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When Jennifer walked into the office late that morning, Cynthia said, "Mr. Adams is on the line, Miss Parker. He's been calling all morning."

Jennifer hesitated, then said, "All right, Cynthia, I'll take it." She went into her office and picked up the telephone. "Hello, Adam. Congratulations."Advertisement

"Thanks. We have to talk. Are you free for lunch?"

Jennifer hesitated. "Yes."

It had to be faced sometime.

It was the first time Jennifer had seen Adam in three weeks. She studied his face. Adam looked haggard and drawn. He should have been flushed with victory, but instead he seemed oddly nervous and uncomfortable. They ordered a lunch which neither of them ate, and they talked about the election, their words a camouflage to hide their thoughts.

The charade had become almost unbearable when, finally, Adam said, "Jennifer..." He took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "Mary Beth is going to have a baby."

Hearing the words from him somehow made it an unbearable reality. "I'm sorry, darling. It - it just happened. It's difficult to explain."

"You don't have to explain." Jennifer could see the scene clearly. Mary Beth in a provocative negligee - or naked - and Adam -

"I feel like such a fool," Adam was saying. There was an uncomfortable silence and he went on. "I got a call this morning from the chairman of the National Committee. There's talk about grooming me as their next presidential candidate." He hesitated. "The problem is that with Mary Beth pregnant, this would be an awkward time for me to get a divorce. I don't know what the hell to do. I haven't slept in three nights." He looked at Jennifer and said, "I hate to ask this of you, but - do you think we could wait a little while until things sort themselves out?"

Jennifer looked across the table at Adam and felt such a deep ache, such an intolerable loss, that she did not think she could stand it.

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"We'll see each other as often as possible in the meantime," Adam told her. "We - "

Jennifer forced herself to speak. "No, Adam. It's over."

He stared at her. "You don't mean that. I love you, darling. We'll find a way to - "

"There is no way. Your wife and baby aren't going to disappear. You and I are finished. I've loved it. Every moment of it."

She rose to her feet, knowing that if she did not get out of the restaurant she would start screaming. "We must never see each other again."

She could not bear to look at his pain-filled eyes.

"Oh, God, Jennifer! Don't do this. Please don't do this! We - "

She did not hear the rest. She was hurrying toward the door, running out of Adam's life. pqdm.com