Helen appeared.
She wasn’t carrying anything.
“Ma’am, you need to leave,” she whispered.
I stared at her.
“What?”
Helen appeared.
“Please. Before he comes back.”
“What’s going on?”
She glanced over her shoulder.
“There’s something you should know.”
“Please. Before he comes back.”
Helen took my hand and led me toward the hallway.
“Arthur has been looking for you for years,” she said.
“Why?”
Before she could answer, a voice came from behind us.
“Arthur has been looking for you for years.”
“Helen. What are you doing?”
Arthur stood at the end of the hallway.
Helen didn’t release my hand.
“I’m telling her,” she said.
“Helen. What are you doing?”
“Not like this.”
“Then how? You’ve had three dates and an entire dinner.”
I looked from one to the other.
“Someone had better explain what’s happening.”
Arthur approached slowly.
“Not like this.”
“Holly, please don’t be frightened.”
“That’s not a reassuring thing to say.”
