I didn't go to work for a few days and hovered in my apartment while Christine called me frequently to check-in. Maybe she couldn't commit to a full time thing with me, and maybe I wasn't truly in love, but we clearly would be there for each other when life fell hard and mean.

Finally, I took a shower and cleaned up the place. My energy was coming back and I thought about heading down to Mocha Daze.

I hadn't been there in a while so when I walked in, I felt I was in the wrong place. I looked around and saw no one I recognized, except Hugo at the counter with his head in his hands.

"Hugo, what's up?"

He looked up and was happy to see me, but his face looked tortured and helpless.

"Hey sweetie. I'm real sorry about your dad."

"It's all right. I mean, I'm all right."

"How about a double capp on the house?"

Just then Steve walked behind the counter and we glared like rival gang members. "Don't worry about it," I said. "I'll buy it."

"Sorry, Fran." Hugo looked truly embarrassed but at a loss as to what to say.

"You don't have to apologize for him," I stated.

"I'll bring it to a table." With that, I turned and walked away. Their bickering mumbles dissipated as I got further away. I picked up an LA Weekly and sat at a table in the back.

Hugo put down my double capp but before he walked away, he tipped his head towards the door. "I think there's someone here to see you."

And there she was in the middle of the room, staring at me-- Thea. I went back to my LA Weekly. I turned to the personals as I felt Thea approach.

"Hello, Fran."

"Hi." She sat down without asking because she knew I would tell her to get lost.

"I've missed you." My empty expression did not get her to leave. "I don't want to fight."

"Who's fighting? " I pointed to an ad. "Look at this personal ad: 'Good Woman Looking For a Good Woman.' Think that sounds like me?"

"Yes," she said nervously, not knowing what I was getting at. "You are a 'good woman,' and I know I fucked up-- but I think I can make it up to you."

"Do you think you're a 'good woman?'"

Thea looked down in her hands and placed her palms down flat against the cold table. She couldn't answer that question and we both knew why.

"Fran, I'm back at Future Designs."

"Yeah?"

"I think I can get you a job, a real job, not just answering phones. I can get you hooked up with a designer. You'd work directly for him. You'd even have you're own office."

Now this was hitting below the belt. She knew how much I wanted my own office, but then it dawned on me. I didn't care about an office; I really didn't. As a matter of fact, that was the last thing I wanted.

"Thea, I don't want anything from you." I got up and left, truly hoping I would never see her again.