Kelly sat on the porch and quietly wept. He was gone five minutes, and when he returned he was fully dressed. It didn’t look like she was going to be invited inside. He offered to walk with her.

“I was hoping to see Anna,” she said.

“She’s already in bed.”

“Claire keeps an early schedule?”

Tony nodded down the block. “Let’s walk. You’ll feel better.”

“Okay.”

Her old block, her old love. How easy it would be to slip into the fantasy that they were back together. Yet she did not let herself fall far in that direction. But he looked so good, her Tony, that she reached out and took his hand. It meant a lot to her that he didn’t resist.

“What do you want to talk about?” he asked.

“I miss you.”

“I miss you.” But he had to add, “I’ve missed you for a long time now.”

She strove to keep her voice even. “I want to come back. I want to work it out. We were happy together, we can be happy again.” She added, “I’m willing to give up my job and work in a library if you want.”

“You only say that now because you’re depressed.”

She stopped. “I say it because I love you. Because I can’t live like this. Do you know what it’s like for me alone in that apartment? I’m dying, Tony, I’m really dying.”

He didn’t want to hear. “How’s your health?”

“It sucks. Going to tell that to your lawyer?”

“You were the first one to hire a lawyer.”

She spoke with emotion. “You were the one who filed for divorce. Look, I’m begging you, tell that girl to go away and leave us alone. Tell her it was a mistake. Tell her anything you want but please get rid of her.”

He looked away. “You act like you’re the one who got dumped. That’s not true—you dumped us both years ago. I don’t know how long I pleaded with you to be my wife, to be a mother to our child. Do you know when the last time was that we made love? Ten months ago.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is true. I remember the day.”

He was not lying, he had never been a liar.

“I can change,” she said. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

“It’s too late, Kelly.”

Tears. God how she hated to show how desperate she was. “Why is it too late? You don’t love her, do you?” she asked.

“I don’t know.”

She was aghast. “But you just met her!”

“Kelly,” he began.

“What about me? Do you still love me?”

“Of course I still love you.”

She sobbed. “Then take me back! I want to come back!”