I called security.
I thought someone was in there, but it was
Mark.
He was on the steps, working on his laptop.
The light made him squint.
“I’m Amy. Are you sure he’s not bothering anyone?”
Mark looked sad.
“Amy, do you see me like that?”
45
Then he said to the security guard, “we nad a
ight. You aren’t going to do anything, right?”
The security guard walked away.
I looked at Mark and turned to go inside.
Mark grabbed my wrist.
“Amy, it’s cold at night. The hotel is all booked
- up. Can I stay with you for one night?”
I tried to pull away, but I couldn’t.
“Mark,” I said, “you own dozens of houses. You
can sleep in a real bed instead of bothering
me.”
“And aren’t you worried about your wife getting
jealous?”
Mark looked confused.
<
“My wife? You’re my wife!”
I scoffed.
“Don’t tell me you aren’t going to marry
Brittany, even though you had a baby with Her.”
“Amy, you’re jealous.”
“I would never have a baby with another
woman.”
“I’ve been waiting for you for three years.
There’s never been anyone else.”
Three years ago, Professor Thompson had
called me and told me that Mark had been
looking for me.
I got a new phone so he couldn’t reach me.
I told her to ignore him.
<
8:13
He was still in love with me?
I had given him enough chances.
45
“Mark, do you remember what you did to me? I
gave up my job to have a baby. But you were giving me birth control pills.”
“That milk that I thought was filled with love was really poison.”
“You lied to me for Brittany. You hurt me.”
“Didn’t you think about what I would feel?”
“You want to wait for me?”
“You didn’t deserve me back!”
Mark couldn’t answer.
“I was being stupid,” he said.
<
8:13
“I was obsessed with her.”
“Don’t blame anyone else. It’s your fault.”
“I got a new set of divorce papers.”
“Just sign them and leave me alone.”
I turned around and went inside.
The next day, the divorce papers were delivered.
Mark tore them up.
45
“I won’t sign them, Amy.”
“If I can’t win you back in three years, I’ll try for
thirty more. I’ll show you I’ve changed.”
“Just give me a chance. We were so close. We
said we’d be together forever.”
<
8:13
Mark started to cry.
((
We both remembered what we had had.
I just wanted to get divorced.
He just wanted to get me back.
We were on opposite sides.
45
One day, Mark wasn’t outside my hotel.
I was relieved.
Then Mark’s mom called and told me he was in
the hospital.
I got so tired of him.
I hadn’t really looked at him lately.
He had lost weight.
<
8:13
His eyes were sunken in.
He looked like he was exhausted.
He saw me and smiled.
45
“Amy, you’re here. Did you eat breakfast? I was
going to get you some, but I passed out on the stairs. Sorry I worried you.”
“Oh, you wanted to get divorced. I signed the papers. Let’s get divorced.”
The divorce papers said I would get 80% of his money.
“Why?” I asked.
He changed his mind so fast.
It made me uneasy.
<
8:13
Mark smiled.
“I just figured it out. You’re right. For the last
few weeks, I’ve been waiting for you on those stairs. I’m tired.”
I knew it.
