Susan placed the yellow pad of Post-it notes on the desk. She pulled three sheets off the top and placed the tip of her Bic pen on the paper. “This is foolish,” she thought, “I can’t rehearse it – it has to sound natural.”

Hands trembling, she tossed the Post-It notes aside and dialed Jeff’s number. It rang four times before he answered.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Jeff!”

“Susan? “

“Yes, how are you?”

“Don’t call back,” Jeff said, hanging up the phone.

Sobbing, she dropped to the wooden floor of her room. Tear soaked makeup dripped down her cheeks like dirty raindrops as she rose to her feet and hit redial.

“What do you want from me, Susan?” Jeff asked.

“I love you, Jeff! Don’t do this!”

“Susan, please stop.”

“Stop what, Jeff?! I love you – you bastard!” she screamed into the phone before smashing it against the wall.

She stepped into the kitchen, grabbed her car keys, and slammed the front door as hard as she could. “If Jeff won’t have me, then I want to die,” she said as she put her car in reverse.