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For once, silence wasn’tme time to reflect and think I smelledmyself ponder Paul’s optimism

When I arrived home, Apollo rushed to me and sniffed me all over as soon as I entered the foyer I squatted down and he lickedOccasionally, he looked back to the door as if expecting Abby to enter

"I know I know you ain and pawed atfor both of us that I was right

She didn’t call on Monday I spent the day infor it to ring, and I gave Sara explicit instructions to let me know the second Abby called

It was okay, I told myself She needed time She had to think

Kyle called and invitedweekend I agreed to go and ran over and over in o

Yes No Maybe

I slept restlessly that night

Tuesday wasn’t any better I went ho every day that passed meant either she wouldn’t call or else she’d tell me she didn’t want ht after I’d eaten a quick dinner and was getting ready to take Apollo out for the night

Abby King, the caller ID said

My heart thuer

"Hello," I said

"Nathaniel," she said, voice crisp and no-nonsense "It’s me"

I knoanted to yell I know, trust ht? It was a good sign Tuesday would be much better than Thursday or even Wednesday

"There’s a sushi bar down the street from the library," she said "Will you meet me there for lunch tomorrow?"

"Of course," I said She wanted to ood "What ti forward to it"

That settled it--Tuesday was my most favorite day of the week

I arrived at the restaurant at five to twelve and looked around for an empty table Then I found the most wonderful surprise--Abby was already there, had a table, and aiting for htened my tie and walked directly to her Her eyes followed me the entire ti lucky-ass bastard

"Abby," I said, sitting across from her

The corner of her hter So far, so good

The waiter walked up to our table and took our orders Abby knew exactly what she wanted and ordered her rolls with an air of authority

I took a deep breath after handing the waiterto be a beautiful spring"

"I can’t wait for the cherry trees to start bloo They’re my favorite"

See? I told myself You can do small talk

"I have a few at the house Apollo loves to roll around in the blosso that"

"It’s a sight to behold," I said, but I wasn’t talking about Apollo I was talking about her Her sitting across fro beautiful

"Apollo’s one of a kind"

"That he is"

"Hoork?"

"Just lobal econo?"

She sat up straighter "I’s, Frost You know, all those boring things no one ever reads?"

She was teasing reat service by ensuring the poetry greats are kept alive"

"I don’t know about that, but it’s really fun"

"Do you read the never been to a poetry reading

"Sometimes," she said "But I’ve decided to split this one up We’ll give each poet their own reading, taking place over the next feeeks Dickinson’s up first--next Wednesday Ithis ti else How is she?"

"Fine I decided to let her live, even though she e at the party"

"Very cordial of you"

"After all"--her eyes sparkled with amusement--"she wasn’t the one who called my na me

"In that case," I said, "I co lad you did it Now, that is"

The teasing tone had all but left her voice, and I kneas time to talk aboutelse," I said, "I need to tell you so"

"Okay," she said warily

"I need you to understand that I am in therapy to work onNotwith Paul, and to a certain extent, Todd, had helped me see my lifestyle was completely acceptable Why I needed that assurance, I didn’t know, but I felt better having it

"I am a dominant," I told her "And I will always be a doive up that part of me That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy otherflavors On the contrary, other flavors ood variety" I wanted that variety with her "Does that ive up that part of yourself It would be like denying who you are"