* * *
“I can’t believe he did what he did to me, Linda,” Nora told her friend. “It all. . . . It all seems like a dream.”
“Then wake up, dear,” Linda said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “Tricia tricked you and you’ve gotta do the same thing if you definitely want Leonard back.”
“But I thought he . . . loved me.”
“For chrisakes, Nora,” Linda snapped. “You call a crush love? Leonard had a crush on you and never fell in love with you. He probably loves Patricia more than he fancies you.”
“Great. Now I’ll have to kill myself,” her blonde friend said in defeat.
“You’re overreacting,” Linda whined. “Pull yourself together, girl. We can defeat your enemy with a little trick.”
“And how on earth are we gonna do that?”
“She won’t even know what hit her,” Nora’s friend assured her. “I’m still working on the details, but I’ve recruited Patricia’s neighbor to help me.”
“And when can we spring this?” Nora demanded.
“Soon,” Linda placated. “Very, very soon.”