While I was attempting to bury myself in the project before me, I leaned forward in my chair and worked with my fingers racing over my keyboard. Work was save. Predictable in nature. In contrast to the individuals in my life, the numbers and tactics themselves did not have multiple layers of complexity. However, my concentration began to waver every few minutes. When I was waiting for Ryan to show up, my eyes flew to the door as if they had their own mind and were looking for him. Plus, I am dreading it. There was an excessive amount of silence in the office today, the kind of silence that made it seem as though it was holding its breath, waiting for something to take place. My worries were heightened by the fact that each tick of the clock felt louder than the one before it. I

