The very instant that she arrived, as soon as she walked through the door, Julie knew resolutely that Adrienne was not coming, but she pushed it down. She had to rouse some optimism for a short time at least or it would be too unbearable. She ordered an iced cafe latte. That passed a few minutes. It was 6:45 and she could have been panicking for nothing. Who knew anyway? Anticipation leapt cautiously within her. She could be on her way right now, looking for a parking space. Feelings: disembodied, out of control, jumbled and contradictory. It was 6:55--take deep breaths now. She wasn't coming. She wasn't coming.  She knew it when she wrote the note. Why did she have to write it anyway? Couldn't she just have left things alone? Now here she was waiting again. That was the worst. Why did she have to open it up again? She was so stupid!

Seven o'clock--she wasn't there, but mathematically the possibility still existed because there were sixty seconds to 7:01; sixty more chances for Adrienne to appear at the appointed hour. Don't forget that. She could walk through that door during any one of those seconds, and we hadn't even factored into the equation yet that her watch might be slow. Realistically, we could be counting seven o'clock for three or four minutes. Even five.

What did the clock say here? One minute to, see? Now, now, NOW! She could be parking the car, walking down the sidewalk and just about to push open the door. Julie looked over at the entrance. NOW!

It was 7:12 and some clarity slowly began to seep back in, but she knew that it was better not to leave just yet. Julie had taught herself not only to ease into the exquisite things, but also into the painful ones. You couldn't just jump up and carry it fresh and virulent like it was. Don't take it all with you. Let some of it evaporate here. She couldn't take it all home again anyway. She just couldn't take it there alone right now. This was absolutely the last time that she got her stupid hopes up. She meant it. Sarah was right, move on. Move on! Don't just say it, DO IT! Believe it! Have some convictions for once. Stand firm. Fuck her if she didn't want her. There were plenty of other fish in the sea, plenty. Work out a little bit, get some new clothes, and venture back into the dating circuit. Take your dating destiny into your own hands, ladies. There were times that Adrienne could look repulsive anyway. Hell, give that Heather a call, or let Sarah fix something up with Debbie. If Adrienne wanted to waste her life with that dog Meagan, then let her. It was her loss, her severe loss. She'd be sorry one day when she realized the horrendous mistake that she had made, and she would realize it. Make no mistake about that. That was it, from this moment on, nothing, absolutely nothing! No calls, no mail, no thoughts; she was erased completely. She was totally, one hundred percent deleted and annihilated from Julie's life.

But maybe there was a message at home.