Chapter 9
Walking down the streets of New York City, a tall, slim blonde and an equally gorgeous brunette laughed and gossiped until they came upon a squat apartment building. Charlotte couldn't help but notice that Stacey seemed so sure of herself, so sophisticated. . .she seemed to fit perfectly in with the whole city scene. Charlotte herself felt quite small and insignificant.
As Stacey ascended the narrow staircase, Charlotte told her this. Stacey smiled. "What can I say? I'm a native New Yorker. . I always knew I'd come back here someday."
Watching Stacey unlock the door to her apartment, Charlotte remarked, "It must be a big change, teaching in a New York City school after being used to tiny Stoneybrook."
Stacey laughed at this, flinging the door wide open and throwing her ankle-length leather coat over the coatrack as she stepped inside. Charlotte took in the small apartment, her eyes wide with amazement. "Wow, Stacey, I love it!"
"Thanks," Stacey's voice came, muffled, from the kitchen. "A lot of the artwork I have comes from my friends in New York, the Walkers. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be able to afford any." A giggle escaped her lips, and she reappeared in the foyer, with an open bag of rice cakes and two diet Pepsis. "Hungry?"
Charlotte obligingly took a can and popped it open as Stacey paused thoughtfully, and then asked, "What in the world brought you to New York City, Char?"
Charlotte smiled and set her can down on a cluttered end table. "Well, I wanted a change of scenery. . .but I am not staying long, probably only a couple of months. I wanted to get to see the city before I settle down and get married. . .I don't think Byron and I will be moving far from Stoneybrook. . .you know, the money. . " The smile suddenly dulled, but remained on her face.
"Aw, Char. . " Stacey began, before the jangling of the telephone interrupted her. She smiled sweetly as she stretched to reach the phone, saying, "I'm sure this will only take a minute. . ."
"Hello?" Stacey asked. Her eyes glanced to Charlotte, who was listening intently. "What? This is. . . Oh my lord!" squealed Stacey. "I can't believe it! I was just thinking about. . .yes! How are you?"
Charlotte's stare grew unbearably curious. Stacey looked at Charlotte as if she hadn't seen her sitting there all this time, listening to the receiver. "Charlotte's here! This is so weird, I just met up with Char today, she's going to be a student teacher here. . .for science!. . .Yes! I'm a teacher. . .math, of course. . ." Stacey giggled again, and shot Charlotte a Look. Charlotte settled in; she knew she would be there for awhile. . .
Walking down the streets of New York City, a tall, slim blonde and an equally gorgeous brunette laughed and gossiped until they came upon a squat apartment building. Charlotte couldn't help but notice that Stacey seemed so sure of herself, so sophisticated. . .she seemed to fit perfectly in with the whole city scene. Charlotte herself felt quite small and insignificant.
As Stacey ascended the narrow staircase, Charlotte told her this. Stacey smiled. "What can I say? I'm a native New Yorker. . I always knew I'd come back here someday."
Watching Stacey unlock the door to her apartment, Charlotte remarked, "It must be a big change, teaching in a New York City school after being used to tiny Stoneybrook."
Stacey laughed at this, flinging the door wide open and throwing her ankle-length leather coat over the coatrack as she stepped inside. Charlotte took in the small apartment, her eyes wide with amazement. "Wow, Stacey, I love it!"
"Thanks," Stacey's voice came, muffled, from the kitchen. "A lot of the artwork I have comes from my friends in New York, the Walkers. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be able to afford any." A giggle escaped her lips, and she reappeared in the foyer, with an open bag of rice cakes and two diet Pepsis. "Hungry?"
Charlotte obligingly took a can and popped it open as Stacey paused thoughtfully, and then asked, "What in the world brought you to New York City, Char?"
Charlotte smiled and set her can down on a cluttered end table. "Well, I wanted a change of scenery. . .but I am not staying long, probably only a couple of months. I wanted to get to see the city before I settle down and get married. . .I don't think Byron and I will be moving far from Stoneybrook. . .you know, the money. . " The smile suddenly dulled, but remained on her face.
"Aw, Char. . " Stacey began, before the jangling of the telephone interrupted her. She smiled sweetly as she stretched to reach the phone, saying, "I'm sure this will only take a minute. . ."
"Hello?" Stacey asked. Her eyes glanced to Charlotte, who was listening intently. "What? This is. . . Oh my lord!" squealed Stacey. "I can't believe it! I was just thinking about. . .yes! How are you?"
Charlotte's stare grew unbearably curious. Stacey looked at Charlotte as if she hadn't seen her sitting there all this time, listening to the receiver. "Charlotte's here! This is so weird, I just met up with Char today, she's going to be a student teacher here. . .for science!. . .Yes! I'm a teacher. . .math, of course. . ." Stacey giggled again, and shot Charlotte a Look. Charlotte settled in; she knew she would be there for awhile. . .