“Go home, Ellen,” Richard said, leaning back in his chair.

“Before you embarrass yourself even more.”

I turned and walked out the door, leaving him alone at the table.

At two o’clock, a cold autumn rain began to fall.

I sat in the high school parking lot with the engine running, watching the heavy wipers sweep water off the glass.

The heater blew warm air on my frozen hands.

At two thirty, the last bell sounded across the wet campus.

Kids streamed out of the main brick entrance, pulling up their hoods against the weather.