stunned silence on the

usually so calm and comm

d. I'm booking your

e frantic tappi

e days from now. Is that en

pered. "That'

we can buy you all new things here. Just get yourself h

ur goo

part, wanted one last chance. One last dinner. One last attem

t day trying to

icemail. I called his office. His secretary told me he w

w. He answered, his voi

you want,

to keep my voice steady. "I was hoping we co

sco

u behaved? Maria was cryin

f course. It was

ion made

l make Maria's favorite. The Caju

ellfish allergy. He'd seen my hands swell and break out i

oftening just a fraction. "T

ore I could sa

mouth. I was literally poisoning myself for a chanc