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fifteen-mile water station, he decided that it was time to turn on his iPod for a bit of extra energy and motivation. The song "Just Fine" by Mary J. Blige blared through his headphones as he pressed on, still feeling strong. By the time Jesse reached the twenty-mile water station, he was feeling completely different. The blazing Nevada sun had taken its toll on him. Sweat was cascading off his body as if he were a walking waterfall. He feared that he was well on his way toward dehydration.
    Between miles fifteen and twenty, he'd seen a significant number of runners collapse from exhaustion. Jesse's legs felt as if someone had poured quick-drying cement in them. He'd fallen slightly behind the pace group by fifty meters and, in spite of his pain, willed himself to pick up his feet and catch up. Once he did, he settled into his stride once again. At the twenty-two-mile water station, Jesse had to stop running. Heat exhaustion was trying to steal away his glory and was doing a damn good job of it. He asked one of the aides to pour water on his head. The cold water felt good and it cooled his skin down. Jesse continued to walk to the next mile marker. At mile twenty-five, he found himself shuffling along on fumes.

    "Come on, you can't stop now," a woman said as she approached him. "You've got to keep moving." She smiled and sprinted past him. He glanced up briefly and noticed that Lisa and Monique, his customers from yesterday, were jogging next to him.

    "That's right," Jesse muttered, "I can't stop now."

    For the remainder of the race, the three of them ran together in silence. When they crossed the finish line, they hugged each other and thanked one other for the encouragement to continue.

    Jesse finished the race in four hours and thirty minutes, which was slower than he'd have liked, but he wasn't about to complain about it. After he picked up his completion medal and draped it around his neck, he searched the crowd for JoAnn. When he couldn't locate her, he decided to have a seat beneath a tree to get out of the hot sun. He remained there for an hour resting and talking to other runners about how tough the race had been and how gratifying it was to complete it. Jesse was hoping JoAnn would come along so that they could head back to the hotel and she could give him a massage that would relax him into a deep sleep. But JoAnn never surfaced.

    He finally decided he'd go back to the hotel alone. He walked over to the gear tent, collected his belongings and caught a cab. Walking through the lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel, Jesse had only two things in mind--a hot shower and a soft bed. When he entered his hotel room, JoAnn was nowhere in sight. He removed his clothes, went into the bathroom and took a shower. Fifteen minutes later, Jesse exited the bathroom feeling moderately refreshed. Just as he was about to lie down, he heard JoAnn come into the room. She gasped the moment she realized she wasn't in the room alone.

    "Damn, you scared the hell out of me," JoAnn said, as she placed her hand over her heart and closed the door. Jesse only glared and waited for an explanation.

    "Is your race over already?" JoAnn asked.

    "You didn't come at all, did you?" he asked.

    "Baby, I'm sorry. I was walking around sightseeing. You know how big these casinos are. I didn't realize how quickly the time went by."

    "You should've looked at your watch, JoAnn." Jesse's aggravation was obvious.

    "You're right. You are so right and I am wrong. I'm sorry for not being there for you. Let me help you get in bed." JoAnn approached the bed and pulled back the covers for him. "How do you feel?"

    "I'm a little stiff and achy but I'll be okay," Jesse answered.

    "You know what, let me rub you down. Hang on and I'll get the baby oil," JoAnn said as she went to the bathroom to retrieve the lubricant.

    "Aren't you going to ask me how I did?"

    "Knowing you, baby, you probably finished in record time," JoAnn said as she exited the bathroom.

    "Well, not