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instead offered to take a message.
    Thinking quickly, I said, “Sure. I’m calling from The Sexual Health Clinic about Mr. Hansen’s test results.” I paused for effect and proceeded, “Actually, this is a bit delicate so maybe I should…if you could just have Mr. Hansen call me back, that’s probably better. It is quite urgent that I speak to him today, though.”
    My message had the desired effect: the receptionist suddenly discovered that Bill Hansen was available to take phone calls.
    “Bill Hansen.” The voice on the other end of the phone sounded gruff.
    My voice quivered. “Mr. Hansen, I’m Nick’s girlfriend, Zara. I’ve been trying his cell and apartment phone, but he’s not answering and I’m really worried about him. I understand you posted his bail…”
    There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the phone. “Nick is staying with me at the moment, Zara. He’s under instructions from his lawyer not to speak to anyone. Look, I don’t think it’s appropriate to discuss this over the phone. Come over to the apartment at seven tonight.” He then rattled off the address before hanging up in my ear.
    I looked at my watch. It was only lunchtime. I had hours to kill before seeing Nick. Trying to take my mind off things, I mindlessly flicked on the flat-screen monster that dominated my tiny living room. It was one of the many presents I’d received from Nick. Despite my protests, he’d insisted on getting me a television with full surround sound so he could watch the business news and the sports channels (as opposed to romantic comedies) on the odd occasion he stayed at my place rather than me staying at his.
    Listlessly, I channel-surfed before settling on one of the business channels. Snuggling deep into the couch cushions, I had just started to wearily close my eyes when I heard: “In breaking news, the son of wealthy New York businessman and philanthropist Bill Hansen has been arrested on suspicion of insider trading.”
    My eyes snapped open. The attractive blonde news anchor had already moved on to the next story, but there in teletext for all the world to see scrolled the words “Nick Hansen, son of Bill Hansen, arrested on suspicion of insider trading.”
    “Shit, shit, shit, the whole world knows about Nick!” I screeched hysterically down the phone to Sal.
    I could hear the bang of Sal’s office door in the background. “Shhh, calm down, Zara,” whispered Sal urgently. “Look, I really can’t talk right now, but this was always going to come out sooner or later. Nick’s from a well-known family, so it’s no surprise his arrest has been reported. You need to just calm down. And whatever you do, keep a low profile. Now, have you spoken to Nick yet?”
    I filled Sal in on my impending visit.
    “Good; call me as soon as you get home. Also, Zara, I heard from my friend at the SEC. He couldn’t say much, but I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about. It sounds like the information was coming from somewhere else.”
    I unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. If it was true that I wasn’t under suspicion, at least one part of my life could return to “normal.” Well, semi-normal, I ruefully thought. No doubt I’d be the butt of scandalous office gossip for some time to come.
    Guiltily, I thought about calling my parents. It was only a matter of time before they found out about Nick, but I couldn’t bring myself to make the call. Fortunately, they lived in Melbourne, Australia; so Nick’s arrest was unlikely to make the local news.
    I pondered my impending visit. In the course of two days I’d gone from being happily in love to utterly confused about my feelings. It was becoming obvious that Nick and I probably didn’t have a future together.
    For starters, he was probably a felon. Strike one. Strike two: the whole world had found out he was a felon at about the same time as me. There goes intimacy. Strike three: he still hadn’t called me back despite my million calls