Three Years Ago
Charlotte is polishing the brass finger plates on the bar-room door when Barbara-Vivienne strolls by. Without breaking her stride, she murmurs, “The Cafe au Lait, six am?”
“I’ll be there.”
*****
As Charlotte enters, Barbara is waiting for her with coffee and waffles for two at the table. As Charlotte sits, the woman waves a hand across. “Help yourself.”
Embarrassed at, again, accepting gifts from strangers, Charlotte takes the coffee but doesn’t touch the waffles until Barbara pushes a fork into her hand.
“Look, kid, you’re broke. You’re doing your best to get out of it. I get that. Been there. Done that. Read the book. Seen the movie. Got the tee-shirt. Now eat. When you’re the City’s leading courtesan, you can buy me lunch one day.”
She waits until Charlotte has ea
