Would Tuesday work for her?

She sighed. Even if all that were true, what exactly would she tell Hank and Matt? That Mommy had a special new friend? The thought made her queasy.

She chewed on the end of the pen, then stopped, her mouth falling open in shock. This was the end! This moment marked the official death of her sexual fantasy life. For thirteen years she'd built a personal ritual around a mystery man, a man who lived only in her memory and imagination, and now the real man had to move next door-in the flesh-and ruin it!

God! Couldn't a woman even masturbate in peace?

She flipped back through her journal, finding a poem she'd worked on a few months ago. The more she read, the more pissed off she became.

All I've Got

I'll pretend it's you

Will you humor me? And for awhile I will be free

Sweat heat

Fiery friction

I will burn

In my latex addiction

I'll burn and scream and writhe

So hot!

I'll pretend it's you

Though I know it's not.

But it's all I've got

Charlotte choked back a fresh batch of tears, took another swill from the water bottle by the bedside, and wiped her mouth. She needed to stay hydrated. She'd be sure to eat plenty of potassium tomorrow and take her vitamin B supplements. She'd do a three-mile loop at the park once she got the kids off to school. One thing she knew for sure-healthy food and fresh air had always helped to make anything survivable.

She'd get through this as well.