Returning to my temporary home, I allocate the afternoon to choosing my top three options and filling out the forms. By working this second job, I should be able to manage financially. It will require a slight adjustment for Blaine and me, the shifts ending at midnight. Tonight I can make our standing date. I strip, cover my naked body with the white cotton robe, slip on my flip-flops, and return to Blaine’s backyard, using my key to open the gate. A small brown moth navigates the night breeze, her wings fluttering. She’s not as brightly colored or as flashy as the butterflies I see in the daytime. Her beauty is subtle, refined. The tang of cigar smoke teases my nostrils and my heart skips a beat. Blaine is here, waiting, watching. I walk faster, moving toward the pool, struggling to contain my excitement. The water ripples, lapping against the pool’s stone sides. A click sounds and a light turns on, illuminating Blaine.
