The concluding sentence in the Boston Globe piece seems to be the most damning:

In Romney’s 2002 race for governor, he testified before the state Ballot Law Commission that his separation from Bain in 1999 had been a “leave of absence” and not a final departure.

So, did he take a leave of absence? That would mean he came back at some point. When? Or did he really “leave leave” in ‘99, but mischaracterize the separation in his testimony?