'Of course,' I said.
'I really believe that,' Typhanie said. 'Don't you? That timing is pretty much everything in life? And Frank came along at the right time for Lisa, and pow!'
The cat on the floor had turned onto its side and stretched itself as long as it could get. It reached up with one paw and batted at my pants leg.
'What made it the right time?' I said.
'Who can say? The relationship with Luis wasn't going the way she wanted, and then here came this older man, you know? A safe harbor in a storm.'
'Luis Deleon?' I said.
'Yes.' Typhanie gave me what she must have thought was a wicked smile. 'Her Latin lover.'
'She was going with him when she met Belson?'
'Yes.'
'Tell me about him.'
'Well, he's beautiful. He's Hispanic, from Proctor. She met him in a night class at Merrimack State. Lisa was taking some courses there, nights, you know. She didn't want to always be a disc jockey.'
'And they were, ah, lovers?'
'Oh baby, you better believe it. They were a continuing explosion. Everything was passionate like you dream about, you know, like in the movies. Flowers and candy and champagne and midnight suppers and, well, I shouldn't be telling tales out of school, but, honey, they were hot.'
'Sex?'
'Everywhere, all the time, according to Lisa.'
'How nice,' I said. 'So what happened? How come she ended up with Frank Belson?'
'I don't know. It was awful sudden. I know that Luis was pushing her to marry him.'
'And she didn't want to?' Typhanie shook her head. 'Why not?' I said.
'I don't know, really. I mean, he was younger than she was, and he was, you know, Hispanic, and I don't know what kind of job he had. But boy, he was compelling. Looks. Charm.'
She shrugged.
'On the other hand, boy toy is one thing,' Typhanie said. 'Husband's a whole different ball game.'
'You married?' I said.
'Not right now,' Typhanie said. 'You?'
'No.'
'Ever been married?'
'No.'
'You gay?'
'No.'
'With someone?'
'Yeah.'
'I shoulda stayed with my second husband. Now every time I meet somebody interesting they're either taken or gay. You fool around?'
'No. But if I did I'd call you first. The name Vaughn mean anything to you?'
'Stevie Ray Vaughn,' she said hopefully.
'Un huh,' I said. 'You know where Luis Deleon is now?'
She shrugged. 'Proctor, I imagine.'
'You know what he does?'
'Like for a living?'
'Un huh.'
'No, I never did know. I always kind of wondered.'
'Why?'
'He seemed to have money, but he never said anything about his job.'
'What'd he talk about when you were with him?'
'Lisa, theater, movies. He loved movies. Had a video camera. Always had a video camera.'
'You wouldn't have a picture, would you?'
'Of Luis? No, I don't think so. I'm not one for keeping stuff, pictures and all that. I just keep right on moving, you know?'
