"Okay." He closes his eyes and lays back. No intention to get wasted again, not tonight or, with the memory of the hangover, for a very long time.

The rest of their vacation passes with relative smoothness. They go to landmarks, they eat at nice places, Howard discreetly steals a few wallets to cover for places they go to and at some point Barbara starts paying for everything. Howard seems happier, not entirely transformed but significantly more relaxed than he has been in...months, really. The tension and anticipation he's been building up to this trip for almost a year has dissipated.

And eventually it's back to the airport. "Just when we get adjusted to the time zone..." he says after they pass security.