17 Shambling through the first floor of the rooming house and clapping off lamps, Mrs. Christiansen encountered a pensive Natalie at the kitchen table, one hand supporting her head as the other fetched popcorn from a salad bowl. The girl wore red satin pajamas that did not do enough, Marvyl thought, to defeat her female features, but she could just hear Iona hissing Oh for gosh sakes it’s the fashion these days, so she let it go. She said, “I guess it’s awfully hard to sleep with so much going on.” Mademoiselle Clairvaux glanced up and forced a smile. “Yes. I have much on my mind.” “Well, you leave the food preparations to Opal and me.” Mrs. Christiansen pulled out a kitchen chair and heavily sat, with an “Oof.” She chose and rejected popcorn kernels until she found one just right. She munched with delicacy and asked, “Anything else we can do, dear?” Natalie told her, “I was flirting just to make him jealous. And now Carlo says he’s flirting, too, and I have no idea if he means it or not.
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