"I don't know why you don't become a dancer. They don't pay you enough for that set you do." Bessie went on. "And they have you in here using a closet as a dressing room. As if you haven't any talent!"

"You know they wouldn't let me be a dancer. I'm too dark." Eliza reminded Bessie. Eliza couldn't see a thing, her hands continued to rub cold cream on her face. It made it look like a sticky, white film.

"That's another thing, Mr. Bosnis never said the chorus line girls had to be yellow. It's Fern insisting on that." Bessie ranted on. "She said the yellow girls look better under the lights. And I can't imagine why that would be because when she's announcing each act she's out there looking like an ostrich!"

Eliza paused her rubbing off cold cream and lifted her head. "She does have a long neck, doesn't she?"

"Of course she does!" Bessie shouted. Then she stepped toward her friend, looking at herself in the mirror. "I can't wait until I get myself into Hollywood. You know, a lot of colored girls are breaking in big time. Maybe get myself into a soundie."

"You definitely have the look." Eliza commented as she wiped her face clean with a towel.

"Yeah, a soundie." Bessie smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror, admiring her beauty. She burned with hope to be the next movie star. Then she began to do a dance as though her legs were were part of a train. "You must take the A-train, do, do, do, do, do, do."

Eliza laughed as she watched her friend shake the feather attached to her backside.

"To go to Sugar Hill, way up in Harlem."

"You're a hoot." Eliza smiled, then stood up from her vanity and collected her things. "Alright, I'm all set. Let's get changed and head out."

Together they got on their ordinary clothes, wrapping themselves in jackets and ascending the basement steps to decent civilization. In the foggy, New York morning the girls made their way to the El train. They walked up to the elevated Manhattan tracks. Then when they reached their stop in Harlem they both got off together.

The girls chatted together happily in the open air. Little children were just creeping out of their apartments, ready to go off to school. Adults were dressed for their many jobs for the day. And even though it was the early morning, along with the sweet birds melted in the sound of savory jazz, complimentary of a handsome stranger from his fire escape.

As they approached Eliza's building, they began to slow down. They noticed a familiar Ford parked in front. In those days, you weren't allowed to just park anywhere. Eliza and Bessie watched as the block's patrol officer approached. He waved his baton passively, his riding boots scrunching against the sidewalk pavement. His eyes clearly caught the illegally parked car, but he simply passed over it. He gave a nod to both Eliza and Bessie, then went on about his way.

"It must be him. A cop wouldn't overlook a car parked like that." Whispered Bessie. Eliza suddenly had butterflies unleashed in her stomach. Bessie squeezed her friend's arm. "I was gonna come up to spend some time, but I guess I better be going home."

Bessie began walked off, her arms flapping in the pockets of her jacket despite the frigid cold air. Eliza called after her. "You're leaving just like that?"

"I don't want to get in the way of your little love affair!" Bessie shouted as she continued on down the block.

Eliza found it hard to laugh. She hadn't seen him in a while. A part of her wanted to sprint up all three flights of stairs and jump into his arms. The other part of her was far more cautious, and wanted to run the other way.

She walked up the front stoop, opening the door to the apartment building. Her building wasn't too fancy. It had an old fashioned Regency style, something that was left over from the wealthy that lived there a few decades before. It hadn't modern pizazz such as Art Deco wonders such as the Chrysler building that was in construction.

Under the aged opulent crown molding, Eliza's t-strap heels walked along the marble floor. Her hand touched against the dark wood railing, which was ornamented with cherubs, fruits and other designs that just appeared gauche to Eliza.

She walked up a slight of steps, then stood on a landing. She paced a little, wondering what she would say first when she saw him. Suppose she'd ask him where he was all that time. No, that was far too accusatory.

She walked up another flight up steps. She once again was bombarded by intrusive thoughts. She wondered if he was still out there committing heinous acts. She questioned why she allowed herself to date such a man anyway, a white one no less.

He was dangerous, that was clear. And yet, she found herself still continuing up the next flight up steps.

On that landing she stared at herself in a mirrored wall. The mirror was old, and had black spots from age. Still, it was enough for her to make sure her pomade slicked hair was in shape and her drop waist dress was flattering.

She looked around, wondering if he was hiding out on the steps. Maybe she passed him on the landing and hadn't even see him. Maybe he hid on the steps that led to the roof. Maybe it wasn't him at all parked outside, and she made this all up in her mind.

But then she heard a noise from her apartment. She slowly walked to her door, exhaled, then opened it.

There he stood, in his three piece suit. One hand in his pocket, the other touching a potted plant that she kept alive from the last time he had to apologize. He turned and looked at her in the doorway, then gave her that all star smile that swept her away.

"Lovebug." He spoke to her, then slyly made his way over to where she stood. She was still in the doorway, a hand still on the knob like she was frozen. He took her hand off the doorknob and planted a slow, steady kiss on it. His lips lingered over her hand for a moment, his eyes glimpsing up at her, before he stood up.

"Miss me?"