Elaine woke the next morning to the sun beaming through the balcony window. Her immediate reaction was to bury her head further into the pillows, then she thought to look at the time.

"After nine?" she exclaimed aloud as she shot out of bed. Alex, was all she could think after that. His flight was around eight. So much of her had hoped he'd missed it, but she was brought back to reality when she left the bedroom and Jennifer handed her a note.

"Alex left you this. You didn't say goodbye to him this morning," she said, disappointment evident.

"What time did he leave?"

"Around six-thirty. I was the only one up."

"I didn't expect him to leave so early," Elaine said, finally taking the piece of paper. "Why didn't you come and wake me?"

Jennifer shrugged, "He told me not to. You probably wouldn't have woken up anyway. None of us could wake you up for breakfast."

"Did he say anything?"

"Only that I should behave and that he was glad to see me and Jason again."

Looking around the apartment, she questioned, "Where are Arnie and Jason?"

"At the park," Jennifer answered guiltily. "Jason asked him to drive."

Elaine grumbled. "Both of you are under punishment. I'm not liking these games."

"That's why I didn't go. Well… mostly I was worried about you. Are you all right?"

Dropping the angry tone, Elaine took a breath. "I appreciate it, sweetie. Just tired from traveling."

"That's what Arnie said."

"Do you know when they'll be back?"

Jennifer shook her head.

"Just as good, I guess," Elaine mumbled.

"Are you sure you're okay, Mommy?"

"I'm fine," she fibbed. Jennifer went back to her book, leaving Elaine standing in the middle of the room. Glancing at the note, she said, "Hey…"

Jennifer looked up.

"You up for going over to see Faye?"

"Really?! But you said—"

"I know," she said before she could go on. "I'm proud of you for staying here whether it was more for the sake of avoiding any more trouble or out of concern for me. I'd like to see Gwen myself."

"Okay!"

"Give me a few minutes. I'll call her and see if she's around. Go get ready just in case."

Jennifer happily agreed, scurrying off into her room. Elaine, too, went back to her room. Before going over to the phone, she opened Alex's note, almost looking through it for the first few seconds, fearing what might be written.

Elaine,

Feels funny writing to you now… I'm sorry to leave without saying goodbye. After last night I think it's better for me not to be around. I'm also sorry to have caused so much trouble. I would take it back if I could. (Though, I'm not sure I want to.) Please call. I just want to make sure things are okay between us.

Alex.

An odd calmness came over her. The absence of fretting was almost cause for alarm itself. Frankly, she couldn't recall all that she'd said to Alex. What was clear was how much her heart ached to follow after him. She thought back to their kiss, remember how content she felt. Going back a bit farther, she thought of how at home she felt as they spoke waiting at the airport. Then she looked around her and Arnie's bedroom, the now-familiar sense of uneasiness as she realized how much she'd separated her things from Arnie's. They were living as a couple only superficially. She couldn't find anything they shared aside from their bed. Not one moment could she think of where she'd felt things made sense with him. Logically, perhaps, but never the same kind of feeling in her gut.

She kept this in mind while she dialed Gwen's number. Though she called on the grounds of needing more advice, by the time she hung up the phone, she was fairly certain she'd come to a decision.