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They met in the middle of the park, he in a long black coat covering his suit and tie, she in heavy fur over her expensive, going to a charity meeting dress. Neither was where they were supposed to be. They stared at each other for several seconds and he finally broke the silence. "I love you."

"You can't, I can't, neither of us knows what love is. If we did we wouldn't be here, sneaking around, worrying about being caught, worrying about what we would both be giving up."

He reached for her and she stepped back. The full moon silvered both of their faces and made the winter bare trees look like burned charred wood. He studied her porcelain moonlit face. "Then why did you come?"

"To walk with you in the moonlight one last time. I may not understand love, but I do know duty and its not to you. "

He nodded he had expected this. She was right and the more honorable of the two of them.

He took her arm and turned to a path that would lead them through the park. Neither spoke as the moonlight seemed to shiver over the path, the trees, the grass and statues. Small pavilions were dark havens from the light.

"You could almost read a book," He said quietly.

She agreed with her silence.

"Will you miss me?" he asked.

"No," she lied. "I have too much to do. With the money available to me, I can do some good in the world. That will be enough."

"I would give up what I have to be with you," he offered.

She laughed and there was bitterness in it. "No you wouldn't. She is your source of, not just money, but power and you like to use that power.
You can't and I don't want you to."

They walked for several more minutes and he paused beside a tree shaded dark bench. "We have to go back soon."

"I am going back now.
If you care for me at all you will destroy any evidence that we ever met and leave me to do what I can to get on with my life."

He watched her walk away the moonlight sliding down her long blonde hair and disappearing as she passed under a tree. He waited there in a pool of silver and listened. The tapping of her heels became fainter and fainter. He winced when he heard the gunshot. The footsteps stopped. He waited, she was the more honorable of the two of them and because of that she would always be the woman who lost her life while walking in the moon light. When he heard the police sirens he ran to the spot where the red and blue flashing lights ruined the effect of the natural light above and placed himself in the crowd.
While he listened to the questions and reports he pulled out his cell, proceeded to do as she had told him, and destroyed all evidence that he had ever met her.

No he didn't think he knew what love was but he too knew what duty was and his duty was to himself.

Learn more about this author, Ann Dennis.
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