LA SCALA

He'd been distracted since she left and he didn't really know why. He hated the idea of making things even worse between them. What between them? They hadn't seen or spoken to each other in ten years and he may have just ruined any chance to put things behind them.

"Jonathan?" She asked sitting across from him

"Huh?" He looked up, "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I'm not very good company tonight."

She'd tried to be patient but she was getting a little irritated with his nodding and 'uh huh' responses. She signed heavily, "I said we need to pick up our costumes tomorrow for the Beaux Art Ball."

He nodded, "Oh right."

"Jonathan, you have got to snap out of this." She told him

"Diana, I was trying to put things behind us and I just made it worse."

"She's a big girl." Diana said, "You are not responsible for her feelings."

He hadn't told Diana about the kiss, just that it got very intense and Jennifer felt like she needed to leave, "I know that. I just don't want things to end this way."

"What is this hold she has on you all of a sudden?"

"Diana, there is no hold. The woman may be dying and I want to make things right before that happens. Is that so hard for you to understand?"

"No, I can understand that." She said, "But what I can't, what I won't do is sit around and wait until you think you've absolved this self- imposed guilt you're wallowing in." She stood up, threw her napkin down and walked out

"Diana…" He called after her

Quit wasting your time with that Caldwell dame and get Mrs. H. back.

Max's words echoed in his head, whether he liked it or not. He got up and went after her, more out of chivalry than anything else. He found her outside cooling off. What is it with the women in my life storming out of restaurants?

"Diana." He said softly

She turned to face him, "I suppose you want me to come back in there and act like everything is okay."

"Not if you don't want to." He said, "I'll take you home if that's what you want."

"Jonathan, I don't know what we're doing here." She said, "I care about you a great deal but there's only room for two people in a relationship and you have to decide which two it is."

He nodded, "Will you at least let me take you home?"

Jonathan returned home feeling like he'd gone ten rounds in the ring and was in no mood to discuss the situation any further with Max. He walked into the kitchen and fixed a glass of milk and sat down at the table. He thought about all the nights he and Jennifer sat up late drinking milk and discussing whatever escapade they had found themselves in. There was the time Gayle and Mike Dodson were both suspected of shooting Norman Benzinger and they waited up for Max to come home after being questioned by the police himself. He had walked in on them in a lip lock Oh excuse me I didn't know the late show was playing in the kitchen. It seemed something was reaching into the dark recesses of his mind and releasing the ghosts that resided there. Every conversation they'd had, even the exact clothes they were wearing, where they were in the house, flooding his mind.

"Hey, Mr. H." Max said entering the kitchen

"What are you doing home, Max? Isn't this poker night?"

"Game was called early on account I was getting' my butt kicked." He sat down across from him, "I thought you were out with Ms. Caldwell."

"Well, that got called early too."

"Mr. H, come on…"

"Max, I don't want to hear it."

"Yeah well, you're gonna anyway." He said, "You and me go way back and I know you pretty good."

Jonathan sighed, "Well, that doesn't mean you're right about this."

"Mr. H, you ain't ever loved anyone but her. I was there, remember?"

"That was a long time ago." Jonathan replied, "So please just drop it."

He got up and exited the kitchen

EDWARDS RESIDENCE

Jennifer was in her old room packing her bags. She still had about a week before her treatment started again but she couldn't hide there forever. She and her father had enjoyed a nice visit but it was time to leave. There was a soft knock on the door.

"Darling." Stephen called, "Walter is ready with the car."

"Alright, I'll be right down."

She zipped her suitcase and made one last check to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything then headed downstairs. Stephen was waiting for her.

"Darling, I wish you would stay a little longer." He said giving her a warm hug

"I know but I really should get back." She told him, "I'll call you when I get in."

He looked at her, tears welling up in his eyes, "I love you very much."

"I love you, too." She wiped her eyes

LOS ANGELES

She arrived back at the apartment, took a hot shower and curled up on the sofa with her book. She knew she needed to call him but she couldn't deal with the emotional upheaval right now. She needed to get through this next round of treatment and see what lie ahead for her first and she would just have to tell him that. As she was mentally playing it out in her mind there was knock on the door.

She got up and peeked through the peep hole then opened the door, "Hi."

He smiled slightly, "Hi, I just wanted to make sure you got back okay."

"Come in, I guess." She said, "How did you know I was back?"

"Honest?" He asked stepping inside, "I called your father."

"Jonathan, I don't this is such a good idea."

"What?" he asked, "Talking to each other?"

She sighed heavily, "Dredging up the past." She explained, "I really can't handle it right now."

"I see." He replied, "I thought we hashed everything out, or were trying to."

"No, I don't think you do." She said, "I need to focus on getting well right now and nothing else."

"Look, if it's about the kiss, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"It's more than that." She said, "I have a lot I'm dealing with and I need time. Please let me get through this next treatment and see what the doctors say."

"I just didn't want you to feel alone right now."

"I know you didn't." She replied, "But believe me, the fact that I have this chance to maybe get better, you've given me hope and that in itself makes me feel less alone."

All he wanted was to hold her but he just kissed her on the cheek, "Promise you'll call me after the treatment is over and you talk to the doctors."

She nodded, "I promise." She met his gaze and held it, "Good night, Jonathan."

"Good night."

TWO WEEKS LATER

Jennifer sat in Dr. Fleming's office and waited for him to return from seeing another patient. She had done another round of interleukin and tolerated well. Now all that was left was the results. She tried her best to stay calm as her life was hanging in the balance.

"Jennifer." Dr. Fleming entered closing the door behind him, "How are you feeling?"

"Anxious, Doctor, to be honest." She said

He sat down behind his desk, his face a mask, "Well, we have our results and I am very happy to tell you that so far the treatment seems to be doing its job."

"Really?" She breathed out

He smiled, "Yes, your cell count is up and everything else looks good." He informed her, "But we're not done yet. You'll need at least two more rounds and then we'll check it again but I have every confidence we'll see the same results."

She sensed he was holding something back, "But?"

"But we still need to take it one step at a time and be, I like to say, cautiously optimistic."

She nodded wiping away a tear

She returned to the apartment feeling relieved but almost afraid to be really happy. It was a waiting game, one day at a time. She sat down on the sofa, remembering she promised to call him. He'd been willing to play it her way and the least she could do was not wait to call. She picked up her cell and dialed the number.

"I was hoping that was you." He said

"What are you psychic now?" she asked

"No, caller ID." He joked, "I stored your number, remember?"

"Oh right, they said this treatment might cause me to lose my hair but they didn't say anything about my memory."

"You haven't lost either." He said pausing for a moment, "So…"

"It's working." She said breaking down, "It's working, Jonathan."

Thank you, God, "Oh Jennifer, that's…that's wonderful, so what now?"

She wiped her eyes, "I'm not done yet but everything is in the right direction."

"That's just…" He trailed off wishing he was there in person, "You should do something to celebrate. Why don't you treat yourself to a day at the salon? Barry would love to see you, I'm sure."

"Barry's still in business?" She asked, "I don't know, it seems so frivolous to do that."

"You deserve some pampering. Besides you need to get dolled up for the party." He said

"Party?"

"Oh I guess I forgot to mention it." He said, "Next week we're having a party to celebrate all the people who have reached their five year mark. We do it every year that someone has an anniversary."

"Well, I haven't…"

"You will, but you have reason to celebrate too." He said, "Please think about it. There will probably be some people there who would love to see you, folks from the office you might remember. Stanley Freisen, he's married to Mandy in legal now. Jack, Norma, Sam."

"Alright, I'll think about it."

"Good." He said, "But I have to be straight. Diana comes to these things as a function of her job at the hospital."

"Oh well, maybe I shouldn't come, really Jonathan. I don't think your date will appreciate…"

"She's not my date and I want you to come."

"Alright."