"You didn't mean any of that!" Cheryl stamped her foot, her voice climbing. "Twenty years we've been in each other's lives. You can't just throw that away!"
I stopped packing and looked up at her.
"Twenty years... so you do remember."
She bit her lip.
"Look, I know yesterday went too far. But you started it by going after Douglas. You can't blame me for getting angry."
"Enough!" I slammed the drawer shut. "Don't say that name in front of me."
The office plunged into silence.
Then a commotion erupted outside.
Someone screamed down the hall: "Oh my God, Assistant Gilbert is going to jump!"
The color drained from Cheryl's face.
She didn't even glance at me. She bolted out the door like an arrow loosed from a bowstring.
When it came to choosing between me and Douglas, she never hesitated.
I let out a bitter laugh, picked up my cardboard box, and headed for the elevator.
As I passed the lounge at the end of the corridor, I caught sight of Douglas through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He was sitting on the ledge, legs dangling over the edge, swinging them back and forth.
A crowd had already gathered on the street below. Fire truck sirens wailed, growing louder as they approached.