28
ALICE
We have a problem,’ Leah said.
They were in a hotel suite in Cupertino. The space was large though not luxurious, decorated soullessly in shades of blue. Alice sat near the window by Sean, who was looking not at her or Leah but at the intersection below. By now she’d learned this was his usual state, a spaced-out inertia where he pondered various lewd entertainments and the answers to difficult crosswords, all while his brain awaited more worthwhile interaction.
‘Have you heard of the term “hands on keyboard”?’ Using a fork, Leah gently arranged a row of miniature pickles on the paper plate on which she’d set a pastrami sandwich. She’d brought in lunch for the group, three bags from a local deli, from which a meaty smell was now filling the room.
‘No,’ said Sean. After a prol
