“The honor has been all ours,” Josephine says. “We’ve all reduced our six degrees of separation to President Dominique Laroche to just the one.”

I’m glad I’m not the only Laroche fan girl.

“She is a true modern-day feminist icon,” Caitlin says. “If we all come to Paris one day, can you hook us up?”

My mind gets too caught up in the thought of actually going to Paris to see Camille to focus much on the Laroche part. If I were to go, I wouldn’t give up a second of my time to spend it with even the most feminist president in the world.

“I can’t make any promises, but I could try.” Camille is such a tease.

“That’s settled then. We’re booking our flights tomorrow,” Caitlin says. “Zoya must have been creaming her panties ever since you told her about your connection.”

I expel a mock sigh and send her a shut-up-already look.

“I think it might be just as interesting to sit down and have a chat with her partner,” Josephine says.

Caitlin glances at her and smiles. “The younger partner of a powerful woman. You must be able to identify.”

“As far as degrees of power go, honey, you have some catching up to do.” She blows Caitlin a kiss.

“True, but it doesn’t stop me from thinking,” Caitlin muses. “There must be someone in this country we can back. Some feminist hopeful who will finally, just for starters, have the balls to make same-sex marriage happen. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

“Politics is at least half ego,” Camille says. “You need it to stand for office, to take a swing at grabbing that kind of power. I know many politicians and I can count the truly humble ones on the fingers of half a hand. Even Dominique is not exempt from that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of ego,” I say. “As long as you don’t surround yourself with yay-sayers and you don’t crave perpetual boosting of it.”

“That’s why Zoya and I are such good friends. When she needs taking down a peg, she calls me.” Caitlin raises her almost-empty glass in my direction. “I always take care of her.”

Camille turns to me. “For a celebrity, you have very few airs and graces.”

“My show doesn’t exactly draw huge ratings. I’m mostly well-known among a crowd who wouldn’t be caught dead taking a selfie or asking for an autograph.”

“Hey,” Josephine says, “there’s absolutely nothing wrong with respectfully asking for someone’s autograph.”

“Regardless of that.” Camille doesn’t know all the details of Caitlin and Josephine’s story and keeps her focus on me. “You appear on television on a weekly basis. For quite a few people that’s enough of an excuse to behave obnoxiously.”