AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Tuesday October 17^th, 2000
Tiffany threw the newspaper on the floor and wiped the tears from her swollen eyes.  Reading that her lover was a married man in the newspaper just topped off the worst week she ever had in her life.  She shook her head in disbelief.  Her life was truly ruined, she thought.  She was living in an expensive apartment that she couldn't possibly afford.  Amir said he would pay the rent.  Now she found out he is married the day after she got fired from her job.  The ringing of the telephone interrupted her worry.
"Hello".
"Tiffany did I wake you?"  Clark said.
"No Clark.  What's up?" she asked surprised to hear from her ex-boss first thing this morning.
"I need the key to the front door," he said.
"Oh.  I forgot to give that back," she said as her voice started to break in pain.  She wondered how much humiliation she would have to suffer each day.
"If you could drop it by that would be great," he said hesitating as he noticed the strain in her voice.
"Yeah.  When do you need it?"
"I'll be here for a few hours."
"I'll stop by."
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, great Clark.  Just great," she said hanging up the phone.  She walked over to the window and looked down at Washington Square Park.  It was noon and the park was full of students walking to their classes.  She saw the now familiar drug dealers posted at their usual positions in the park.  The view was wonderful she thought, but she would have to move now.  Even if this report in the paper was incorrect, she shouldn't be living beyond her means like this.  She would find another apartment right away.  If only Amir would hurry and call her and put an end to this horrible nightmare. Of all the times for him to be out of the country.  She glanced towards Clark's townhouse at the other end of the park.  She may as well get dressed and go by and return the key she thought.  She dreaded the thought of seeing him again.  She was still too angry with him for firing her.  She walked into the bedroom and opened the closet door.  She took out a pair of jeans and a sweater and quickly dressed.  She walked back into the lonely living room and grabbed her coat that was thrown across a chair in the hallway.  She walked out of her door locking it behind her as she hit the button for the elevator.
   She got off the elevator and the doorman opened the heavy doors of the lobby and she stepped outside on the sidewalk of MacDougal Street. The cold October air felt good on her face as she slowly made her way towards Clark's townhouse at the other end of the park.  She opened the iron gates and walked along the cobblestones with her head cast down.  How many times she had walked on these stones happy and full of hope.  Today all hope was gone, she thought.  She had lost her job, her man and soon her home.  She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.  She stared at the door as she waited for Clark to answer.  She fought back tears as she realized that she was here to return the key to the door.  She wasn't trusted any longer.
"Hi Tiffany," Clark said smiling broadly as he opened the door.
"Hi," she said dryly walking past him.
"Are you okay?" he asked noticing she was wearing sunglasses on a dreary gray day.
"Sure.  Here's your key," she said taking the key from her coat pocket and handing it to him. "Sorry I forgot to give it to you the other day."
"Thanks.  I won't keep you I know you probably have a lot to do," he said taking the key from her shaky hand.
"Oh sure.  I have a lot to do," she said turning to walk out of the door face cast down.
"Did you see the newspaper Tiffany?" he asked as she started out of the door.
"Yes," she said turning quickly to see the expression on his face.  Maybe he knew something she didn't know.  Maybe he knew this was all a horrible misprint.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE PHOTOS BELOW.