“How did you end up here?”
Grace almost smiled. He wouldn’t give up.
“As I said, my grandparents lived here. And my grandfather’s parents and my great-grandfather’s parents and so on. It goes back a ways.”
“But not your parents.” It wasn’t a question, but it was pretty obvious that her parents weren’t around at the moment anyway.
“No. They’re in Philly. Well, my mother and sister are. My father is probably in Washington.”
“D.C.?”
He seemed impressed. And that was another point for “stupid”.
“Yes, sadly enough,” she said.
“Oh, a politician then.”
Perhaps not quite so stupid. “No, not that bad,” she said solemnly.
He laughed, and she gave him back another point.
“And you?” she asked.
“For the moment, Washington…D.C.”
“Oh.” Insert foot in mouth and proceed. “You’re not a—”
“Poli
