at　she　would　have　done　if　Romeo　had　left　her；　not　because　he　was

banished；　but　because

he　lost　interests　What　if　Rosalind　had　given　him　the　time　of　day；　and　he'd

changed　his　mind？　What　if；

instead　of　marrying　Juliet；　he'd　just　disappeared？

I　thought　I　knew　how　Juliet　would　feel。

She　wouldn't　go　back　to　her　old　life；　not　really。　She　wouldn't　ever　have　moved

on；　I　was　sure　of　that。

Even　if　she'd　lived　until　she　was　old　and　gray；　every　time　she　closed　her

eyes；　it　would　have　been

Romeo's　face　she　saw　behind　her　lids。　She　would　have　accepted　that；

eventually。

I　wondered　if　she　would　have　married　Paris　in　the　end；　just　to　please　her

parents；　to　keep　the　peace。　No；

probably　not；　I　decided。　But　then；　the　story　didn't　say　much　about　Paris。　He

was　just　a　stick　figure—a

placeholder；　a　threat；　a　deadline　to　force　her　hand。

What　if　there　were　more　to　Paris？

What　if　Paris　had　been　Juliet's　friend？　Her　very　best　friend？　What　if　he　was

the　only　one　she　could

confide　in　about　the　whole　devastating　thing　with　Romeo？　The　one　person　who

really　understood　her　and

made　her　feel　halfway　human　again？　What　if　he　was　patient　and　kind？　What　if　he

took　care　of　her？　What

if　Juliet　knew　she　couldn't　survive　without　him？　What　if　he　really　loved　her；

and　wanted　her　to　be　happy？

And　what　if　she　loved　Paris？　Not　like　Romeo。　Nothing　like　that；　of　course。

But　enough　that　she

wanted　him　to　be　happy；　too？

Jacob's　slow；　deep　breathing　was　the　only　sound　in　the　room—like　a　lullaby

hummed　to　a　child；　like　the

whisper　of　a　rocking　chair；　like　the　ticking　of　an　old　clock　when　you　had

nowhere