The group giggles, but it sounds more like hissing. Steam escaping under pressure. Stress release. Quarta, they already know, is far from being above any of them. After all, she rents her condo. She was allowed into the group as a reminder of what they each once were. Poor and alone. Someone who sat on the outside of life. Someone who was picked last for everything in school, and even though Quarta married well, her skin colour keeps her on the edge of the circle.

Quarta knows that, but it doesn’t bother her. Not anymore. It is what she lives every day of her life. Her skin sets her aside. Makes her different. It bothers them and that’s all that matters to her.

Honesty in this one, JJ thinks. That can be a good quality in a companion. Simpleness too. Her eyes and lips are pretty much painted on and she has the chubbiness of a matronly woman. Someone who would not draw attention to herself in a room. Her skin colour could pass as a suntan.

“How many children do you have?” he asks her.

“Just my one boy. Well, he is a full-grown man now. I miss him,” sighs Quarta. “I miss him being a little boy. You know, the fun it all was when he was small.”

JJ nods and studies Quarta a little more. She holds the most promise. Her sexy voice. Her honesty. This afternoon is better than online dating. Easier. Instead of one at a time, JJ has his pick of five live women and number four appears willing and definitely able. JJ is loving this version of The Dating Game, where he is able to see their faces and body shapes.

“Any grands?” JJ pursues his interview.

“Not one,” purrs Quarta. She recognizes that his attention has stayed with her longer than with the others. Her slanted brown eyes stay fixed on his. The other cobras observe the non-verbal contact. They know that mesmerizing a man is the most important part of the catch. If they cannot get a man with their boobs or the rest of their body, they can get him with their eyes. Quarta has the best eyes of all of them. Completely cataract-free. Shame on her. She knows her advantage.

They begin a long, slow hiss. Quarta knows her place in their club. She knows to stay at the bottom in order to stay within the top social group. High school cool girls never disappear, they just get older and become millionaire widows.

JJ stands and begins to walk around the table toward Quarta, but Quinta steps out in front of him. Quinta is blocking his path. His view. His possibilities. JJ must handle her delicately.

“Hey, yeah,” swoons Quinta. “I just wanna say that I have a kid too.”

JJ wonders how high Quinta is. “Well, that’s good!” he says, again all too loud.