Prima pushes her forked tongue to the roof of her mouth, front teeth showing. The small hiss begins. Her neck starts to flare. Her hood is slowly beginning to fill.

“We are the ones who have taught you not to shop in shopping malls!” Prima reminds Quarta. “You have a purpose in this group. Your purpose is to be our ethnic content, and you’ve done that very well. We’ve kept your brown skin and eyes around so we don’t appear racist. It’s politically responsible and now . . . look at you, thinking that you’re somebody. Know your place!”

Quarta leans back and breaks into a chilling laugh. “You old patqut! Is that your forked tongue edging to the front of your mouth? Aren’t forked tongues something that only Native people have?” Her laughter makes her cellulite tap dance up and down her big belly, causing her breasts to shake like polka dots spinning out of control on cheap fabric.

Prima strikes first. She darts her finger toward Quarta’s eyes. She means for it to stop a fraction of an inch from her face, but she accidently hits a wine glass. Deftly, she flicks out her other hand to catch it, but with her attention split between the glass and her finger, the rock on her finger scrapes Quarta’s cheekbone. It draws blood.

To JJ’s surprise, Quarta fights back. She grips Prima’s right palm, giving Prima’s hand a sharp twist. The quick crackle of a green bean pops into the air. Prima’s baby finger is pointed to the inside of her lifeline. Brittle bones are easy to manipulate. Osteoporosis has friends.

JJ feels a rush of adrenaline. He feels young. Their antics excite him.

Quarta takes out what looks like an EpiPen. She grins as she leans over to Prima and says in a sultry voice that hides the poison contained in her words, “Antivenom. Never leave home without it, especially when any of us are in your company, Prima.”

Prima smiles back icily.

The quiver is quivering. They’ve never seen such a spectacle. They had entered the group knowing that Prima was the leader. Knowing that there were certain rules and expectations. They never thought that there would be an uprising. They are waiting for Quarta to bite the leader. Waiting for the change in power. Savagery arrives in many forms. They never thought it would be physical. Their wine glasses remain untouched on the table.

“He’s mine!” Quarta says as she stabs the top of her left thigh. She leans back, waiting for JJ’s return and the victory that she feels will almost certainly be hers.

But JJ sees something else. He can see Prima rising from her seat. She knows Quarta has overplayed her hand and has relaxed too soon. The insurrection is over, even if Quarta hasn’t seen it yet. He sinks into the shadows as Prima gushes past him.