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2
Ahalf hourlater she stood on Amy’s stoop, the sound of her friends laughing and talking seeping out of the house when the door was opened by Moira, Amy’swife.
The sound of their camaraderie brought a smile to Nina’s lips. She hadn’t realized how isolated she’d been in the suburbs until she’d moved to the city and been taken into their fold. Now she couldn’t imagine her life with their support, commiseration, andhumor.
“Hey, you!” Moira leaned in to give Nina a hug. Her blond hair was piled on top of her head, her tall slender body wrapped in a catsuit and topped with a long kimono-style robe. She was the polar opposite of Amy, a ruthless investment banker who managed several young traders, but somehow the pairingworked.
Nina stepped into the foyer. “Hey, sorry I’mlate.”
“There is no late for these things, you know that." Moira led her into the living room that adjoined the gourmet kitchen she used to experiment with recipes for the restaurant where she was head chef. “It’s come as you are and come when youcan.”
“That’s what she said!” Karen shouted from the kitchen. A round of laughter erupted from around the island where everyone was standing, wine glasses in hand. Karen came around to kiss Nina’s cheek and hand her a glass of wine. She looked perfect, as usual, her red hair falling in perfectly blown out waves around her meticulously made-up face. “Finally! Now we caneat!”
Nina set down the flourless chocolate cake she’d bought from The Chocolate Room for the occasion. “I didn’t have time to make anything.Sorry.”
“Poor thing,” Robin said, her smile sympathetic. “Is there anything we can do tohelp?”
Nina loved all of her friends, but she had a special kind of admiration for Robin, who spent part of every year traveling with an NGO whose primary work was educating the citizens of third world countries about hygiene and providing access to clean water. Robin maintained a tiny apartment in Soho when she was in the city and at various times had a handful of lovers all over the world. She was the group’s voice of reason, of wholehearted support, ofadventure.
“I think I’m good,” Nina said. “I called the caterer on the way here and it sounds like everything’s all set for the food, and I took a last look at the layout before I left thegallery.”
“I’m sure it’s going to be lovely,” Robin said. “I can’t wait to seeit.”
Nina scanned the cheese plate on the island and reached for a piece of gruyere. “You guys really don’t have to come. It’s just a workthing.”
Karen scowled. “No, it’s not. It’s your work thing, and we know how much it means to you. Besides, I miss browsing. Doug has a curator who sends him pictures when she thinks Doug would be interested in apiece.”
“Fancy,” Amy said, setting a stack of bowls and salad plates on the island. She obviously hadn’t had time to change since she got home from work: her feet were bare, but she still wore the tailored trousers and silk blouse that was one version of her workuniform.
Karen sighed. “He is kind of fancy.” She lifted her eyebrows. “Among otherthings.”
After years of fly-by-night relationships with fly-by-night men and years professing that was how she liked it, it seemed Karen had finally met a compelling match in Douglas Shaw, a wealthy real estate developer. Unlike many of Karen’s former lovers, Doug wasn’t younger than Karen, but five yearsolder.
“Still with the lovesick sigh,” Robin saidapprovingly.
“I know,” Karen said. “I can’t believe it. It’s been three months and I’m not even close to being bored. And you know what’s crazy? He doesn’t seem boredeither.”
Moira set a steaming pot of soup on the island. “Are you kidding? It would be more crazy if he werebored.”
Karen laughed. “You’re sweet, but that’s like having your mom tell you you’repretty.”
“Let’s eat here,” Amy suggested. “It’ll be easier with thesoup.”
They circled the island and filled their bowls with a creamy orange soup Moira identified as Thai Carrot Sweet Potato, piling their plates with a cucumber pear salad brought by Karen and crumbly rosemary olive oil bread made byRobin.
Nina settled onto one of the stools at the island and bent to smell the steam rising off the soup. “This smellsamazing.”
“It’s something I’m experimenting with for the restaurant,” Moira said. “You’ll have to let me know what youthink.”
“She’s been cooking up a storm,” Amy said. “Says it helps with the babystress.”
“No bun in the oven yet?” Karen asked, taking a sip of her soup. “My god, this isfantastic.”
Moira smiled. “Thanks. Do you taste the almondbutter?”
“Just a little,” Karen said. “It’s an accent. It’sperfect.”
Moira nodded and Nina had the sense that she was making mental notes. “To answer your question, no bun in the oven thistime.”
