Are You Two Together?

We went reluctantly to publishing parties. We either arrived together or met there, one of us waiting outside smoking until the other showed up before venturing in to where the people I thought of as grown-ups were talking knowledgeably about I knew not what. Once inside, we stuck close. One night we were introduced to a large woman sitting in a comfortable chair holding court, like an amiable spider.

“Are you two together?” she asked. I shook my head.

“No, but we gave it some thought, didn’t we?” said Chuck, which surprised me.

“I’m his mother,” I said.