Chapter 5

Through eyes blurred with sudden tears, Elaine looked around the plaza. Well, she'd taken the trip! She was in Union Square, in San Francisco. And, damn it, she was enjoying it.

She fumbled clumsily for a much-needed cigarette, and she dropped her handbag. The contents spilled out over the ground. Elaine knelt hastily to collect them... a change purse, her lighter, two lipsticks, her compact, a comb...

"Is this yours?"

The voice came from above Elaine's head. She looked up, squinting against the sunlight. A young man stood beside her, holding a silver dollar in his out stretched hand. He was tall and he wore dark glasses. He spoke with a marked accent.

"Why, yes. Thank you." Elaine straightened up and took the coin. It was the one she always carried, her lucky dollar. Flustered, she began putting her belongings back into her bag. As she dropped her compact into place, she felt a tear roll down her cheek. Another followed it. She was angry at having made a fool of herself.

The voice spoke again, warm with sympathy.

"Please. You are crying. You must sit down. Let me order you a coffee."

It was a relief to do as she was told. Elaine sat down. The young man sat down opposite her. He snapped his fingers at a waiter and within seconds a large black coffee appeared on the table. She drank it gratefully.

"Please, I wish to present myself. My name is Nino."

Elaine looked at him. She recognized him as one of the boys who had been sitting a few tables away from her. She glanced around. The other young man had disappeared.

"I'm Elaine," she said. "Elaine Craig."

"I'm glad to meet you," the handsome youth said. He removed his sunglasses. Dark, serious eyes looked into her face. "I hope you feel better now?"

"Yes, thank you, much better. It was kind of you to help me. I don't know what...

Her voice trailed away on the lie as she neglected to complete the sentence. She had no intention of explaining what had happened to her.

Nino smiled his understanding. Elaine considered his face thoughtfully. She found it interesting. It was not merely that he was handsome; he had exceptionally fine bone structure. She imagined him to be a highly sensitive person. She wondered if he came from one of those very old, aristocratic families one heard about.

"Is this your first visit to San Francisco?" Nino asked.

"Yes."

"Are you staying long?"

Elaine paused for a moment. The boy's eyes watched her carefully as he waited for her reply. Finally, she said: "Why, yes. I hope so."

Nino did not answer. He simply sat in the sun and smiled...