Mark scrambled to put on his pants and Laurie ran to the bathroom to hide as he made his way to the door to open it. When he saw who was on the other side, he remembered his call to room service and realized he had totally put it out of his mind after his wife had completely changed the course of the night, and his life, only half an hour ago. “Come in,” he said amiably, and apologized for the mess when the man, distinguished in the hotel’s red and black uniform, looked knowingly at the rumpled bedsheets and the pillow that had landed on the floor on the corner by the bed. He pointed at the spot that was obviously stained on the carpet and shrugged. “My wife has been feeling unwell, and, um . . . it’s been a long night, sir,” he said, cutting his explanation short a...

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