“I’m sure they were,” Saffron said drily.
“Papa asked Li to be my companion here in Paris but he said no, mostly because I told him my feelings.”
“You told him?” Sandwich asked. “Brave.”
“Stupid.” I sighed and looked out to the building across the street from us. Through one of the windows, I could see a couple dancing together. What a fine picture they made, twirling about that way. “I ruined everything, including our friendship. But then, last month, in a moment of weakness, I sent him a letter and told him about Mr. Basset’s behavior.”
“Behavior?” Sandwich draped an arm over her concave middle. “What did he do?”
“The thing he does with all the women he teaches,” I said. “He wanted that from me too. Or, at least I think so.”
“Right, of course,” Sandwich said.
“I wrote it all to Li and now he’s on his way here.” I waved a waft of smoke from Sandwich’s cigarette away from my face.
“On his way here? To rescue you?” Sandwich asked.
“You don’t need rescuing. You’ve got us.” Saffron uncrossed one leg only to cross the other, exposing her ankles. In men’s socks? I was learning something new every day.
“I might not need rescuing,” I said. “But I’ll be happy to see him.” Or would I? Would it be better if I continued here alone? Would all the feelings rush back to me the moment I saw him? It wasn’t as if they’d left. Not really. He was still in my dreams every night.
“Men like Basset respond well to other men,” Saffron said. “He’ll behave himself if he thinks there are consequences.” The bitterness in her voice made me wonder about her past. Did she know about this personally?
“It’s true,” Sandwich said. “Rich and powerful men think they can take whatever they want until another man steps in.”
“Li’s experience in Chicago wasn’t good. There were many cruel people there. He was denied a position in the symphony because he’s of Chinese descent. As if all Americans hadn’t originated somewhere else.”
“Not the natives,” Saffron said.
I nodded, ashamed. It was true. The white people had systematically removed them from their own land. Papa had wept while telling us what he’d learned only recently about the government’s involvement in ridding the new territory of the native people.
“Li will like Paris,” Saffron said. “It’s different here than in America. This is where anyone can come and express who they are.”
“Look at Josephine Baker,” Sandwich said, speaking of her as if they were friends.
A terrible thought occurred to me. What if Li liked it so much he refused to come home? I’d not thought of that until now.
“I’m looking forward to meeting this man who has stolen our Fiona’s heart,” Saffron said.
“He’s quiet.” They might think him too reserved, I thought. “He’s expressive only through his music until he becomes more familiar with a person.”
“I don’t know if I can like someone who hurt you,” Sandwich said.
“It’s not his fault,” I said. “You can’t make yourself love someone. If I were a little older, perhaps he would have been able to see me that way. Six years is a lot.”
“Not really,” Saffron said. “When you’re ten and he’s sixteen, but not now.”
“Will you welcome him?” I asked.
“Of course we will,” Sandwich said. “If he’s your friend, then he’s ours too.”
The night had cooled, and we went inside to join the others. I’d learned more than my share that night. I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave so I could think about it all and then write to Cym. Reynaldo and Saffron were not in love with each other because they preferred their own gender. Sandwich had come over as someone’s mistress.
What would Cym think? Would she be surprised? Or would she say something about how sheltered we’d been? What would Li think of my new friends?
James gave me a big smile and held out his hand. I took it briefly and gave it a squeeze. Was James like Reynaldo? Is that why he didn’t like me? Is that why I felt nothing with him? I didn’t think so. He and I were just not meant to fall in love with each other.
Paris culture was unfolding before me. This city and her people were like a complicated woman who bit by bit revealed herself to me, much like my new friends. To my surprise, it wasn’t taking me long to acclimate to a new, more progressive way of thinking. Would I be changed forever?