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“Yeah, it’s the theory that most people are about six connections away from each other. In layman’s terms, it’s a small world.”

“How is everything? Would you like any coffee, dessert, or doggy bags?” Chancellor asked as he brought two full glasses of peach lemonade and an Arnold Palmer.

“Everything is good, Chance. I don’t need anything extra. Do you want anything else?” Dante asked Myla.

She had eaten her entire bowl of grits, seafood medley, and all four of the complimentary cheddar cheese biscuits that Chance brought.

“I am beyond good. You can bring the check whenever you’re ready,” Myla said. She was so full that she could barely see. Eating anything else would be gluttonous.

“Ok, here you go. Whenever you’re ready, the ticket can be paid for with the cashier at the exit. Ma’am, it was nice meeting you. I brought more complimentary biscuits. And Mr. Dante, it was nice seeing you again,” Chancellor said before leaving the table.

“I really like him.”

Dante ignored the comment about Chancellor and focused on the real question he wanted an answer to. “What does six degrees of separation have to do with today?”

“If you hadn’t brought me here, I probably would’ve never come here. But because you did. I encountered a blast from the past. I never met Eli or Lila, but I met Aaron about four years ago. Aaron used to be my ex’s barber. He was also the man having sex with him the day I arrived home early. With them having an orgy, I could only assume that he was probably giving my dad some dick too.”

Dante’s mind was blown. He had known Aaron for many years. He knew that he cheated frequently on his wife with women but never guessed that he was into men.

“You know what, let’s get out of here before I run into more people,” Dante said as he stood, grabbed the black payment folder, Myla’s hand, and walked to the exit. Opening the binder, he handed the cashier his receipt and watched as the $47.63 total flashed on the POS System.

Myla’s head tilted in surprise at the sight of Dante pulling out an AMEX Centurion to tap on the payment system. She had never encountered anyone who possessed a Black Card. Though she lived among the elite, they were practical. They couldn’t see the benefit of paying a $10,000 membership fee and $5,000 annual fee to own a card.

BUZZ! BUZZ!

The harsh buzzing sound pulled Myla out of her thoughts. Her jaw hit the floor when the cashier spoke.

“I’m sorry, sir. Your card declined.”

“Declined?!” Dante repeated the word as if he had never heard such a term before.

“Yes, sir. The transaction declined. Sometimes the tap malfunctions. You can try placing the chip in the chip reader and see if that works,” the cashier offered as an alternative option. She was doing her best to remain polite. But the way he was glaring at her made her slightly uneasy.

Placing the card in the terminal, Dante waited to hear the approved ding. Instead, he heard the tell-tale buzzing sound. It let him know that the card had declined again.

“What is going on with this machine? This is a Black Card. I don’t have a limit on this card. It shouldn’t decline for a transaction that’s less than $50.00,” Dante spoke calmly, but Myla could hear the irritation in his slightly raised tone.

“Excuse me. What seems to be the problem here?” Sunny asked as she approached the checkout counter.

I guess she is the owner, Myla thought as she watched Sunny step behind the checkout counter.

“The problem is my card has declined twice. There is no spending limit, so I’m confused about why the transaction won’t go through.”

“What type of card is it?” Sunny asked. Her face was devoid of the cheerful smile that she wore when she approached the hostess stand.

“It’s a Black Card.”

“An American Express Black Card?” Sunny asked.

“How many other black cards do you know of?” Dante asked snidely.

“As far as high-net-worth, there is the Mastercard Black Card and the Coutts World Silk Card. For this transaction, which Black Card did you use?”

Sunny’s expression was deadpan. No emotion covered her face. The lack of mobility made her appear catatonic.

“American Express,” Dante answered.

“Per the signage on the entrance, the hostess stand, the small plaques on each table, and the sign directly beside your hand, this restaurant does not accept American Express or the Discover Card because the transaction fees are extremely high.”