Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

But now... It all seemed pointless.

Late affection was worth less than the dirt under one's shoes.

Roseanne's face remained expressionless as she listened to him, her hand firmly on the doorknob, a defensive stance.

"I'm sorry, but no," she said, pausing between each word. There would be no forgiveness, no reconciliation.

Murray's temper flared visibly. "Why? Just tell me why! You refused to get back together because of Millie, and now that I've left her, why are you still unwilling?!" He had given up so much, how much more did she want?

In contrast to his rage, Roseanne was much calmer: "Once upon a time, you were my everything. To me, you were all that mattered."

For him, she had given up her dreams of graduate school.

At the height of their love, he was her entire world, the one she wanted to spend her life with!

Murray's eyes brightened instantly, his voice urgent, almost frenetic. "Can't it be the same now? If you're willing, we can go back to how things were."

Roseanne looked down, shaking her head. "No one stays in the same place forever. Neither you nor I."

the world

Studies? But even if you finish your master's, you'll still end up working. Isn't working

fifty million? And now you're saying you don't want money? Do you think I'll believe that?

anger reached a boiling point, and his words became

stray further into absurdity, Roseanne no

and urgent, catching Murray off guard and forcing him

easy? The academic courses, the lab work, you were indeed capable and outstanding back then. But years have passed,

finish, the door slammed shut with a "thud," the echo reverberating

closure startled Murray, anger mixed with a silent vow to make

...

April, as spring began to warm the

branches, and

to visit

her first meeting with the

weather warmed day by day, and Madeleine's health was slowly

returned to the forefront of her research, so busy she hardly had time to eat at

Roseanne,