left with Robert.

Robert informed me he worked as a dress designer. That figured. But it was the first thing he said that interested me much. I asked him to take me to his favorite boutiques. I wanted to spend that thousand dollars Henry had given me on a new dress. Clothes seem to be the only thing that takes my mind off sex.

Trying on expensive designer eveningwear put me in a better mood temporarily. Robert talked me into a very bright lime green long-sleeved and belted mini-skirt. "Day-glo shades in Crayola-like hues are what's happening," he pointed out. "Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Marc Jacobs, Prada, and Versace are all going in that direction. Look how your hair contrasts with this dress! And it magnificently displays your long lovely legs," he concluded.

"You sound like you would like one of these dresses for yourself," I snapped viciously. I was still ticked off at Mark and any friend of his was not a friend of mine at the moment. Besides, Robert irritated the hell out of me. But he was right about the dress. I bought it with Henry's money and couldn't wait to show it to my ancient but charming new friend. I knew he would really like it. I decided to wear it rather than put back on my jeans and sweater.

As we walked out of the boutique, I muttered, "Robert, I don't feel well." Actually, I felt fine, other than being totally sexually frustrated. I couldn't stand Robert's company any longer. "Please drop me back at Mark's apartment, Robert. I need to lie down and rest. I sprained my ankle and hurt my back in a skiing accident recently."

"Uh…uh…I can't…uh…take you back to Mark's place."

"Why the hell not, Robert?"

"Don't get angry with me, Annie. You scare me when you scowl like that. I don't want Mark to know I didn't do what he said to do. You know, entertain you until he gets home at midnight from his shift at the ER."

"That's silly, Robert. Why would Mark care?"

"He will care, believe you me," Robert insisted, looking very nervous and upset by my request. "Please, isn't there somewhere else you could go until he gets home from work?"

"I simply do not understand why you are making such a big fucking deal about this, Robert. But okay, I don't feel like fucking arguing about it with you." I'm sure the expression on my face reflected the fact that I just might choke him at any moment if he didn't shut up. And I was quite sure I could kick his ass without much effort. "Drop me at Vantage Court. I have a friend who is staying there."

Robert sighed in relief as I got out of his car at the entrance of the hotel. But Henry wasn't in. Must have gone out to dinner or something. I hailed a cab and went to Mark's apartment. Mark had given me the key and I still didn't understand what Robert's problem was with me going there.

Inside the apartment, I flipped on the TV in Mark's bedroom and sat in a chair next to a window. Occasionally I glanced outside. It had started to drizzle. The sound of the rain and the memory of what had transpired thus far in my reunion with Mark began to depress me considerably. The rain began to rattle like machine-gun fire against the window.

And then I saw Mark's car pull into a parking space