“Emile has a girlfriend or admirer?” Vernicia asked when Julietta ended the call from Emile. “What did he say?” she asked with her eyes stretched so wide that she looked ridiculous.

“He has apparently met a girl whom he wants to present to us as soon as possible,” Julietta responded.

“I thought that he was only ever going to observe romance from the outside,” Vernicia remarked. “But then again, maybe it’s his cousin from out of town.”

“No, he ...