"Yes."

"A drink, but of something a little more substantial than water. Maybe an ice-cold beer, huh?"

Steve couldn't believe this either.

"A beer? Where?"

"Across the street. In the cafe. They have a back room where."

"Where they leave you alone, right?" He was shocked that he'd said this.

She laughed softly. "Yes, but I'm sure that if we sort of sat in the shadows and attracted the attention of a waiter swiftly, we could have two ice-cold beers."

Steve's heart swelled up inside his breast. All the time he'd been sitting there being bored to death with this stupid, dumb, boring Puccini opera, he'd wanted a beer so badly he could taste it. He'd also wanted to steal off and smoke a cigarette, but how he'd manage to accomplish that, he'd had no idea.

Melissa took his hand and they stood together. She was slightly taller than him. Steve could smell her delicious perfume. It was intoxicating. He also loved the feel of her fingers holding his hand. She would exert certain pressures that were reassuring to the boy. She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back. They shared another smile. Steve was beginning to like Melissa.

"Let's go," she said, grabbing for her purse. "And you bring the camera, okay?"

He looked at her. His eyes had a puzzled expression. "The camera?"

"Yes, we don't want to leave it here, though it's safe enough."

"But… aren't we coming back for the rest of the opera?"

"Are you kidding?"

This made him giggle. He couldn't imagine a woman like Mrs. Melissa Staunton with all her money and elegance, her charm, her age, her social position, saying, "Are you kidding?" It was incredible!

Hand in hand, they went out of the lodge, parting the heavy velvet curtains, then passing through the great door out into the corridor, which led to the grand staircase, which in turn led to the entrance of the fabled building.