+TYPED OUT-

A5

Monday didn't want to sleep, but her body had other plans. She woke up the next day startled at her behavior.

Since when did she dose off through a crisis?

She went to her kitchen and opened the blinds only to find a line of A5 papers stuck on her window. The letters formed a sentence.

I AM SORRY

Kenneth stood a few meters away, looking more sorrowful than ever.

How long had he been there?

It didn't matter.

Monday closed the blinds. She ignored Kenneth until noon, when she opened her blinds again. He was still there, and so was his other message.

I ACTED LIKE A JERK. I WAS WRONG

Monday pulled the blinds again.

Wasn't he supposed to be at the book fest?

Did Kenneth abandon his obligations to come to Annecy?

Monday decided to call the only person capable of filling her in on Kenneth's Houdini reverse act.

Dagmar had a very hectic fest; rumors of her pregnancy and Kenneth being its father filled all the aisles of the book fest. Dagmar found herself winning the bear but had to clear her reputation in her acceptance speech. "Fellow writers and beloved readers, I assure you that this writer has not been playing mommy and daddy with your favorite life coach guru. It will never happen in this life or the next."

She hoped the chaos caused was worth it and that Kenneth managed to do something right. At that instant, as her phone rang with her FRIENDS ringtone she was exhausted, but she made an effort to reply for the caller.

"Dagmar."

"Dayé, I was just thinking about you."

"Dagmar, you'll never guess who is here."

"Kenneth," Dagmar answered.

"Yes, wasn't he supposed to be in Berlin? How do you know he's here?"

"Kenneth left the fest."

Monday paced, "Dagmar, it makes no sense. He rejected me, and now here he is. He has got a nerve. He's outside in the cold, hoping for me to let him in." Monday chuckled, "he can dream on."

"Don't you want to talk to him?" Dagmar asked, suspecting Monday of fronting.

Monday stopped pacing, "I can't."

"Why?" Dagmar asked.

"Look at what he did."

Dagmar rolled on her stomach, "does it matter? I mean, he's there now."

"Dagmar, what do you mean? Don't tell me you would let him in if you were in my shoes."

Dagmar looked at her trophy and suddenly wondered why it was a bear before saying, "He did wrong, but don't you want to fix this? Don't you want him to be present in your or your baby's life? Don't you love him anymore?"

Dagmar aligned the questions Monday suppressed. The questions flustered Monday, who huffed, "Dagmar, why are you doing this?"

"Because it's the bottom line. It doesn't matter what I or other people think. You're the main. It's your story. We, secondary characters, are just witnesses and help-alongs. What do you want, Dayé? Do you still love him?"

"I'm so furious."

"Tell him that. Blow his head away with your screaming and nagging. Kenneth deserves it; he knows it, and he's there for it. Once you do that, try to find the calmness to listen to him."