THURSDAY

Catherine came around the group and handed out packets about the retreat. I pretended to throw up when she turned her back.

"Susannah," Jesse said, taking the packet away from me. He smiled and gave it back. "There's no need to worry," he whispered. "It's the weekend we will be in New York."

"You're shitting me!" I whispered back, and looked at the dates on the packet. He was right.

Catherine came to the front of the class and stood on her little podium. Then, with a blue marker, wrote on the dry-erase board behind her.

SEX

Catherine turned to smile at the group. "Now, I know it's a bit taboo, but it's something we need to talk about." A few couples laughed or mumbled around us. Jesse just looked mad. "In this class," Catherine continued, "we are going to be open and real about everything. So let's start over here."

To my relief, she turned to the couple opposite our end.

"Tell us," Catherine purred. "How often do you two have sex?"

The couple, about are age, both turned a little red.

The girl, I think her name was Haley, cleared her throat. "Maybe two or three times a week."

Catherine winced. "Only that? Engaged and newlywed couples should be having sex a lot more frequently. Maybe you two should step it up."

Haley stared at Catherine, red faced. Catherine just turned to the next couple.

Us.

Okay. Reverse order so wasn't fair.

"What about you two?" she purred.

I was about to tell her it wasn't any of her business, but, to my surprise, Jesse beat me to it.

"You know, Catherine, this is really a private subject you are bringing up."

"Aw, well, come on--"

"And I don't know about the rest of the couples in this class," Jesse continued. My heart swelled with pride, "but for Susannah and I, sex is a personal thing shared between only us. And I would like to keep it that way."

Catherine opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. She turned to me, hoping I had a different opinion.

And, while I talked to Gina about my sex life on the phone all the time, I so wasn't going there with this lady.

"I agree," I said with a smile. "I mean, I hardly know these people. I don't want them to know what goes on behind closed doors."

"Yeah," Haley said. "It isn't any of your business how many times a week we have sex. We're both really busy professionals, I'll have you know."

Catherine turned even redder. "But, if we don't share--"

"Well, I'm not sharing," I said and, slinging my new Coach purse over my shoulder, grabbed Jesse's hand and walked right out of Catherine's class.

Jesse, to my complete surprise, followed without hesitation.

L7L7L7L7

I woke up early to get ready. Reaching the bathroom I flicked on the lights, then jumped when I saw the mirror.

DEAD BRIDE

I sighed and, getting some Windex out, cleaned off the black eyeliner. I pulled out my make-up drawer and found my new Clinique eyeliner pencil down to the nub.

Jesse came in behind me and saw the remains of the message, as well as my poor eyeliner.

"She's not very original," I snapped. In the last week I had found the cryptic message spelled out with my Cheerios, in my book, with the milk I spilled and, oh, on my Anatomy final.

Jesse watched me scrub the rest of the letters off. "Why are you up?" he asked.

"Um, hello. Graduation."

He frowned. "Oh. What time do you have to be there?" He went to turn on the shower.

"Nine. They have to go over the whole thing two times. Amazing to think they're actually letting us graduate."

Jesse smiled. "Do you need a shower?"

I looked at him in the mirror and smiled back.

He left me, breathless, an hour later.

"Don't be late," I warned.

"Six sharp."

"Jesse," I groaned. "Five-thirty."

He stopped getting dressed and looked at me. "Five-thirty? Since when?"

"Since they set the thing up, Jesse. I swear if your late . . ."

He waved me off. "I won't be late." He kissed my forehead. "I love you, Susannah."

I watched him go and sighed. He was going to be so late.

L7L7L7L7L7

We all took our seats at five. I turned in mine, searching for Jesse. I had already spotted my mom and Andy, but there was still no fiance in sight.

"He'll be here," Kristen assured me.

I bit my lip. "He's going to be late, though. I know it."

Kristen sighed. "Was he late to your high school graduation?"

I thought about it. "Yeah. Actually, he was."

Kristen frowned. "Well, I'm sure he'll be here. Look! They're starting!"

I checked periodically for my missing man, but could never see him. Even when I got on the podium and was handed my diploma.

I opened it up when I got back to my seat - just for curiosity's sake. There were those words again.

DEAD BRIDE

I touched the D with my finger, and saw that the red smudged off. Taking in a deep breath, I blew the message away like dust. My clean diploma was left.

Kristen hugged me when she sat back down beside me. "We did it!"

"Yeah," I said, as the head of the nursing department presented the class of 2008. "Now for the hard part - jobs."

"What do you have to worry?" she asked, throwing her hat up with the rest of the crowd. "You're getting married to a gorgeous doctor."

I caught what I hoped was my own hat. "Well things don't seem to be going too bad between you and Ben, either!"

She laughed. Ben came into view and, as soon as he reached her, wrapped his arms around Kristen.

"Have you seen Jesse?" I asked.

"Right behind you," I heard Jesse say. I whipped around and wrapped my arms around him.

"Fully dressed. On time. Showered." I kissed him. "You did good."

He smiled and handed me a bouquet of a dozen orchids. "You did better. I'm so proud, querida."

My mom managed to get though the crowd, Andy in tow. He snapped a picture.

"You look so wonderful!" my mom said, hugging me.

"Mom," I said with a laugh. "This is my graduation. Not my wedding day."

"I know," she said, hugging me tighter. "But still."

She finally let me go and Jesse wrapped his arm back around me.

"Let's go to dinner!" my mom said. "Our treat."

I put on a fake smile. "Sure. Dinner sounds great."

We took separate cars, me riding with Jesse.

"So what are you going to do now?" he asked, watching me struggle to get my robe off from over my white dress.

"Find a job."

"When?"

I shrugged. "Monday, I guess."

He was quiet as he took a left hand turn. Then he sighed and said, "Please don't work in the emergency room."

I looked over at him. He pretended to concentrate on driving.

"Why not?"

"I just don't think you could handle it."

"Jesse, I can--"

"No," he interrupted. "You can't. I can barley, sometimes. I can't wait until I've finished my hours so I can leave."

I watched his face as he parallel parked in front of the restaurant - some fancy place where the prices were sure to be though the roof.

"Do you just not want me to work with you? Because I totally understand."

Finally meeting my gaze, he smiled. "Of course not, querida. I hope one day we can have a family practice together. I'll need someone to keep me organized." He reached out and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"So it's not about me?"

"Absolutely not. Feel free to apply, but I just don't think it's right for you."

A loud knock on my window made me jump. I looked over at Andy, leaning down to see inside the tinted windows.

"Come on, love birds!" he yelled. "We'll lose our reservations!"

"Reservations?" I asked, stepping out of the car. It had started to rain, and Andy gave me his umbrella.

"Yeah. And we're going to lose them."

Jesse ducked under the umbrella with me, and we walked up the inclined walkway to the front door. My mom was already inside, ready to hurry us to a table.

Once our meal was over (steak with twice baked potatoes, asparagus, spinach dip, and chocolate cake) a few people started making there way to the dance floor.

I know. Dance floor.

Andy smiled at my mom, who sighed and gave in.

"Would you like to dance?" Jesse asked once they were gone.

I sighed and looked at the dance floor. "Why not?" I said with a shrug.

Jesse was wonderful to dance with. No complicated steps (like the one time Paul had convinced me to dance at prom. That dance was over before it started), no awkwardness. Just simply putting my head on his shoulder and letting him rock me back and forth.

"I have a surprise for you at home," he whispered in my ear.

I turned my head to see his beautiful eyes only centimeters from mine. "Really? Can I have a hint?"

He pushed his lips together, thinking. "I got off work early to make it perfect."

"A cake?"

He shook his head.

"A . . . clean house?"

He kissed my forehead as the song came to an end. "You'll see."

L7L7L7L7

Jesse blindfolded me with his hands as he led me thorough the house.

"This better be good," I told him. He laughed.

I heard the bedroom door squeak open - a sure giveaway.

He leaned down and whispered, "Are you ready?" in my ear.

I nodded. I could smell candles - vanilla candles. I remember reading in the Cosmo I had left in the bathroom that vanilla was the ultimate sensual smell.

Had Jesse been reading my Cosmos?

He took his hands away.

Oh yeah. He had defiantly been picking through his fair share of my magazines. But in a good way.

There were candles everywhere, and all the lights were off. The bed had been made to look warm and inviting, and a bottle of champagne sat in a holder beside the bed.

"Don't laugh," Jesse said, a little shame faced.

I hit his arm. "Why would I laugh? It's wonderful. You did a great job."

"Wait," he said, and went to the radio/alarm clock. A quiet bluesy-jazz came on. "Music? Or no music?"

"I like the music, actually."

He came back and, with one quick motion, picked me up.

Those three seconds between him picking me up and him setting me on the bed were beyond words. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. My stomach erupted into butterflies, going all over my body. Everywhere he touched me was so sensitive, all my nerves endings lit on fire.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered, and kissed me.

L7L7L7L7L7

My job hunt started Monday.

I first put in my application at a private practice in Carmel. The nurse that took it form me snapped something about "The boss being so cheap he probably wouldn't hire anyone", so I didn't get my hopes up.

A had an interview at a pediatrics practice next.

I had been a little turned off by the idea of working with kids - but a job's a job right?

I was being interview by the HR guy, a kind of strict looking man in his forties.

"Why do you think you're right for his job?" he asked.

"Well, I really like nursing. And I like kids, too."

Lie, lie. Could he tell? He looked kind of skeptical.

"Any other reason?" he asked.

I shook my head.

He gave me my resume back. "I'll let you know if you get the job," he said. Now he was lying.

My next interview went along the same lines. But that didn't discourage me from the interview I was waiting for - at the hospital.

I know. Jesse was going to kill me. But, one day, he would be grateful. I just knew it.

My interviewer - an older woman trying to hard to be my age again - smiled when I came and took a seat in front of her desk.

"Are those the new Steve Madden pattens?" she asked.

I looked at my shoes and nodded.

"I have been wanting a pair just like those! They are gorgeous!"

"Thanks," I said with a smile.

She looked at my resume. "Very impressive," she said.

"Thank you."

She looked at it again, then at my hand. "It says 'miss' here. Did you recently get married?"

I looked at my ring. "Oh, no. I'm engaged."

She smiled. "Really? How wonderful."

The interview process continued, and by the end I felt like I had gotten the job.

"So," she said. "What does your fiancé do?"

"Oh, he's a doctor."

"Really? Where?"

Oops.

"Um, um . . . here."

"What department?"

"Emergency room."

Her eyes got wide. "YOU are Dr. Jesse's fiancée?"

That's what they called him? Dr. Jesse?

"You know Jesse?"

She whipped the shock off her face. "Well, we'll contact you if you get the job, Miss Simon. Thank you."

"Um, thanks."

L7L7L7L7L7

I went to the cafeteria and got a crappy cup of coffee.

But hey, it was still caffeine, right?

I was going over the interview over and over in my head when a brown hand sat a cup of Starbucks down in front of me.

I looked up to see Jesse's smiling face as he sat down across from me.

"How was the interview?"

"You knew?"

He laughed. "You would be surprised how fast gossip travels around here."

I sighed and put my head in my hands. "It sucked. Totally."

"How?"

"She found out we're engaged. So I'm so not getting the job."

"You don't know that."

I looked up at him. "Yeah. I do."

He reached forward for his own Starbucks - black, with one shot of expresso - and, after taking a long sip, said, "You will find the right job."

"Yeah right."

He smiled and looked at his watch. "Well, I heard you were around and thought you might like something better than the coffee they serve here, but I wasted most of my break." He leaned forward to kiss my forehead. "I'll see you later."

I sighed and nodded.

I took my resume and my purse and walked down the hall to the elevator.

There was a woman wearing one of those white doctor's jackets when I got on. She smiled at me.

"You wouldn't happen to be looking for a job, would you?"

I almost let my mouth drop open. "Um, yes. Actually, I am."

"Well I'm looking for a nurse. My name is Jackie Fraser. I'm in a private OB/GYN practice in the professional tower. My nurse just moved, and I'm really desperate to find someone to fill her shoes."

"I . . . I'm a nurse."

She smiled. "Wonderful! It's a great job - you get to work one-on-one with patients, and I'm only open Monday through Friday, nine to four. Plus, full benefits and two weeks payed vacation."

I sounded like she was trying to sell the job to me!

"That sounds wonderful," I said, still astound. I handed her my resume. "Please call me if you, you know, want to hire me."

The elevator stopped and Jackie took my resume. "I will, um," she looked at the paper, "Suze."

The doors shut and I sighed, leaning against the wall.

As soon as I did the lights in the car flickered. I looked up, thinking it was just a bulb.

They flickered again, and the car jumped to a stop and started again. Ok. So not a bulb.

I pressed the button for the next floor, but the car kept going, and suddenly the power went off completely. The car screeched to a stop.

I screamed in the pitch black.

Stay clam! I told my self. You aren't going to die.

Yeah right! the other part of my brain argued. It's going to be just like the Tower of Terror in Disney World . . . only this time you don't have a safety bar.

Oh, and you're not stopping either.

Oh God. What should I do?

Call Jesse, both sides of my head agreed.

Good idea.

I felt around until I found my phone in my purse. The little bit of light it cast was a reassurance.

I hit the speed dial for his number.

"Hello?" he answered quietly. He must have been working.

"JESSE!" I screamed. "I'm trapped on an elevator!"

"What?"

"THE ELEVATOR! I'M TRAPPED! THE POWER'S OFF! I'M GOING TO DIE!!"

"Susannah," he said. "Stay calm. The elevator by the cafeteria?"

"YES!"

"Just stay calm and don't move. I'm coming."

The line went dead.

I sank into a corner of the elevator. Using my little bit of light, I looked for the emergency phone. I wasn't surprised to see the cord had been cut.

"You aren't going to win!" I yelled into the dark. "You aren't going to kill me!"

The car creaked.

I could feel her there, somewhere. Reaching back up for the emergency phone (which would be an excellent weapon) I felt a prink on my arm.

Then the feeling of another presence in the elevator car was gone.

Suddenly, the power cut back on. The car started moving up this time, and stopped on the fifth floor.

Jesse was there when the doors opened, as well as a maintenance man.

I wrapped my arms around him.

Jesse. Not the man.

"You're a very lucky girl," the guy said. "Thankfully it was just the power. Another minute or two and that cab would have--"

"Thank you very much," Jesse said, "for saving her."

He smiled and turned away.

"Why are you bleeding?" Jesse asked me.

"I'm bleeding?" I looked down to see my arm had a small gash in it. "I must have just hit it on--" It suddenly caught my eye. Two words written on the opposite wall in blood.

My blood.

DEAD BRIDE

Looking at my arm, and back at the wall, may head started to spin. Luckily, Jesse was there to catch me.