Page 57 of Danger Close

But then I went deeper into the large space, and examined a few garments. Whoever sewed the dresses for this shop was a marvel. I kept inspecting seams, and touching fabrics, checking how things draped. It was all so magnificent!

“The seamstress was a fashion designer in the city, then retired up here.” Charlotte was admiring a cream-colored dress. It had straight, geometric lines made of sequins and pearls. It was very 1920’s, and of excellent quality. “Her daughter runs the shop.”

Charlotte waved to the young woman behind the counter, and she waved back.

“Incröyable,” I marveled, lightly touching the row of dresses, feeling the softness of the fabric on my fingers.

I’d missed nice clothes.

It was a luxury I gave up when Trinity was young. Things became expensive very quickly when I was a single mom. Money slipped through my fingers. I wasn’t doing much better now. I still frequently changed addresses, trying to hide from my sins and curses, outrunning the bad luck that had a face, and name. With a grown daughter more than able to provide for herself, finances had eased considerably.

I looked at the price tag and gasped. My economics hadn’t improvedthatmuch.

I’d never spend four figures on a dress.

“Uhmm,” Charlotte nudged me with her shoulder. “Cobra gave me his black card. Your dress is on him.”

“A black card?” I was impressed. “He’s come a long way from the young man with an old guitar, playing on street corners for change.”

“Cobra plays guitar?” Charlotte’s brows went up to her hairline.

I smiled, remembering how it was.

“Yes. And he has a gorgeous voice.” I found a blue, gossamer dress with midnight-colored rhinestones that faded towards the A-line skirt, and glided my thumb over the incredible stitching. “Or at least he used to. When he asked to buy me a drink, I rebuffed his advances. I was not interested in men at the time. But when a man became a little amorous, despite my protests, it was Cobra who stepped in. There was a fight, and he broke his guitar.”

I loved that memory.

“The next day, I found him, with a new instrument in hand to repay him for his kindness.” I smiled, my heart feeling full. “He kissed me, and then began a serenade on bended knee. I suppose I had to fall in love after that.”

Charlotte tilted her head. “What did he sing?”

“ ‘Take My Breath Away’.”

She put her hand over her heart, and mockingly stumbled back a few steps as she gasped, “No!”

“Yes,” I said with a gentle blush.

“My God, I didn’t know Cobra had it in him.” Charlotte crossed her arms and studied me for a moment as she affectionately shook her head. “Joaquin Guerro, you sentimental fool.”

“I can’t let him pay for this.” I swallowed, looking at price tag after price tag. “C’est trop cher… it’s too much.”

I would figure something out. Maybe I could make payments, and if not, I suppose I could go into my phone and move some money around.

“I think you can.” Charlotte winked at me. “He feels pretty bad about what he did. I know you didn’t come to dinner last night, but we all gave him a huge talking to.”

She gave me one of those close-lipped smiles that Americans do when they’re about to give some uncomfortable truths.

“We’re not against you. We just…” She sighed. “We just love Trinity. She’s one of ours. We protect our own.”

Tears stung my eyes.

“I thank you for that.” I was going to drop the topic, but then I felt an overwhelming desire to make sure she knew what,specifically, I was thanking her for. “For being on Trinity’s side, I mean.”

The longer I spent here, and the more I knew of Trinity’s friends, the more comfortable I was with the fact that if I disappeared, she’d be fine. There is this bitter, but sweet, comfort in knowing that your child would survive without you.

In becoming irrelevant, we have done our jobs…

So why was I holding onto life so tightly?