What happened? What had they heard? Dominique had barely absorbed the shock of this phone call when the downstairs buzzer sounded. Dominique’s appetite was gone. She went downstairs, paid the delivery guy, and walked enough food to feed three people back to her office. She walked over to the table, pushed aside a stack of photos, and set down the aluminum container designed to keep her delivery piping hot. She pulled out the burger and fries. The smell of ground round and sautéed onions wafted up to her nostrils. She absentmindedly reached for a fry and chewed on it as she walked back to the window.

Cynthia called. Johnny wants to talk to me. Jake’s family is thinking about me. But what about Jake?

Dominique tossed the half-eaten fry in the trash and walked purposefully to the phone on her desk. Before giving herself time to think, she scrolled to the 205 area code and hit redial. At the sound of Johnny’s voice, her heart clenched. He sounded so much like Jake.

“Hi Johnny, it’s Dominique.”

“Hey, sis.”

“How’s Harold?

“He’s doing a little better,” Jake said, hope evident in his voice. “If things keep going the way they are, they’ll change his status from critical to serious in the next few days.”

“That’s great, Jake. I mean ... Johnny. Sorry.”

“That’s all right, Dominique. Look here, Jake told me that he’d ... you know ... put the brakes on y’all and what not.”

That’s what he’s doing? Letting me down easy ?

“I watched y’all at Thanksgiving and know you’ve got feelings for him. How are you doing, Dominique?”

“That’s a good question,” Dominique answered, sinking into her red leather chair. “Because evidently he’s told y’all more than he’s told me.” Dominique took a breath to quell her growing anger. “I just don’t get it, Johnny. One minute we’re having the best time ever and the next minute he’s ‘putting on the brakes’ as you say. I understand this is a stressful time but usually that’s when people want those they love close to them.”

“Trust me, he loves you.”

“Oh really? I can’t tell.”

“That’s why I had Cynthia call you, Dominique.”

“I mean, his reasoning is totally irrational! He says that because heart disease runs in your family he doesn’t want to get any closer to me and Justin. Does that make sense to you?”