They stared at each other.

“Yeah,” said Laura, “I see your problem.”

“Right?” Polly sighed. “Like I said, cool customer.”

Inside the store Laura could see a short line had formed at the register and pointed it out to Polly.

“Gotta go,” Polly said. “See you later. Dinner?”

Laura nodded. “Will you tell Maggie? I forgot to get her number.”

“I’ll text it to you. She wants only first-person dinner reservations, it’s one of her rules.” Polly went in, then turned around and said, “Try and think of a good plan to thwart the dognapper.”

Laura nodded. “I’m not sure ‘dognapper’ is the right term, he only gave her a warmer welcome.”

Polly narrowed her eyes. “Remember who brought you in, Laura. Love the one you’re with.”

Laura grinned and nodded, waving as she turned to head home.

•   •   •

Polly hurried back into the store and smiled at Nina. “Sorry, I got chatting.”

“Nooo,” said Nina quietly. “How unusual, you’re normally such a Trappist.” She helped another customer, handing them their book and adding, “Although, you know, Trappists don’t literally take a vow of silence, they simply maintain a pretty radical silence, generally speaking.”

“Radical Silence is an excellent band name,” said Polly. “I think the new girl fancies Bob.”

Nina frowned. “Everyone fancies Bob, he’s empirically fanciable. Doesn’t mean she actually wants to, you know, date him.”

Polly shrugged. “I’m going to stick my nose in.”

“Don’t do it,” warned Nina. “It never works the way you want it to.”

“I won’t do anything drastic,” said Polly, ringing up a customer who was buying a romance novel and drinking in this conversation.

“Pol, don’t stickybeak. Remember what happened in Ventura.”

The customer leaned forward, her eyes wide. “What happened in Ventura?”

Polly shook her head. “My lips are sealed.”

“Yeah,” muttered Nina. “By court order.”

They fell silent until the customer left, and then Nina turned to Polly and fastened her with a firm stare. “Polly, you don’t know Bob very well, and you don’t know Laura at all. Stay out of it.”

Polly sighed, and perched on the counter. “Nina, I am not a super-educated person, as you know.” She held up her hand to interrupt Nina’s immediate contradiction. “Dude, I didn’t go to college, it’s OK, I didn’t want to, I’m happy I didn’t, and I’ve never regretted it for a second.” She pointed a finger. “Don’t get brainwashed by the hegemony, Nina. Not going to college doesn’t make you an idiot, and going to college makes you a debt-burdened lemming. Think for yourself!”

Nina didn’t have an immediate comeback to this, as she hadn’t been expecting that turn to the conversation.