Bleecker Street was often covered in lights anyway, but at this time of year they were festive rather than just funky. She checked her watch and stopped by her usually deli, a Korean place on the corner of Tenth and Waverly, for a cup of coffee. Warming her hands around the hot cardboard cup, she held it to her face, letting the steam rise. Even though she had been working at the vintage store for almost four years, she could still not get the journey to work down pat. She was always late, despite the short walk from her place via Danny’s school only a few blocks away. As she quickened her pace, she stole a look at some of the other store windows and paused for a moment in front of Encore, The Secret Closet’s main competition. Encore had some hot pepper lights around the window frame and a display of handbags in muted leathers and plaids. A mannequin wearing full-on fifties evening dress stood in one corner of the window, and another wearing a motorcycle jacket and jeans à la James Dean crouched in another.
