Three days later

"Joe..." Kathleen whispered as Joe kissed her. "You're everything I ever dreamed of."

"I love you, Kathleen. I've loved you since the moment I first walked into your store." Joe said.

He took her hand and got down on bended knee.

"Kathleen, will you-."

"KATHLEEN!"

Startled at the sound of her name, Kathleen's eyes flew open; the romantic dream vanishing almost instantly.

"Kathleen!" The voice yelled again.

Someone was knocking on her apartment door. She glanced at her bedside alarm clock, surprised to find that it was barely 7am.

The knocking continued, and she hurried to put on her robe.

Who would be here at this hour?

She opened the door, smiling at what she saw.

"Frank!" she said, throwing her arms around him. "It's so nice to see you!"

Frank hugged her tightly.

"Oh God, Kathleen, are you okay? I'm so sorry."

She looked at him, perplexed. "Sorry? For what?"

"This." He said, holding up a copy of The Observer.

"I'm so sorry this happened, Kathleen. I tried to stop it, I really did. But they had already printed it, and-."

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

He grew silent. "You mean, you haven't seen it?"

"Frank, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Frank swallowed hard. "Kathleen, are you still seeing Joe Fox?"

At the sound of his name, Kathleen's face lit up. "Frank, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am deeply in love with him."

Frank ran his hand nervously through his hair.

"Oh God... I didn't mean for you to find out this way."

"Find out what?" She asked, suddenly becoming worried. Slowly she held out her hand. "Let me see that."

His hand shook as he handed her the paper. "I'm so sorry, Kathleen." He said again.

She unfolded the pages, revealing the Editorial section. Her eyes scanned the page, until the headline jumped out at her...

Letter to the Editor-by Joe Fox.

Stunned at the sight of Joe's name in print, she cautiously began to read.

As the owner of Fox Books, we've been very successful in the opening of our newest store in the Upper West Side. We managed to survive in the thriving book district, while bookstores like Sleuth Mystery Books, City Books and the longtime Children's bookstore, The Shop Around The Corner, did not.

The Shop Around The Corner was a longtime fixture and much loved by readers who are now buying their books at Fox Books. Owner Kathleen Kelly showed a genuine affection for the children who visited her store faithfully.

Therefore, it will come as a surprise to many that Kathleen is not the child loving person she seems to be. In fact, while her store was in existence, she was quoted many times as expressing remorse over keeping the store open for 46 years. She was also spotted by an unnamed source on the telephone during business hours, just weeks before the announcement of the new Fox Books store, as being in negotiations with a potential buyer for the store. The figure discussed was not disclosed, but was well into four figures.

One must wonder what the huge display of protests and publicity was all about. It appears to me and most likely hundreds of other bookstore clientele that Kathleen Kelly is nothing but a fraud.

Kathleen's hand trembled as she sat down the paper, bewildered at what she had just read.

"Kathleen?" Frank was saying.

She didn't respond, but stared at the hurtful words that were printed on the page.

Frank walked toward her and kneeled down beside her.

"Kathleen. God, I-I'm so sorry. I saw it come through last night, and I did everything I could to stop them. I can't believe that he did this to you."

Kathleen swallowed hard. "I-I thought he loved me."

"I'm so sorry." Frank said again. "I can't tell you how bad I feel."

She put her hands in her face, and within seconds, the emotions that were swirling inside her escaped.

Instantly, Frank was holding her in his arms, comforting her while she sobbed into his shirt.

"Sweetheart, I feel responsible, and I'll never forgive myself." Frank said, rubbing her back.

Several minutes later, she calmed down and gently pulled away from him.

"Are you going to be okay?" Frank asked, brushing the hair from her tear-streaked face.

"Yeah." Kathleen said. "I'll be fine. I mean, losing the man I love and thought loved me isn't as bad as losing the only job I ever had, right?"

"Oh Honey." Frank said, hugging her again. "I wish there was something I could do."

Kathleen sighed. "There's nothing anyone can do, Frank."

When the clock chimed, he stood and put on his jacket. "I should probably go. Sydney Ann is waiting for me."

Kathleen tried to smile through her tears.

"Yeah, you don't want to keep her waiting."

And then he was gone, leaving her more alone than she ever thought possible.