25
Nora and Carli took the F Train to West Fourth Street and started wandering around the West Village on foot, ending up near the arch in Washington Square Park.
"So, are you looking forward to being back out west?"
"I'm looking forward to being in school and having all of you guys back in my life. And I'm really looking forward to having a little sister."
"Yeah, Penelope is looking forward to having a big sister. She asks about you all the time. You should email her."
"She reads and writes?"
"Yeah, for almost a year now. But if spellcheck is on it can get pretty messy. Her emails start reading like wacky poetry."
"Nora, I was hoping to run something by you."
"Sure."
"I want to get things started up at school and I'm not sure what my workload will be but I kind of have a project in mind that involves you."
"Me?"
"I want to make a film about Manny's and the girls that work there, that worked there."
"Really? Why?"
"Because it's interesting. You guys have always been a touch of class in an ocean of sleaze. A family. I don't know how mom would have ended up if she didn't dance there. She sure never would have met Sheldon. And the girls at Manny's pretty much raised me. I figure there's a bunch of stories there."
"You really need to talk to your mother about this."
"Nora, I want to be a filmmaker. It would be a cool film."
"Your mom has some strong feelings about you being there."
"I'm not three years old any more. No one can take me away from her. And I know what goes on there. It's not like I want to go in and start stripping."
"Yeah. That is not going to happen."
"Besides, it gives us a chance to bring all the girls that left back all at once. Maybe even do a special show. I would really like to see you and my mom up on the stage."
"Yeah. There's another thing that isn't going to happen."
"C'mon, Nora. At least let me start doing the research and do some background interviews out there. I promise I won't even try to get you and my mom on stage. Yet."
"Fine. You can do some background and speak to some of the girls. But I get to give you a final go/no go on it."
"Sure."
"And if I say no, you drop it."
"I'll drop it."
"Forever."
"Forever's a long time."
"Forever."
"Okay."
"So I have an idea for a framing sequence."
"Yeah?"
"I want you to teach me a routine."
"You said you wouldn't be stripping."
"I won't be. I want you to teach me about the movement and how you interact with the audience."
"I guess I could do that."
"And if you want to strip I wouldn't have a problem with that."
"Kiddo, you're beginning to remind me of someone and I'm not so sure I like it."
"Yeah, then I'm going to remind you that you've pretty much slept with my entire family."
"Carli!"