These Dreams of You

~ ~ ~

The weather outside has cleared and Zan suggests a walk. The four circle the small park across the street from the hotel, which is part of a crescent of small hotels. “It’s hard getting them out of the room,” Zan explains to Molly; they all sit on a bench, Parker and Sheba fighting over a Game Boy. Zan says, “Let’s do this. I’m taking the children with me to the university tomorrow. James is going with us. Why don’t you come as well? See how it goes.”

“She’s going through your purse,” Parker says to Molly about Sheba. Molly ignores it. “James?” she says to Zan.

“Sorry,” Zan scoffs, “Mister J. Willkie Brown, as he prefers the world to know him. Of course I’ll pay you for the time. What’s your rate?”

“What do you think is fair?” she says.

He tries to calculate currency exchange. “Ten pounds an hour?” It’s more than he can afford — these days anything is more than he can afford — but he doesn’t want to be the foreigner exploiting a black woman in her country, or more her country than his, anyway.