“
And that's when the doorbell rings. Marcus freezes. As do I. "That must be your friend," I somehow manage to say, even though my throat is trying to close.
Marcus is clearly torn between remaining immobile and opening the door. The bell rings again.
"Want me to get it?"
"No," he says. "No."
I stand, not knowing what to do while he slowly springs open the door. Not surprisingly, Marcus's old schoolfriend is a petite and extraordinarily pretty brunette. She steps into the apartment and kisses Marcus full on the lips. "Hello, darling," she says.
Marcus recoils slightly and casts a worried glance in my direction which his friend follows.
"Hi," I say, extending my hand as I try to force my face into a smile. She takes it. Her hand is cool and delicate, as slender as the rest of her. "I'm Lucy," I continue brightly. "Marcus's girlfriend."
Now it's her turn to recoil.
"This is my friend, Joanne," Marcus says tightly.
I look at my lover. "An old schoolfriend. That's what you said, isn't it?" I turn back to Joanne. "Which school did you go to with Marcus? Primary? Grammar? Or maybe it was the harsh school of life?"
His old schoolfriend looks at him blankly. "I don't know quite what's going on here, Marcus," she says. "But I don't think that I want to be a part of it." She turns away from him, spinning on her heel toward the door.
"Jo," Marcus pleads as he catches her sleeve. "Don't go."
And I think that's my cue to leave. "Oh, Marcus," I say sadly. "Do you have so little respect for me?"
"I can explain," he says, and I notice that he's still looking at Jo rather than at me.
"You're welcome to stay and listen to it," I say to Jo. "I'll be the one to leave." Marcus does nothing to stop me, so I hitch up my gym bag once more and move toward the door. "It's been nice meeting you," I say to Marcus's new love. "You'll enjoy your dinner. It smells wonderful. It even covers the smell of a rat. The chocolates are great, by the way. I hope you both choke on them.
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