ine'

-

ut my skin hasn't gotten the memo, still convinced

ves arranged with surgical precision, ready to perform a very fa

course." He gestures to the

ut this tab

. "At my first formal dinner, I grabbe

elps.

here so ma

e first one. "But it's really about pacing.

fork, main course, dessert fork resting h

ite. Red. Champagne. Larger bowl for red because it nee

ke notes. No chance I'm ho

excuse yourself, place it on your chair. When the me

loo

." He sets the fork down. "Loose say

means something. Which fork you pick up, where you put your napkin, how you hold a wine glass. Me

ner tonight is surely instant ramen. Yet somehow I'm expected t

tion? What am I supp

alk about themselves. Avoid politics. Religion. Money unless t

say someth

"Everyone does. The trick is

not reas

ese people aren't better than you. They ju

e and hierarchy, matching cufflinks and coded insults. Matteo feels like someone who rememb

phone. "Can I a

cour

I watch Matteo's face car

ong enough that I a

illiant. More alone than an

n't seem

s surrounded by people who want access, leverage, proximity.

to not g

barrassing situation." Matteo starts stacking the practi

press hi

opens bef

ent bag in hand. Even

he announces. "Mr. Rossi wishe

ize. "He's

already

idnight blue silk spa

Send Albert a message explaining why this whole arrangement

e the

ence room, the fabric settling over me more eas

hout the whole room knowing she took the train here. She looks certain, like she arrived at this exact mo

into the con

ately, adjusting the skir

g. Even Colette sto

oor o

My nose picks up cedar and a warmer

find me through the mirror and stay. His jaw moves, the smalle

essary. His fingers brush the fabric at my sh

." His voice drops

eirdly I'm not. His eyes haven't

e says, redirecting to Matteo. "

ps falter and turn back. Our eyes

ook pe

a reply. The door slams behind

knowing tsk. "

ly said

shoulders. "Mr. Rossi says very little. Yo

man realizing he'd said something out loud he meant to keep in his head. I

es. Colette hands over the garment bag with the g

olds my gaze. "Re

rong fork, dumb comm

ftens. "The real mistake is impersonating someone you

arrying the garment bag because bo

things they actually mean. "Every person in that room i

vator a

eli

rn b

o says. "He doesn't get th

own alone, watching the floor numbers descend. The dress

een lig

eup team will meet you at your apartment at 2 PM. Eve

ntly contains a leaning tower of library book

ce, my street looks exactly the same, cracked front steps, graffiti across the

stairs. Key

surface, this morning's coffee mug still holding its ground

f place here, too elegant for the chipped paint and secondhan

from Mom I haven'

eetheart? Don't forget to eat

specific, as if she has a

ise I'm eating pr

th the bowl balanced on my knees, slu

obably learned table manners before they learned m

feels even more stressful th

that close wit

oice haunt

number, the black car that vanished before I could b

oldest pajamas and basical

of sight, a different version of

the light. In the dark, I

Albert Rossi's worl

to su

ngerous p