'Or needs to,' Susan said.
'Or has to.'
'Which makes her like anyone else,' Susan said. 'When are you coming home?'
'I suppose it depends on April,' I said.
'Not too much should depend on April, I think,' Susan said.
'I know,' I said.
'I miss you,' Susan said.
'Yes,' I said. 'Isn't it lovely.'
3
The Brasserie is on East 53rd Street, right underneath the Four Seasons, a few steps down into a low-ceilinged room with a horseshoe counter to the left and tables with red-checkered tablecloths to the right. It was kind of a semi-elegant French-flavored diner and it was always open.
I had us a table near the wall when April came in and looked around. There's a streetlevel landing before you come down into the room, and it presents a nearly irresistible platform. Most people posed on it when they came in. April posed a bit longer than most. She wasn't pudgy anymore. She was highfashion thin. With very bright makeup, well applied and stark. Very current. Her hair was shoulder length. She was wearing a pink coverall with cropped pants over an aqua jersey top. There were big pink and aqua beads around her neck and matching earrings. The collar of her black tweed jacket was turned up and she was wearing pink-rimmed Elvis Costello sunglasses.
When she finished her pose, she looked at me and smiled brilliantly and came down the stairs.
I stood and she put her arms around me and kissed me on the cheek. She smelled good. She looked good. I held her chair for her. She sat.
'Oh, it's so nice to see you,' April said. 'What are you doing here?'
'Think about eating,' I said. 'Then I'll tell you.'
'Oh, you order something for us,' she said. Her eyes didn't settle on me or anything but moved over the crowd in the restaurant. She was like the buyer at a horse auction.
'No preference?'
She laughed. 'No, I know you'll choose something good.'
The waiter stopped at our table with the coffeepot. 'Coffee?' he said.
April looked at me. I nodded. She smiled dazzlingly at the waiter and nodded too. He poured some for us both. I ordered eggs Benedict for April and a club sandwich for me. When the waiter left, April pressed the palms of her hands together in front of her and said, 'Oh, I knew you'd order something just right.'
'It's God-given,' I said. 'I can't really take the credit.'
April widened her eyes and smiled even more brightly and nodded vigorously. She looked around the room some more. Her eyes hesitated at the counter, went on, returned to the counter, and then moved away. I shifted into a more comfortable position in my chair and looked at the counter. It was crowded. I couldn't tell who she was looking at.
'How have you been?' I said.
'Oh, it's fun,' she said. 'It really is. I've met so many people and I have been just everywhere. I went to Nice last year with a client.'
'Ever hear from your parents?'
'No.'
'You happy?'
'What's not to be happy?' she said. 'I have money, I go out every night. Clothes, fun.'
'You seem to have learned a lot,' I said. 'Very adult now. Worldly, sort of. Poised.'
'Oh, thank you. Mrs. Utley helped me a lot. She helps all the girls. She really does. I… I'm very grateful you fixed me up with her.' Uncle Pandarus. The waiter came by and added coffee to my cup. April's was untouched.
'How is Mrs. Silverman?' April said. She leaned toward me, her hands clasped, her chin resting on her thumbs.
'Loving, intelligent, beautiful, funny, the usual stuff.'
April nodded. Her eyes were very green. They hadn't always been. I realized she was wearing tinted contacts. She said, 'Boy, are you in love, huh?'
I nodded. April's eyes moved over the room again and stopped. She was looking at the back of a tall black man sitting at the counter eating a croissant. Her eyes moved on. The waiter brought her eggs and my sandwich.
'I love eggs Benedict,' April said.
'How come you didn't order them?' I said. 'I might have ordered you Raisin Bran or something.'
She giggled. 'Oh, you would not.'
We ate a little. The tall black guy at the counter finished his croissant and had a second pot of tea. While he waited for it he looked aimlessly around the room, his eyes passing over us with no flicker of hesitation. He was
