Ben had been expecting either further instructions or a curt dismissal — that was all he could reasonably expect, given the situation he'd forced them both into. What Aldous said instead took him off-guard, though he couldn't have said why. He made to shrug in response — a sort of nonverbal yeah, I know — but there was an unexpected tightness in his chest. He hesitated, feeling that something needed to be said, but not sure what to say. He clearly couldn't just leave without another word, but he also wasn't necessarily sure that he had the words for anything that hadn't already been said.

"I'll manage," he said at last, not sure whether the words were intended to convince Aldous or himself. He rose and made a shuffling movement in the direction of the door.

"When we tell this story later, we can call it a honeymoon," he joked, though his voice as he spoke and the chuckle that he forced afterwards were both hollow.