I saw Thea around work but other than some "nice" office chat, she really didn't talk to me. The funny thing was, I didn't care that much. I mean, I had the typical pit-in-the-stomach-somebody-dumped-me kind of feeling, but I wasn't desperate to see her or to resolve the situation. The last thing I needed was to sit home and dwell on it.

So I checked the paper for a movie and realized the foreign film Les Miserable was in its last week. A performance artist whose work included outlandish colorful costumes with oversized genitals came in last week so L'Atrice could pick her brain for shocking ideas. L'Atrice hated her but I liked her offbeat sensibility and intellect.

She told me I HAD to see this movie.

I got to the theater a few minutes early and noticed only a few patrons filled the rows in the quanti-plex shoe box. It was a good film but it was sad, and tears soon streamed down my cheeks-- but I was in control. Unlike the somebody sitting behind me who by this time (the end) was starting to wail. I didn't want to embarrass her and "sshh" her because it was a very emotional story, but she was starting to ruin the movie for me. And then something strange happened. I realized this was a recognizable sob behind me and that I knew this person.

It couldn't be Thea. After all, her tear ducts were cemented shut. No, it was somebody I knew intimately-- somebody from my past.

Then, this somebody tapped me on my shoulder and whispered, "Do you have a tissue?"

I turned to see Christine with bloodshot eyes and a runny nose. The way I looked the day she left.

We both froze, staring at each other in the shadows-- stunned.

We walked over to the Santa Monica Promenade without saying much. We were awkward, trying to catch up on our lives before the other had to say good-bye. We didn't even discuss where we were going or if we were going there together.

"How could you not cry in that movie?" she asked.

"I cried, I just didn't have a breakdown like you did." We laughed, releasing the tension.

"Well, you know me."

"Yeah I do, and I miss you." I couldn't believe that just flew out of my mouth. Shit, I'd do anything to take that back.

"I miss you too, Fran." I suddenly stopped in my tracks. She turned to me, "And I've wanted to say this for a long time. I am sorry."

My head was reeling. I mean, just a couple of days ago Thea was saying she loved me, ignored me once she got what she wanted, and now Christine pops up and my heart is flipping like a blueberry pancake on an IHOP griddle.

We continued walking to the end of the Promenade. We went into this store called Mayhem (the word for my life right now) and tried on some crazy surfing sunglasses. I tried to tell her no but she insisted on buying me a pair. There was no stopping her-- just like there was no stopping her the day she left me.

I told her about Thea and she listened patiently until finally she couldn't contain herself. "Dump her Fran," she paused. "Just like you should have dumped me."

We were quiet again and walked back towards the theater. We got to her car first and she asked, "Can I give you a ride to your car?"

I could tell she wanted to give me a ride, all right. In the backseat.

"Thanks, I can walk it."

She stared me down-- her adorable smile growing.

I decided to break our unspoken dialogue. "I've got to get home."

Her smile slyly turned into a grin. "To who, this chick who's got you stealing?"

"No."

In a deep whispered voice she continued her plea. "Come on Fran. You know you know you want to. I know I do."

She reached for my hand. I did want to.

"I've got to go home, Christine."