table and said, "I've been watching you draw." He was
important about it, as though he were a well-known judge of drawing.

"Yes," she said.

"Hobby? Or are you a student or a professional or something?"

"Hobby," she said and went back to work. The judge bent over her table.

"Nice," he said.

Rhiannon said nothing, and he retreated. Joe avoided her eyes. He could
feel her glance, and he was starting to grin.

One morning she asked for the bathroom key. The gal behind the counter
tossed the key toward the bathroom door. It was attached to a large key
ring and crashed loudly on the floor. "One of your most valued
customers," Rhiannon protested, bending over for the key. When she
emerged from the bathroom, she drew herself up to her full five foot
three and threw the key back on the floor. Joe couldn't help
laughing--she was so intense and funny about it.

She had said "Her mother had a place," so he guessed that her father
wasn't around. Her parents were probably divorced, maybe not so long
ago. She was too self possessed not to have been well loved as a child.

On the day of Mo's business opening, Rhiannon announced that she had
the afternoon off. Joe had the invitation to the opening in his
shoulder bag and showed it to her. "She's a terrific photographer," he
said. "Want to go?"

Rhiannon looked down at her black cotton pants and touched her T-shirt.
"I'll have to change."

"It's not until four o'clock. She's a working gal; it won't be fancy."
Rhiannon looked at him as though he were retarded and agreed to meet
him there at four-thirty. Later, Joe went home and changed into one of
his better aloha shirts. He waited for Rhiannon at the bus stop nearest
to Mo's, but she surprised him by getting out of a Charley's cab in
front of the door.

"Yo, Rhiannon." He trotted up. "I thought you might come on the bus.
God, you look great." She was wearing white linen slacks, huaraches,
and a close fitting top with three quarter sleeves and a high neckline.
The top was silk, purple with subtle golds and browns. Flat, black,
oblong earrings hung partially obscured by her hair. Lip gloss and
touches of eye shadow sent the "I know how" message. "You should be
standing in a gondola, holding flowers," Joe said.

"Thank you."

They walked into the store and were greeted immediately by Mo. She gave
Joe a quick hug, saying, "How nice of you to come." She stepped back
and he introduced Rhiannon. Mo's eyebrows lifted as she