“No. Are you?” I was thinking it might be her Jerome.
“No. It’s probably someone selling something for sure. Get rid of him.”
I went to the speaker and pressed the call button. “Yes?”
“Hi. It’s Jon Morales. I was passing by and thought I’d stop by to see how you were doing.”
Jon Morales? I thought for a moment and then remembered.
“Oh. I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Would you like to go for a coffee?”
I looked at Piper, who was standing beside me now, listening with interest.
“We’re just finishing dinner. I mean, we haven’t done the dishes yet. But thank you,” I said. Then I whispered to Piper, “It’s just someone I met quickly at a supermarket. He helped me in a small way the first night I arrived.”
“Quickly’s good. Invite him up,” she said. “I’ll look him over for you.”
“So you have a roommate?” he asked, probably because he heard her voice in the background.
“Yes, she does,” Piper said before I could. “Come on up. We’ll let you wash a dish.”
She pressed the button to open the front door before I could object.
“You shouldn’t have done that. I really don’t know him.”
“Don’t worry about it. If he’s a loser, I’ll get rid of him for you.”
“It’s not that so much. My first impression is he’s far from a loser, but between work and pursuing my career, I don’t have time to invest in anyone. I didn’t come here for that.”
“We all come here for that, unless you’re a nun. I keep telling you. Don’t take everything so seriously,” she said. “Especially men.”
This way of treating people like disposable goods was annoying me. I retreated silently to the kitchen and began to clear off the dishes while she went to the bathroom to put on lipstick and fix her hair. Moments later, the apartment door buzzer sounded.
“I’ll get it,” she said, and moved quickly to let him in. “Hi. I’m Piper,” she announced as soon as she opened the door. “Emma’s new roommate.”
“Hi,” Jon said, and walked in when she stepped back with a pirouette that made him laugh.
“Yes, I’m a dancer,” she said.
Jon came farther in and smiled at me. “Hi. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. I haven’t had a chance to stop by the restaurant again to see how you were doing. Had a heavy week.”
“You’re not interrupting anything we don’t want interrupted,” Piper said. “Cleanup. Would you like a cup of coffee here instead of paying a week’s salary for one?” She winked at me. “We were going to have coffee, weren’t we, Emma?”
I hesitated just long enough for him to take a step back.
“Oh, no, no,” he said. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“Why not?” Piper asked, and he smiled. He looked at me to rescue him. Actually, I wanted to rescue myself. “I’d like to hear all about how you helped Emma her first night in America.”
“I didn’t do much more than explain the word ‘pinched,’ ” he said, smiling.
The look on her face finally brought a smile to mine. She looked from me to him.
“Pinched? You have to explain that? I think I know what pinched means. I’ve had my rear pinched many times.”
“You know,” I said to Jon, ignoring her. “I think I’ll take you up on that walk you promised the last time we spoke.” I put the dish towel down. “I think it’s Piper’s turn to clean up, anyway. Right, Piper?”
She looked dumbfounded for a moment and then smiled. “I don’t think we have to worry about Emma. She knows how to take care of herself now.”
I reached for my light jacket on the hook by the door. He sensed the urgency and opened it quickly.
“Nice to meet you, Piper,” he said. “Nice pirouette, too,” he added.
I stepped out, and he closed the door before Piper could say anything or, worse, invite herself.
“Did she come with the apartment?” he asked as we descended. “Something in the closet, maybe?”
“No, but I’m thinking she does come with New York,” I said.
He laughed, and we headed out.
I had no idea where we would go. I simply wanted to get him away from Piper.
“Let’s walk toward Times Square,” he said. “I know a great frozen-custard kiosk. How is the work going? Are you waiting on customers yet?”
“Monday,” I said. “Just in time. My funds are getting low, but there are also a number of open auditions. I’ll be busy day and night, because I have to make up the time