Jill is sitting in a café waiting for Scott to arrive. She is replaying her conversation with Mark for the hundredth time that day.

“I know you’re having an affair,” Mark had said, and before she could interrupt, he continued, “I saw you walking into a hotel with a man. I’m not calling to lecture you or to threaten you. If you are having an affair because you’re bored, or because you had fallen victim to seduction, end it. Don’t worry, I won’t tell my brother, and I urge you not to tell him either because there is no need to hurt him. Tony is planning on proposing to you, and if you’re having an affair because you love this guy, you should break up with Tony before he proposes. My brother is a good guy, and he doesn’t deserve to have his fiancé or wife, walk out on him.”

Jill knew that she could have denied the affair. She could have said that the man had been a friend, and he had happened to leave his wallet in the hotel. She knew Mark would not ask Tony about it, because Mark was not the type of person to meddle in people’s lives. However, she felt relieved that Mark knew, because Mark’s knowledge of her affair would force her to ask herself all the questions she had been afraid of answering. Yes, she had told Cassie that she might be falling in love with Scott, but she had only said that because she wanted Cassie to condone her behavior. In reality, these past few months, she had used fifty percent of her will power to keep herself from analyzing her feelings for Scott, and the other fifty percent to keep herself from asking Scott how he felt about her.

Jill had answered Mark by saying “I’ll do what you told me by next week,” and Mark had said “thank you,” before he hung up the phone. About five minutes after the phone conversation ended, she realized that Mark had not asked her if she was going to stay with Tony.

Jill decided that before she made any rash decisions about Tony, she would have to find out how Scott felt about her. She had decided that today she would ask him all the questions they both had avoided. As she sees him walking into the café, she mentally prepares herself for the first question, “will you leave your wife for me?”