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All Chapters of I Left Her Scoring System: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

I didn't smash the phone.That apparently wasn't in Queenie Gibbs's predictions.She watched me, tapping her fingers on the table three times as if she were waiting for an emotional reaction. Crying, yelling, demanding answers, slamming the door.But I just pushed the phone back to her. "Tomorrow's premarital checkup is canceled."Queenie finally frowned. "Why?"I looked at her. "You're asking me why?"She glanced down at the screen, as though she'd only just remembered the chart was still on it. "Darren, you're in an acute stress response right now. Decisions people make in anger have very low reliability."I let out a short laugh. "Queenie, I'm not your experimental data."She was silent for two seconds. "This doesn't change the conclusion about our marriage. Bill is just a short-term stimulus variable. You're still the optimal solution for a long-term partner."Bill Hutley.The first time I heard that name, she'd mentioned that her company had brought on a new project cons

Chapter 2

At nine-twenty the next morning, Queenie called me twelve times.I didn't answer a single one.At nine-thirty, she sent a message.Queenie: [You're late.]At 10:03, she sent another message: [The screening clinic isn't busy today. There's still time if you come now.]At 10:27, she sent another message: [I don't like it when people break their appointments.]I looked at the screen and replied with one word. [Canceled.]She replied almost instantly. [Reason.]I didn't reply again.The manager of the wedding company called me this afternoon to schedule a meeting for later today.... "Mr. Macy, Ms. Gibbs asked us to confirm which one is the groom."I stopped in my tracks. "What do you mean?""The program schedule she sent over lists two candidates for the groom. We need the final names. The flowers, the seating chart, and the emcee's script all have to be finalized.""She didn't tell you?"The manager looked uncomfortable and handed me a document. It was the program schedul

Chapter 3

On the third day, Queenie went to my parents' house.When I got there, she was sitting in the living room with a printed proposal laid out in front of her.My mom, Linda Macy, had red-rimmed eyes.My dad, Arthur Macy, sat there with his face dark with anger."Queenie."She looked up at me. "Good timing. I was just explaining to your parents why the wedding is being postponed."I walked over and picked up the papers on the table.The first page read: [Groom's Overall Marriage Assessment: Fail.]The second page was a risk analysis of both families.The third page contained the follow-up records from my dad's checkup after the heart stent he'd had put in last year.[The groom's father carries a risk of rehospitalization within the next five years. Family medical expenses are unpredictable.]My dad slammed his hand on the table. "So my illness is your excuse to look down on my son?"Queenie frowned slightly, as if she didn't understand why he was so worked up. "Arthur, I've k

Chapter 4

Two days later, Queenie called me over to the apartment we'd bought for our married life.She said, "Let's talk one last time."I hadn't wanted to go. But the two throw pillows my grandmother had sewn by hand and left to me were still in that apartment.When the door opened, every light in the place was on.Two place settings had been laid out on the dining table.There was an extra pair of men's slippers in the entryway. Bill's jacket hung on the coat rack, and two toothbrushes sat side by side on the bathroom counter.Grandma's two handmade pillows had been shoved into a corner of the couch, with Bill's laptop resting on top of them.Queenie stood at the kitchen doorway with her sleeves rolled up to her forearms. There was a small red burn on the back of her hand.She hated cooking. She'd once said the return on investment of dealing with the grease, the prep, and the cleanup was too low.During our three years together, I had slowly learned to make tomato beef stew and garl

Chapter 5

The first time Queenie came to my office looking for me was a week later.It was raining that day. She stood at the lobby entrance holding a thermos.The young receptionist recognized her and awkwardly called up to me. "Darren, there's a Ms. Gibbs here who says she's your fiancée."I said, "She's not."The receptionist hesitated. "Then... should I ask her to leave?""Have security handle it."Less than a minute after I hung up, Queenie sent me a message.[I'm downstairs. I terminated the pregnancy.]I didn't reply.She sent another. [You have a sensitive stomach. The soup is still hot.]I turned my phone face down on the desk.My coworker Riley Deacon poked her head over. "Who's that? You look awful.""Someone selling insurance.""Since when do insurance people bring you soup?"I didn't say anything.Half an hour later, I went downstairs to pick up a package.Queenie was still there. Her hair was a little damp from the rain, and her shirt cuffs were wet too.When she s

Chapter 6

Queenie started learning how to date like a normal person.That's what she said, anyway.She texted me: [I walked past a flower shop today. I didn't look up what the flowers meant. I just bought a bouquet.]I didn't reply.The next day, she sent another. [I saw a cat. I thought you'd like it.]The third day: [I didn't score anything today.]The fourth day: [Darren, not scoring things is hard.]I still didn't reply.On Friday night, I went out for barbecue with some coworkers.As soon as we sat down, the owner brought over a plate of grilled chicken wings. "From the pretty lady over there."I looked up.Queenie was sitting at the next table. There was no laptop in front of her, no tablet, not even a pen. She was just quietly watching me.Riley followed my gaze. "The insurance seller?""Yeah.""She's really committed to that insurance business, huh?"I got up and walked over to Queenie. "Are you following me?"She shook her head. "No.""Then how did you know I was here?"

Chapter 7

Bill came looking for me a month later.He asked me to meet him at a café.I hadn't wanted to go. Then he said, "I have something Queenie never told you."When I arrived, he was already sitting there.He was young and had sharp features. He definitely had the kind of face Queenie would score a 99.He saw me and smiled first. "You're calmer than I expected.""You're more shameless than I expected."He was stunned for a moment, then his smile widened. "No wonder she can't forget you."I sat down. "Say what you came to say."Bill took out his phone and played a recording.Queenie's voice came through the speaker. "High physical attraction doesn't mean high long-term value."Bill asked, "Then why did you come to me?""To test a variable.""And once you've tested it?""Terminate."In the recording, Bill laughed. "Queenie, what do you take me for?"Her answer was cold. "A sample."My hand froze around my cup.Bill stared at me. "See? It's not just you she treats like this."

Chapter 8

Queenie disappeared for two months.I thought the story should have ended there.Until the day of my dad's follow-up checkup.In the hospital corridor, I spotted her from a distance, standing at the payment window with a queue ticket in her hand.I walked over. "What are you doing here?"She turned around. Her face was much thinner than the last time I'd seen her. "Your dad has his checkup today.""Who told you?""Your mom posted on Facebook that she was coming to the hospital this morning."I frowned. "What are you trying to do now?"She handed me the ticket. "I didn't run any checks, I didn't pull any records, and I didn't ask the doctor about any risks. I'm just waiting in line."I looked at the number in her hand. There were still twenty-seven people ahead of us."Queenie, you never used to do things like this.""I know.""You'd have called someone you knew, gotten a VIP fast pass, and cut the wait down to nothing."She looked down at the ticket. "I used to think gett

Chapter 9

A year later, I ran into Queenie outside the county clerk's office.I had come with Riley that day to help her replace her documents.She'd gotten drunk the night before and left her purse in a cab. Her driver's license, bank cards, and keys were all gone. The whole way over, she cursed herself out about eight hundred times.I gave her a hard time too. "Is your brain just for decoration?""Babe, I'm sorry.""If you get that drunk again, I'm leaving you on the side of the road.""You can't do that. I'm worth something."I lifted my foot to give her a kick, and she dodged it, laughing.When I turned around, I saw Queenie standing at the bottom of the steps.She wore a light gray coat, and her hair was a little shorter. No one was with her. She was holding a folder of documents.We looked at each other across a few steps.Riley's smile vanished. "I'll go in and get us a number."After she left, Queenie looked at me. "Long time no see.""Yeah."Her gaze settled on Riley's bac

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