM AND THIS IS THE BEST THING WE COULD COME UP WITH. AND IT'S NOT THE ENTIRE U.S. EITHER. BRIAN ONLY MENTIONED A FEW PLACES WHEN HE BROUGHT IT UP THE OTHER DAY."

"STILL," BRENDA SAYS FLATLY, "IT CAN'T BE DONE." SHE PEERS OVER AT NICK, WHO LIES SEMI-CONSCIOUS ON HIS BUNK. "BESIDES," SHE POINTS OUT, "I DON'T THINK NICK IS REALLY CAPABLE OF TRAVELING. HE'S GOT THE BUG, BAD,REMEMBER?"

"PUT IT THIS WAY, BRENDA," HOWIE EXPLAINS, "IF J WERE TO FIND BRIAN AND ESTHER GONE WHEN WE ARRIVED IN CHICAGO, WE MIGHT AS WELL KISS OUR CAREERS GOODBYE."

"BUT, NICK CAN'T...."

"AW, HE'LL BE FINE." HOWIE CUTS OFF. "HE'S A TOUGH GUY, RIGHT NICKY?" HE DEFENDS, TAPPING THE BOTTOM OF NICK'S FOOT, WHICH HANGS LIMPLY OFF THE SIDE OF HIS BUNK. NICK INSTANTLY SITS UP, GAGS, AND MAKES A MAD DASH FOR THE BATHROOM DOOR. HE RUNS THROUGH AND SLAMS IT BEHIND HIM. THE SOUND OF MUFFLED GAGGING ECHOES INTO THE BEDROOM AS BOTH BRENDA AND HOWIE WATCH AND LISTEN IN SILENCE.

BRENDA SIGHS AND SHAKES HER HEAD. "YOU WERE SAYING?"

"WE'LL HAVE TO SHARE THE BED." BRIAN YAWNS AS HE AND ESTHER SET DOWN THEIR LUGGAGE ON THE WOOLLY CARPET OF THEIR ROOM FOR THE NIGHT. "THAT IS, UNLESS, ONE OF US IS WILLING TO SLEEP IN THE BATHTUB."

"UGH, THIS PLACE IS A DUMP." ESTHER COMPLAINS, WATCHING A COCKROACH SCURRY ACROSS THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF HER. SHE HESITANTLY TAKES ANOTHER STEP FORWARD AND JUMPS BACK WHEN SHE SEES ANOTHER COCKROACH HEADING STRAIGHT FOR HER. "AH!" SHE CRIES, HURLING HERSELF ON TO THE BED. "I CAN'T STAY HERE!" SHE WHINES, PUTTING A PILLOW OVER HER HEAD. "I'LL BE EATEN ALIVE BY SIX-LEGGED CANNIBALISTIC CREATURES!"

"DID YOU HEAR ME?" BRIAN ASKS, PULLING THE PILLOW AWAY FROM HER HEAD.

"I SAID WE'LL HAVE TO SHARE THE BED."

"AW, NO PROB." ESTHER REPLIES FLOPPING BACK ON TO THE PILLOW. "I MEAN, WHAT COULD HAPPEN?"

"YOU'RE RIGHT." BRIAN AGREES, LEANING AGAINST THE WALL. HE SMIRKS AS HE ASKS, "YOU DON'T WET THE BED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, DO YOU?"

"OH, SHUT UP!" ESTHER SAYS, PULLING THE PILLOW OUT FROM UNDER HER AND WHACKING HIM WITH IT. HE RIPS IT FROM HER HAND AND THROWS IT BACK AT HER BEFORE FALLING ON TO THE BED BESIDE HER. HE STARTS TICKLING HER AND BETWEEN HER FITS OF UNCONTROLLABLE GIGGLES, SHE TRIES IN VAIN TO WRIGGLE TOWARDS THE EDGE OF THE BED TO ESCAPE. SUDDENLY, SHE FEELS HERSELF FALLING AND HITS THE FLOOR WITH A DULL THUD.

"YA KNOW," BRIAN LAUGHS, PEERING AT HER FROM UP ON THE MATTRESS. "YOU COULD SLEEP DOWN THERE IF YOU'D LIKE."

"YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY, DON'T YOU?!" ESTHER SPITS, PULLING HERSELF UP FROM THE FLOOR.

"WELL, WATCH THIS!" SHE QUICKLY GRABS THE EDGE OF THE WORN BEDCOVERS AND JERKS THEM WITH ALL HER STRENGTH OUT FROM UNDERBRIAN. SHE WATCHES IN AMUSEMENT AS HE SAILS OFF HIS SIDE OF THE BED, AND LANDS IN AN UNCEREMONIOUS HEAP ON THE FLOOR. GLEEFULLY, SHE POUNCES ON TO THE BED AND LAUGHS DOWN AT HIM. "WHY AREN'T YOU LAUGHING?" SHE COOS FROM HER PERCH.

BRIAN STANDS UP, HIS EYES LAUGHING BEFORE GIVING HER A SARCASTIC "HA,HA."

WHEN THINGS FINALLY CALM DOWN, THEY TURN THE LIGHTS OUT AND START TALKING IN WHISPERED TONES, SHARING THEIR MOST DARKEST SECRETS; BRIAN'S FIRST LOVE AND ESTHER'S FIRST KISS WERE JUST SOME OF THEIR TOPICS. SOON, THE WHISPERS CEASE AND ONLY THE SOUND OF THEIR RHYTHMIC BREATHING CAN BE HEARD AS THEY FLOAT OFF INTO A DEEP SLUMBER, SIDE BY SIDE.