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Deanna. She s really pretty.
Yes, she is, Ben said.
Russell was silent for a moment. Are you getting serious? Ben looked at him
but didn t answer. I m just wondering. She is hot. I bet she s good. Ben s jaw
tightened. You know what they say about them. Russell took a bite of his sand-
wich. Maybe you shouldn t take her out like that, though you know, flaunting
her around town.
Ben stared at him, not believing his ears. What?
You know, whatever you do behind closed doors
You re crossing the line, Russell, Ben said angrily.
Ben, I m just saying
I said you re crossing the line.
Russell saw the rage building in his eyes. He had seen that look before, when
they were fifteen.
They had a mutual friend, Bud Kendrick. He was the kind of guy that all the
girls liked and most boys hated. They were in the locker room joking about girls.
Hey, I think that Tina Rodriguez is hot, Russell said. He stood up from the
bench and began grinding against one of the lockers. I d do her in a minute.
Ben looked at Russell and laughed. Yeah, Tina is pretty hot.
Nah, Bud said, I like older women. He looked at Ben slyly. I think your
mom s hot, Harrison. I d do her.
Hey, Bud Russell said, shaking his head.
Yeah, I heard his dad was having an affair. Hey, Harrison, if your mom ever
gets lonely, send her to my house. I ll rock her world, he said, swerving his hips
as he laughed. Ben attacked him, raining fists down on him without mercy. It
took several students and the coach to pull him off. Ben broke the boy s nose and
was suspended for two weeks. The school wanted to press charges, but Bud s
father said that he didn t want to do that. Ben had to do community service
instead.
Now, Russell fidgeted nervously under Ben s gaze. Yes, I can see that I am,
he said.
Ben stood, leaving his lunch on the table, and walked away.
Janet paced in Ben s office. After going over things in her mind, everything was
clear to her. That was why he had wanted to stop seeing her; it was all so clear
now. The longer she waited, the angrier she grew.
How dare he dump me for some nigger? And that worthless fool Russell saying he
would talk to Ben. What good would that do? All he had to do was get her to go out
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101
with some bum and I d take care of the rest. That spineless weasel. I should tell Ben we
had an affair just to make him lose his job and it might make Ben jealous at the
same time. She nodded to herself. No, she thought, I might need that loser in the
future. I ll wait to bring him down. She walked to the window. I m going to get him
back, with or without Russell s help. Ben belongs with me. I ve spent too much time
and energy on this to let him just turn his back on me now. She walked over to the
desk, sat in his chair, and angrily knocked some papers to the floor. Opening the
desk drawers, she searched for something anything that would tell her about
this woman. She found his keys, one of which was circled by a red key ring. She
bit on her lip, beginning to form a plan.
When he reached his office, Ben was furious.
Mr. Harrison, Jill called as he passed her desk, not slowing down.
As he opened the door and saw Janet, he heard Jill say, Ms. Summers is in
your office. Janet was sitting in his chair.
Great.
I m sorry, sir, Jill said, standing behind him.
Don t worry about it, Jill. He walked in and closed the door. Janet, what
the hell do you want? He walked to his desk, taking her arm and pulling her
from his chair.
She glared at him before speaking. I want to talk to you about last night.
The muscles in his neck tightened; he rubbed it.
Janet, I don t want to do this with you.
So, is that why you haven t been calling me, because you been spending time
with that& that girl?
Janet, say whatever it is you came here to say and leave.
How dare you dismiss me?
He reached for the intercom button to ask Jill if she had any messages for him,
but he thought better of it.
How dare you treat me in such a shameful way? I thought we had some-
thing.
Janet, I care about you, but
I can see that. You care so much for me that you go running around with
that, that woman.
Her name is not that woman.
I don t care what her name is. Ben, listen to me. I know that sometimes men
want to be with other women it s in their nature. And I ll forgive you, but you
can t be with one of them.
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102
Ben massaged his neck. Janet, go home. Look, we had a great time together,
but there s no future for us. It s time to move on.
She moved to stand in the middle of the floor. He stood up and walked over
to her.
Janet, I don t want to hurt you, but you know it s true.
You told me you wanted me to meet your family.
No, you told me that. Janet, you re a wonderful women and
No, don t you dare do this. She met his gaze. Don t you dare talk to me in
a condescending manner. You are not going to throw me away like this.
He sighed. Jill tapped on the door.
Sir, you have a delivery. She walked into the office carrying a vase of pink
and white carnations and lilies, with two bright pink roses in the middle. She set
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