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"Well, I’et to see ether under the table My hands find hers and we hold the, as if we can’t feel life pulse through all the spots where we’re touching

"I’ you a jerk," she says "I just--this is hard enough as it is And I was so sure I was right"

"I was a jerk I’ranted how normal this all feels"

"Justin so I just told hihs when I fall for it I hate that"

"I’m sorry--"

"No, it’s okay I uess there’s so about me that people love to fool And I’d probably do it--fool people--if it ever occurred to me"

I take all of the chopsticks out of their holder and put the?" Rhiannon asks

I use the chopsticks to outline the biggest heart possible Then I use the Sweet’N Low packets to fill it in I borrow some from two other tables when I run out

When I’m done, I point to the heart on the table

"This," I say, "is only about one ninety-hs

"I’ll try not to take it personally," she says

"Take what personally?" I say "You should take it very personally"

"The fact that you used artificial sweetener?"

I take a Sweet’N Low packet and fling it at her

"Not everything is a symbol!" I shout

She picks up a chopstick and brandishes it as a sword I pick up another chopstick in order to duel

We are doing this when the food arrives I’ood shot in at my chest

"I die!" I proclaim

"Who has the moo shu chicken?" the waiter asks

The waiter continues to indulge us as we laugh and talk our way through lunch He’s a real pro, the kind of waiter who refills your water glass when it’s half e it

He delivers us our fortune cookies at the end of the meal Rhiannon breaks hers neatly in half, checks out the slip of paper, and frowns

"This isn’t a fortune," she says, showing it to me

YOU HAVE A NICE SMILE

"No You will have a nice s to send it back"

I raise an eyebrow … or at least try to I’ a stroke

"Do you often send back fortune cookies?"