EVERY SINGLE SLINKY lady in the club, plus all the waitresses, kept “accidently” bumping against the back of Cassidy’s chair on the way to the washroom or wherever. It’s a burden being with a fella who’s prettier than you are. Cassidy seemed oblivious to all of them. I tried my best to be polite and ask him questions about himself, but he kept waving me off. “You seem upset, Toni. What’s happened?” He kept asking and encouraging me until I told him all about the Noronic.
Cassidy reached over and put his hand on mine as he listened. I loved it when he did that. It felt tingly but safe, comforting and thrilling, all at the same time. It also had the bonus effect of stopping all the accidental bumping into his chair.
“Tell me about your people here, Toni. Surely you have people keeping an eye on you, watching out for you?”
“Oh no, not at all! I mean, they’re great, and they’ve helped me out, but they’re not kin or like the Seven. I only got to Toronto in June, after all.” But that didn’t feel quite right either. So I launched into a peppy description of my generous landlady, the patient professor and the resourceful Mr. Kenyatta. I got up a real head of steam on the swell people in my life.
“And you think Big Bob is all tough as nails, but he’s been such a pussycat, and Mr. Goldman has been unbelievably sweet, and he got me onto the Scarlet Sue thing. But they’re not family, and it’s not like at the orphanage,” I repeated. “They can’t be expected to keep tabs on me. I never in a million years thought I’d miss that.”
Cassidy raised an eyebrow. “And how about Goldman’s kid?”
“Ethan?” When was the last time we’d talked or he was even near me? It struck me that I missed him being near, the feeling I got…“We’re barely friends.”
Cassidy squeezed my hand. “I’m glad.”
My heart stopped at the hand squeeze and needed a moment to start up again. “So yeah, I’m alone and all, but I’ve met many fine-quality people straight off the bus.” I didn’t want him to feel sorry for me, after all. “Toronto is a wonderful city, full of helpful and truly kind people.” Okay, I’d gone from being down in the dumps to doing a happy dance in three sentences. Even I was having trouble keeping up with myself.
Thank God I was interrupted when the nice blind man, Mr. Marcetti, appeared at our table. Cassidy jumped to his feet. “Mr. Marcetti, please join us.” He pulled out a chair, which was really thoughtful given Mr. Marcetti’s condition.
“Just for a moment.” He looked right at me. “Ah, the beautiful Toni.” The man was amazing. “What have the two of you been discussing so intently?”
Cassidy looked away. He seemed to be concentrating on the empty stage. “Well, sir, we were just reviewing Toni’s current situation and her lack of connections in the city. Sadly”—and here Cassidy actually did look sad—“sadly, our Toni has made no progress in hunting down any links to her father or mother.”
Our Toni?
Cassidy began fiddling with the little plastic spoon that came with his espresso.
“Ah. I’m genuinely sorry to hear that, but perhaps this will cheer you up,” Mr. Marcetti said. “I believe I mentioned my parties to you the last time we met?”
I nodded eagerly, until I remembered that the poor man was blind. “Oh yes, sir. You did, sir.”
“Well, some of my guests would certainly be of your parents’ vintage, and they are powerful people who knew the lay of the land in the old days.” He smiled in Cassidy’s direction. “Perhaps one of my guests would be able to help with your search. I’m having a special party next Sunday night.”
Snap! The little spoon that Cassidy was holding broke in two. He turned to Mr. Marcetti. “I’m not sure that Toni is in the right frame of mind for a—”
“I’d love to go! Can we go, Cassidy? Please? Maybe someone will know something.”
Mr. Marcetti turned to Cassidy. “It seems your young friend would be delighted to attend.”
“Then I would be delighted to escort her, sir.”
Why weren’t we all happy here?
“Excellent. I look forward to seeing the both of you.” Mr. Marcetti got out of his chair and flawlessly made his way to another table. He joined a group of men who were all smoking and discussing something with a fair amount of intensity. Each wore sunglasses. Was it a special outing of some kind?
“I know I’ve said it before, but Mr. Marcetti is absolutely—”
“Toni, he’s not blind.”
“He’s not?”
Cassidy sank deeper into his chair and shook his head.
“And those other gentlemen with the black sunglasses are not…?”
More head shaking.
“But why would they wear…?”
“It’s a look some men, some businessmen…it’s time to go.”
He was angry.
I didn’t blame him. It would be embarrassing to be at a swell, sophisticated club like this with a girl who was too stupid to breathe. I went rigid trying to remember all the dumb things I must have said to Mr. Marcetti.
“You don’t want to take me to the party. Are you annoyed with me?” I asked as he pulled out my chair. “I wouldn’t blame you. I annoy a lot of people.”
“Annoyed with you?” He looked puzzled. “No, Toni, I’m not annoyed with you, not at all.”
He took my arm as we headed down the stairs, and my heart soared. “Can we still go to the party?”
He turned to me in the gloom of the stairwell. “Sure, Toni. Yeah, we’ll go to the party.”
I wanted to jump up and kiss him, but since he hadn’t kissed me yet, that would have been unseemly and patently overeager, even for me. What would Sara advise? She was the only one of us who’d had a real live boyfriend. I settled for trying to sigh prettily. “I don’t see any taxis.”
“Well then.” He smiled. “I’m going to have to walk you home tonight.”
There was still something wrong, but as long as it wasn’t me, I didn’t much care. A car rolled by with a Beatles song blaring out of its radio. “She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah…” It was almost embarrassing. I tried to look away, but Cassidy winked and put his arm around me again. I would definitely have to tell Grady all about him. At some point.
The streets were deserted. I had a thousand questions about the party, but I used all my willpower to keep my mouth shut. He, too, was quiet, lost in thought. It was like we had the city all to ourselves. Every so often Cassidy would stroke or squeeze my arm, but every so often he would also shake his head and sigh. Just a little. I didn’t think he even knew he was doing it.
Steam rose up off the sidewalks and disappeared above the fogged streetlamps. It had rained while we were in the club, but it was still hot. We walked through the smell of warm, wet tar, accompanied by the fading sounds of cars whooshing through puddles on faraway streets. I vowed to remember every single detail. They would be the sounds and scents that I would always associate with this night, this city and the sad, handsome man who had his arm around me.